Charles Morgan has issued a full statement regarding his removal as the head of the family-owned Morgan Motor Company.
Published on his personal blog, Morgan says: "As has been widely reported, I have been asked to leave the Morgan Motor Company by the board. It is a sad decision that I am appealing; I remain a major shareholder in Morgan.
"I’m proud to say I leave with the company’s annual production volumes double what they were at the start of my tenure, with new export markets such as China opened to the company. Morgan remains a small but successful family firm.
"I’d like to be clear that I am not a tycoon but a family man – I inherited a company not wealth – and unexpectedly leaving its employment will be a hardship for myself and my family. Being asked to leave the company that bears my name is also extremely personally distressing. That is made more painful as today marks 10 years since my father, Peter Morgan, died and I feel him in spirit with me in this dispute.
"However my primary concern is completely for the company I have spent 30 years helping to build, and specifically for Morgan’s employees, who I hold in the highest regard. I want nothing but success for Morgan Motor Company in the future and remain committed to this goal.
"I am very grateful for the expressions of support received on twitter and elsewhere, particularly from the employees of Morgan.
"I will be making no further statements for the time being."
Morgan Motor Company has also released the following statement: "Whilst there is an internal process being carried out on an employment issue relating to Charles Morgan the company is duty bound not to make any comment other than the press release which is in the public domain.
"We will be issuing a further statement once the internal employment issue is finalised."
Following a statement from the firm earlier this week, Morgan Motor Company also confirmed to Autocar that Charles Morgan "is no longer involved in the running of the business" but that he remained as a shareholder in the business, which is 100 per cent family owned.
Charles Morgan has also told Autocar that "I am appealing the decision". He added: "As a family member I think I should have been consulted about this press release because it suggests that it comes from all of the family shareholders.
"It fails to explain what the decisions were back in January. It confuses growth in volumes with growth in sales and doesn't suggest whether we are responding to either. And it also suggests that I resisted overseas markets and global expansion when I was the one going abroad."
Morgan subsequently issued a further update to its official statement. It read: "The Morgan family recognises the management contribution that Charles has made to the family business as Strategy Director, and confirm that he remains a shareholder.
"However, to ensure continuing success, Morgan must look to strengthen and review its strategies, and acknowledges that our management team are better placed to steer the company in the future."
The saga over Morgan's leadership began with a release from the business stating that Charles Morgan was no longer part of the management team or the board of directors at Morgan Technologies Ltd, a subsidiary of the main company.
