A sales director who threw a chair at his colleague outside a popular strip club has lost his job, as police investigations into the incident continue.
It’s understood that Tony Rogers, 58, no longer works as a sales director for global furniture manufacturing giant Vereinigte Spezialmöbelfabriken.
He had reportedly been enjoying a night out with a German colleague when he became an internet sensation outside Melbourne CBD strip club Bar 20.
He and his colleague had been ejected from the bar for allegedly being offensive to dancers and staff on King Street about 9.20pm on January 30.
CCTV showed the pair scuffling with bouncers before being pushed out onto the footpath.
Mr Rogers was then allegedly seen grabbing a chair from a neighbouring restaurant and hurling it in the direction of the security staff who had ejected them.
The chair struck his workmate, who is believed to be a fellow sales director for the German-based furniture company.
The company has since confirmed one of the men no longer works there following an internal investigation.
It is understood that Vereinigte Spezialmöbelfabriken sales director Tony Rogers no longer works for the company
Tony Rogers, 58, was on a night out with a German colleague when he accidentally struck his colleague (pictured) with a chair outside Melbourne strip club Bar 20
‘VS Australia is aware of an incident at a Melbourne nightclub involving two employees and takes this matter extremely seriously,’ a spokesman told the Herald Sun.
‘While the incident occurred outside of business hours and was not related to a work event, the conduct shown was unacceptable and contrary to our values and the standards we expect of our people.
‘We have conducted an internal investigation in line with our policies. Both individuals have expressed genuine regret for the incident and acknowledged a significant error of professional judgment.
‘One individual is no longer employed with our organisation. VS Australia remains committed to the safety, respect and professionalism of our workplace and to the wellbeing of our employees and customers.’
Daily Mail has contacted VS Australia for comment.
Mr Rogers and his colleague are understood to have been ejected from the venue before the pair had even taken a single sip of their first beverages.
It emerged last week that it was an alleged foul-mouthed demand for a stubby of beer that sparked the flying chair knockout.
Bar 20 co-owner Michael Trimble confirmed to Daily Mail this week that he had been contacted by Victoria Police and the men’s employer regarding footage of the incident.
Furniture salesman Tony Rogers was captured on CCTV grabbing the now infamous chair
The incident left Mr Rogers’ colleague unconscious after he was struck by the chair
‘I almost feel sorry for these guys, their lives have been ruined from this, and their business relationships,’ Mr Trimble told the Herald Sun.
‘But they had so many opportunities to walk out. The security guards knew they had been drinking but thought what harm could two 60-odd-year-old white guys do at 9pm.
‘It was so early most of the dancers were still arriving to start their shift.’
Victoria Police confirmed that inquiries into the incident continue.
Mr Rogers is expected to be fined for riotous behaviour.
He has since deleted his professional LinkedIn account and wiped his personal Facebook profile.
However, the Daily Mail unearthed several pictures of him from his previous stint as an award-winning managing director of an Australian furniture company.
Daily Mail made numerous attempts to contact Mr Rogers, who did not respond.
