A HOTEL marketing company has claimed before the High Court its business will be damaged if one of its key workers is not restrained from taking up a job with an allegedly dominant competitor for at least six months.
Net Affinity Ltd (NAL), Sandyford, Dublin, claims its former head of client services, Michelle Conaghan, has breached her contractual obligations by moving to Revmac Ltd, trading as Avvio. Both NAL and Avvio are involved in online marketing to increase hotel bookings.
NAL also claims Ms Conaghan took confidential information about NAL’s business with her in breach of a non-compete clause in her contract. This could be particularly damaging as Avvio is three or four times bigger than NAL, it is claimed.
NAL has applied for orders restraining Ms Conaghan working for Avvio for 12 months. Alternatively, it wants her placed on six months “garden leave” to allow it minimise potential damage.
Mr Justice Roderick Murphy yesterday began hearing NAL’s application for the orders pending the full hearing of the company’s proceedings against Ms Conaghan for alleged breach of contract and against Avvio for alleged abuse of its dominant position and/or engaging in anti-competitive practices. Ms Conaghan and Avvio deny the claims.