Former employees of Complex Networks are breaking their silence. Tiffany Wines posted an open letter to the hip hop based media conglomerate addressing the toxic workplace environment she endured during her tenure with the company.
“Complex Networks issued a statement of solidarity with the Black community in the wake of protests calling for justice for victims of police brutality,” wrote Wines. “According to the statement, ‘Complex Networks recognizes the responsibility we have to stand for justice.’ This is completely contradictory to the day-to-day reality of working at the company as a Black woman or woman of color.”
Responsible for brands Pigeons & Planes, Sole Collector, and popular hip hop show Everyday Struggle, Complex is an entity that thrives on the creations and influences of black people. A quick visit to the company’s website shows an entire paragraph that speaks on the injustices of police brutality toward black people.
Wines urged the public to “not be fooled by the posturing on social media until true change is enacted from within.” Wines goes on to ask for the resignation of Jay Salim and Arman Walia, two employees in managerial roles.
Salim, EVP of People & Culture, quickly responded by making his Instagram profile private. From the letter, it appears that Walia, who is the Senior Director of Social Media, was Wines’ direct report. Through these two employees, Wines claims that they promoted a workplace environment that was not a safe space for black women.
“I want to address the toxic workplace culture steeped in misogyny, anti-Blackness, favoritism, rape culture, and pay inequity,” she wrote. “I could not even begin, in one letter, to attempt to address all of the daily microaggressions Complex culture is notorious for, but suffice to say, my tenure was mostly miserable.”
Wines, who served as the Social Media Editor for Pigeons & Planes at Complex Networks between December 2018 and February 2020, names incidents in which she complained about Walia’s unprofessional and oppressive behavior to no avail. She also recounts accidentally ingesting cookies infused with drugs left out in the open for employees at work which caused a very adverse physical reaction for her.
Eventually, Wines would leave Complex on February 20, 2020, but would be required to sign a non-disclosure agreement before receiving a severance payment of $15,000, which was nearly reduced in half by taxes and process fees.
Read The Open Letter:
Wines’ open letter incited many other former employees to discuss their experiences on social media.
“What toxic Complex story should I share?” Kerensa Cadenas posted. “Rape joke in the bullpen I couldn’t report, 20k less I made than the men in the same position as me, probation period I was put on “for not smiling enough” after being told if everyone worked as hard as I did it would be a better place.”
Apparently, employees from past companies that Salim and Walia worked at had similar complaints.
Headquartered in New York, Complex Networks was founded by serial entrepreneur and fashion designer Marc Ecko. Rich Antoniello is the chief executive, while Christian Baesler presides over 300-plus employees.
