Removed Ben & Jerry's chair says Magnum aimed to 'smear' her

Anuradha Mittal was ejected from the board of the ice cream maker this week.

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Anuradha Mittal, who chaired Ben & Jerry's independent board for seven years, told the BBC that Magnum had threatened to publish "defamatory statements" about her if she did not step down from her role.

It relates to an increasingly bitter dispute between the Vermont-based activist ice cream maker and its owner over the independence of the board and its freedom to pursue its social missions.

Magnum said in its view Mittal "no longer met the criteria to serve" on the board, following an investigation it had commissioned by external advisors.

In a statement on Monday, Magnum outlined changes to the way the board operates including a nine-year limit for people serving on it.