OXFAM chief executive Dr Halima Begum has been forced out after about 70 members of the organisation signed a letter asking for a review of her conduct towards employees.

The charity’s board found Ms Begum’s position to be “untenable,” citing an “irretrievable breakdown in its trust and confidence” that she could perform her duties.

Staff members called for a probe into Ms Begum’s behaviour in the wake of several employees resigning after falling out with her, according to the Times.

This prompted the charity’s board of trustees to launch a review into “concerns raised about the leadership, conduct and approach” of the chief executive.

Oxfam confirmed that it had commissioned legal firm Howlett Brown to look into Ms Begum’s behaviour during her two years in the role.

Drawing on testimony from 32 current and former members of staff and documentary evidence, the probe found “serious issues in the CEO’s leadership behaviour and her decision-making, including breaches of organisational processes and values and inappropriate interference into safeguarding and integrity investigations.”

The final decision to sack Ms Begum was taken last week and she has already left the organisation, according to Oxfam.

Jan Oldfield, the charity’s chief supporter officer for more than four years, has now taken her place as acting chief executive.

The dismissal came after financial figures released this month showed that the charity’s profits from shops had fallen by two-thirds in the past three years.

Oxfam GB acting co-chairwomen Nana Afadzinu and Dame Annie Hudson said their focus for the future would be to offer “stability” to employees and to “rebuild confidence across the organisation.”