Fake degree forces new resignation for Vukcevic

Michael Vukcevic.

Michael Vukcevic has resigned from the Middle East Business Council after revelations he claimed to have a law degree.

A Herald investigation revealed that Mr Vukcevic did not have a Bachelor of Laws (LLB) as stated on the curriculum vitae he submitted when applying to be the chief executive of the Baldwins law firm two years earlier.

The next day he released a statement which confirmed he does not hold a LLB "from any University in New Zealand and have never worked in a legal role."

Mr Vukcevic was the chairman of the Middle East Business Council, which works closely with Government Ministers and agencies to foster trade negotiations in the region.

This morning he resigned from the executive committee "effective immediately".

Deputy chairman Stewart Germann announced today that the Council had accepted the resignation and he would take over as Chairman until the next annual general meeting.

"Mr Vukcevic has been an energetic and committed participant of the Council during his more than six years of involvement, and was in fact a founding member of the organisation," he said.

"Mr Vukcevic offered to resign because he did not want any adverse publicity to reflect on the good work that the Council has done over many years under his leadership and the Council is appreciative of that."