Colleagues slam Sydney banker and DEI boss accused of trying to kill his boyfriend: 'Inflated opinion of himself'

By CHARLOTTE KARP, SENIOR NEWS REPORTER Published: 07:24, 14 August 2026 | Updated: 07:24, 14 August 2026 A Sydney banker and diversity and inclusion boss accused of trying to kill his boyfriend with a hot saucepan during a luxury hotel stay in France has been slammed by his former colleagues.  David Cao, 37, allegedly whacked his partner Callum Forbes, 36, over the head with a kitchen pan and poured boiling water over his body at the Château de Perreux boutique hotel in central France on the evening of July 28. The couple paid about $500 for a night in the 'caves room' and planned to travel to Amsterdam for the World Gay Pride festival the following day - an event supported by Cao's employer, ING. Guests and hotel staff reportedly heard screams coming from the room, with staff later finding Mr Forbes alone and suffering burns across his body. He had dozens of stitches and is recovering in a French hospital with his mother by his side, telling Gay Sydney Daily: 'I remember thinking very clearly that I might die.' Cao allegedly fled the scene in a rental car and was arrested about 36 hours later near the Belgian border. He has been charged with attempted murder and is on remand in a French prison. Prior to the alleged offence, Cao often gushed online about his career achievements, but former colleagues have had little positive to say about their time working with him. David Cao is pictured, right, with his former partner Callum Forbes, left David Cao boasted about his career achievements on LinkedIn. He is pictured delivering a presentation The alleged attack took place inside one of the 'cave rooms' (pictured) at the Château de Perreux boutique hotel, in the Nazelles-Négron area of central France One said: 'David was difficult to work with.' A former colleague from the Bank of Queensland said he was 'highly strung' and 'annoying' to work with, and had an 'inflated opinion of himself'. 'He wasn't an executive, he liked to think he was,' they said. On LinkedIn, Cao shared photographs of himself rubbing shoulders with the likes of former Qantas CEO Alan Joyce, Westpac CEO Anthony Miller and chief executive Carolyn McCann. Cao spent four months as head of retail value creation at ING Australia until he was dismissed following the alleged attempted murder. He worked at Westpac between 2016 and 2020, then again from 2024 to 2026, serving as a consultant, business manager, head of strategy, executive manager and head of diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI). Cao also worked as chief business development officer and chief of staff to the CEO at the Bank of Queensland, as a strategy manager at the Commonwealth Bank, and as an analyst at Goldman Sachs. On Thursday, Cao's alleged victim, Mr Forbes, told media: 'I remember thinking, is this real, is this some kind of nightmare.' 'I had been bleeding heavily and was too terrified to open the door for what felt like more than 30 minutes while I waited for hotel staff to come in,' he said. Cao (right) is pictured with Mr Forbes (left) David Cao is pictured in San Francisco in 2020. In July, he allegedly tried to kill his boyfriend Callum Forbes (left) is pictured with his former boyfriend David Cao (right) on a boat at Sydney Harbour 'I'll have scarring from the stitches on my face and back, but the burns should recover without surgery and many of the stitches or staples are in my hair so aren't too visible,' Mr Forbes added. 'I know things will feel different for a while, but I'm looking forward to getting back to normal life when I can.' The Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade confirmed on Thursday that it is providing consular assistance to Mr Forbes.  They former couple were together for almost three years and enjoyed a number of international trips to destinations including the Great Wall of China, vineyards and a yacht cruises around Sydney Harbour.  Earlier, the Mail revealed that Cao previously dated high-profile radio personality and producer 'Intern' Pete Deppeler in 2020. The Mail has been told their relationship only lasted a few months and it didn't end on good terms.  Deppeler declined to comment when contacted for comment.