Banker: They forced me out to make way for a young Australian
A BRITISH banker claims he was forced out of his job to make way for a younger Australian woman, a tribunal has heard.
John Marshall, 60, was head of finance and operations at the Commonwealth Bank of Australia when he was made redundant in June 2016, after 27 years at the bank.
Debbie Lotz, a 47-year-old Australian, had moved to London from its head office in Sydney nine months earlier, and Mr Marshall told the tribunal that Ms Lotz had been told that she would be taking his role in March.
Mr Marshall told the Central London Employment Tribunal: “It was clear to me that Debbie had not been selected because she was better for the role than I was, it seemed that the most obvious difference between us was our age but I was also concerned that Debbie may have been preferred because she is a woman, or because she is Australian.”
He added that staff in the London office felt that head office staff were favoured, that Australian staff were seconded to London with little consultation, and that Ms Lotz was counselling Australian members of his team without his knowledge.
The day before filing a grievance Mr Marshall said he found a “target chart” detailing redundancies and a team restructure in Ms Lotz’s desk.
Mr Marshall, of Tonbridge, Kent, said: “The chart... showed a plan to reduce headcount in London with six roles to be made redundant. Below that a list of five roles to be created appeared. What the chart showed was that Debbie was to take my role.”
The bank denies the claims, saying it was a straightforward redundancy. The hearing continues.