Story 1
In 2024, while working as an MD at Citi, I was subjected to the most biased, frankly shocking, HR investigation of my 25 year career. What at first appeared to be a routine inquiry quickly turned into a hit job shaped less by facts and more by assumptions, insinuations, and gendered interpretation of behavior.
The investigation included lines of questioning that relied heavily on subjective judgment and insinuation rather than objective evidence. Innuendo was introduced where none belonged. Ordinary professional interactions were reframed in ways that would not have been applied to male colleagues.
What struck me most was not just the outcome, but the process itself. There was little effort to understand intent, history, or performance. The standard applied to me was different — narrower, harsher, and far less forgiving than what I had routinely seen extended to men for far more serious conduct. There was zero care for the degree to which they were willing to malign my reputation internally to frame me as threat.
In short, what is happening at Citi in terms of the sheer number of women who are leaving is no accident.