Story 164
I was a Senior Technology Manager with Citi based in Singapore. In 2023, I raised a concern with the Ethics Team about my manager. From my perspective, there were troubling signs that technology funds were being misused and that established technology governance processes were being bypassed. Given the scale of the spending involved – tens of millions of dollars – the situation raised serious red flags for me.
My experience after raising the issue was very difficult. The Employee Relations investigator assigned to my case came across as openly hostile, as if I was somehow at fault for speaking up. Because my manager was closely aligned with a leadership circle that has been referenced in other stories (the “Indian Mafia”), I felt certain that the information had gone directly to senior leadership despite Citi’s claim that ethics complaints are anonymous.
As a woman working in the APAC region, where workplace hierarchies and cultural dynamics make it hard to challenge senior leadership, I had very few avenues for support. It seemed the organisation was closing ranks rather than properly examining the concerns I had raised. As far as I know, not a single witness I named was ever contacted.
Over time my position was increasingly minimized. I was shut out from meetings and important information, making it appear as if I was ineffective. From my perspective, there is little doubt that this was retaliation for raising the complaint.
The article published by the Financial Times is important because it shines a light on an issue that has affected many people.