Story 94

I am shaking as I write this. I have spent a long time suppressing what I have experienced, largely out of fear. Fear of retaliation, fear of attaching my name to something that could have consequences for my career. I am a current employee based in Florida and have worked on the Technology side of Citi for approximately four years. What I have witnessed during this time has been deeply troubling.

The overall demographics and power dynamics within my area of the firm are extremely concerning. On my current team, there are only three women, including myself. The remainder of the team consists of Indian men, many of whom are in leadership or director roles overseeing all fronts. As a white, Ivy League deeply educated young professional with over 12 years of experience in Finance and Technology, the level of disrespect and unprofessional conduct I have experienced and observed at Citi is unlike anything I have encountered in my career.

I have been verbally disrespected, talked down to, belittled, and manipulated by specific Indian men, two of whom were my direct managers at the time, and one an engineer I worked closely with. Experience, credentials, and professionalism seem to carry little weight. My words have been twisted, my abilities questioned, simple requests intentionally misunderstood, work delayed for production on purpose, and behavior shifts depending entirely on who is present. The pattern is clear and so exhausting.

The conduct I have witnessed has crossed basic professional boundaries. There have been instances of violent raised voices, calls ended abruptly, interruptions during presentations, muting colleagues while they are speaking, and aggressive, demeaning tones. It has been embarrassing, dehumanizing, and a deeply poor reflection of how leaders, SVPs and directors should behave in a corporate environment.

Compounding this is a significant language communication barrier that has made collaboration nearly impossible. Emails, in-person conversations, and straightforward responses are frequently misunderstood or intentionally misrepresented, only to be turned back on us later. These constant misunderstandings create chaos, tension, and unnecessary conflict.

One of my female colleagues has been brought to tears on several occasions by how she has been treated by a specific group of Indian men on the Technology team. We have been disrespected repeatedly, spoken down to, and subjected to aggressive and brashness that makes effective collaboration nearly impossible. The environment feels hostile and demoralizing.

I truly believe this is something Citi will eventually have to answer to. For now, I am simply trying to survive and “play the game” until the job market becomes more realistic and stable. I have applied to approximately 65 positions in the last six months and have not received a single interview request or call back. I am single, relying on one income, and feel trapped until a meaningful shift occurs. Sad but true.

Thank you for taking the time to listen. Even writing this has taken more courage than I feel I have left right now.