Banker wins discrimination claim after being denied promotion

Posted 10/12/2010

A City banker has been awarded £375,000 after a court agreed he had been discriminated against on the grounds of his nationality when applying for a promotion.

An employment tribunal ruled investment bank Calyon – formed following the merger of Credit Agricole and Credit Lyonnais – contravened employment law when it overlooked Michael Wardle in favour of an inexperienced Frenchman.

Mr Wardle, 46, had 17 years of experience as a risk management trader when he joined the company in 2005 and had been put forward for the role by boss Paul Conlon, but in the end was not even interviewed.

“In the absence of any satisfactory or credible explanation … we are driven to the conclusion that [rival applicant Gregoire Mazuel] was the preferred candidate because he was French,” the tribunal stated.

Other banks have also been hit with anti-discrimination compensation claims in recent months, including Oksana Denysenko’s lawsuit against Credit Suisse, in which she won a £1.5 million payout for being discriminated against after maternity leave.