‘It’s Nightmare to work with Indias’: Citibank Fires Senior Executive After Racist Remark About Indians

Ann Watson, a senior executive at Citibank’s London office, was recently fired after making offensive remarks about Indian colleagues during a job interview. The incident happened during an online interview for a new role within the bank.

During the virtual meeting, Watson reportedly said her previous project had failed because she had worked with Indian colleagues. She told the interviewer, Kapil—who is of Indian origin—“No offence to you, but you know what Indians are like to work with. It’s a nightmare.”

The comment immediately shocked the interview panel. The session was paused, and Watson was moved to a virtual waiting room. When the interview resumed, she added sarcastically, “Now it’s your chance to get me back.”

Citigroup Inc. or Citi is an American multinational investment bank and financial services company based in New York City. The company was formed in 1998 by the merger of Citicorp, the bank holding company for Citibank, and Travelers; Travelers was spun off from the company in 2002.

Citi’s Response and Termination of Ann Watson

A month after the incident, Citibank terminated Watson’s employment, citing gross misconduct. According to Citi, the comments were clearly inappropriate and went against the company’s values of workplace equality and diversity.

The bank said it carried out a thorough internal investigation before deciding to fire Watson. Citi emphasized that having health issues doesn’t justify making racially insensitive remarks. The bank has over 32,000 employees in India—its second-largest workforce after the United States—and maintains a strict anti-discrimination policy. Top Citibank leaders such as Vis Raghavan and Anand Selvakesari are also of Indian origin.

Watson Files Lawsuit Against Citibank

Now, Watson, who is 55 years old, is taking legal action against Citibank. She claims her dismissal was unfair and discriminatory. Watson says that at the time of the interview, she was suffering from menopause and long COVID. These health conditions, she explains, caused “brain fog” and memory problems, and she does not remember making those comments.

She argues that her condition should have been taken into account and that Citibank did not consider her 12 years of service or her health struggles. Watson insists that she is deeply sorry for the incident and says, “I was horrified. I would never blame a culture for a work failure.”

What impact can it have?

Watson’s legal team argues that menopause is considered a protected disability under UK equality law. They claim that firing her without reasonable adjustments due to her health condition is against the law.

The outcome of this case could be significant. Legal experts say it might set new standards for how employers handle workers who are going through health issues like menopause or long COVID. If the court rules in Watson’s favor, it could lead to changes in workplace policies not only in the UK but globally.

Meanwhile, Citibank is under pressure to show that its commitment to workplace diversity and fairness is strong—especially after making public promises to improve inclusion following the global Black Lives Matter movement.

This case is not just about one person’s job. It could change how companies balance health-related challenges with serious misconduct. It could also influence how much support and protection employees with menopause or long COVID receive at work.

Watson is seeking compensation, and the court will now have to decide: Should personal health problems be considered when judging offensive behavior in the workplace?