This Banker, Who Was Fired In 2019 For 'Emotional Terrorism', Wants $4 Million

A senior BNP Paribas banker who was fired in 2019 and was accused of “emotional terrorism” for his behaviour towards employees has filed a court suit to seek $4 million compensation for his unfair dismissal. Omar Alami’s behaviour once left a team member with “a feeling of waterboarding”.

The former head of BNP’s equity derivatives sales (Switzerland, Belgium and Luxembourg), according to an internal report, allegedly called a trader “useless” and “incompetent” in front of colleagues over a potential 800,000 euro ($872,000) mistake wasn’t an isolated outburst, according to a Bloomberg report. He, however, disputed the internal report.

Calling his response to the trader who had confessed to the likely error on a 1-million-euro trade “was lively”, Alami told court that “I was never humiliating, I was never insulting or aggressive”, according to the report.

In a statement, BNP said that in the Alami case, it took “all measures to protect its employees in accordance with the group’s procedures”.

In the dismissal letter, BNP said the repeated humiliations had the effect of degrading his working conditions for several months. “Witnesses say he was very affected, that he came to the office in tears, expressing a feeling of deep unease.”

A court ruling in the case is expected for May 17.

His lawyer Coralie Ouazana said other colleagues describe the banker as friendly. Also, during performance interviews, nothing was ever said about his alleged aggressiveness. However, the man was offered coaching to improve his communication style.

The lawyer also said several people who worked with him praised his kindness. Ouazana added that during BNP’s yearly evaluations of her client no one ever raised concern about any aggressiveness.

“It’s quite rare for people on trading floors to speak up,” Fournier said at the Paris employment tribunal, according to Bloomberg. She added that the trader who first alleged that Alami verbally attacked him had to be put on sick leave for two weeks after the incident and came into the office in tears.

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