DIFC 044/2021
Mr Shiraz Mahmood v Standard Chartered Bank
This case involved discrimination and victimisation of an employee on the grounds of his Pakistani origins and British nationality by employees in a bank where one team were predominately Pakistani nationals and the other were Caucasians. Issues included the impact of the employee's whistleblowing on a financial services matter and whether his redundancy as part of a restructuring of the business had been fair.
Background
The Claimant, Mr Shiraz Mahmood was employed by the Defendant, Standard Chartered Bank DIFC between 3 August 2016 and 8 January 2021 when the Bank terminated his employment on notice by reason of redundancy. From 20 June 2017 until the termination of his employment Mr Mahmood was Global Head of Compliance for Global Islamic Banking. Mr Mahmood claimed that during the time he served in that role he was subjected to less favourable treatment and detriment (including dismissal) on the grounds of his race and/or nationality, contrary to Article 59 of DIFC Law No. 2/2019 or, prior to 28 August 20192 contrary to Article 58 of DIFC Law No. 4/2005 as amended by the DIFC Employment Law Amendment Law 2012.