Non-German banker 'not sidelined'

Senior bankers wanted to turn the firm "back into a German bank"

The head of a City investment bank has denied claims his firm sidelined an ex-employee because he was not German and could not speak the language.

Malcolm Perry from Barnes, south-west London, is suing Frankfurt-based Dresdner Kleinwort for £10m.

He lost his £2.2m job at the bank's London office a year ago, the central London employment tribunal heard.

But Stefan Jentzsch, the firm's CEO, said Mr Perry was not as qualified as other staff.

Mr Perry was hired to be Dresdner's global head of credit products in April 2005 but was made redundant in October 2006 when the bank merged its corporate and investment banking arms.

Languages 'irrelevant'

Mr Perry claims he was overlooked for several roles within the reorganised company during restructuring because he was not German or could not speak German.

But Mr Jentzsch said: "As head of fixed income, currencies and commodities we had chosen Harry Culham, and Mr Culham is a Canadian who I do not think speaks German and I have never asked if he speaks German."

"The job of head of global derivatives went to Mark Richardson, who is British and does not speak German."

He added: "For most of our business, language capabilities are irrelevant."

Mr Perry is seeking compensation form the company on the basis that it discriminated against him under the Race Relations Act.

The hearing continues.