Millars bank

MILLARS BANK LTD

Léa Beulaguet

Estelle Habrant

Astrid Viphakone-Lamache 25 March 2014

Overview

• Company: Millars Bank Ltd

• Characters:

• Mrs Janet Louise MARSH, Loan Officer

• Mr. P.D. SMOTHERS, Bank manager, Abu Dhabi

• W.T.R. DUNCAN, Vice-President, International Banking London

• John PHILLIPS, Bank manager, Cairo (ex Mrs Marsh supervisor)

• Date: August 1994

• Location: Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates

Overview

• She replaces Mr. Mathers as loan officer in Millars Bank

Abu Dhabi.

• She arrived the 1st August 1994 for assignment 15th

August

• Mrs Marsh and Mr. Smothers first met the day she

arrived in Smother’s office

Mr. Smothers didn’t expect J.L Marsh to be a woman.

Exhibits

• 18th July 1994 : Fax from Duncan to Smothers (Ex 1)

• 1st August 1994: Dialogue between Smothers and Marsh

• 2nd August 1994 : Series of faxes between Smothers and

Duncan (Ex 2)

• 2nd August 1994 : Letter from Marsh to Smothers (Ex 4)

• CV of Janet Louise Marsh (Ex3)

Exhibit 1: Fax from W. T. R. Duncan, Vice-President, International

Banking, Millars Bank, London, to Smothers

DATE: 18 July 1994

TO: P. SMOTHERS

FM: W. DUNCAN

RE: REPLACEMENT OFFICER

J. L. MARSH, REPLACEMENT FOR MATHERS, ARRIVING 1 AUG FOR ASSIGNMENT

15 AUG. MARSH FORMERLY CORPORATE LOAN OFFICER, BEIRUT AND CAIRO.

FLUENT ARABIC. HIGHLY SUCCESSFUL IN FORMER POSITIONS. CREDITED WITH

EXPANDING CAIRO LOAN OPERATIONS BY 30%. SHOULD BE ABLE TO ASSUME

EXTENSIVE DUTIES IN MINIMUM TIME. PLEASE REPLY UPON MARSH ARRIVAL.

CORDIALLY,

DUNCAN

Smothers: Miss Marsh, I frankly don't know what to say. I would have

thought, with your obvious knowledge of the Middle East, that you would

have disqualified yourself from this position.

Marsh: Mr. Smothers, I understand what you're trying to tell me, but I

really don't see that we have a problem. Believe it or not, when I was first

transferred to Cairo five years ago, John, John Phillips, the manager

there, had very much the same reservations you have today.

Smothers: I know John. Know him very well.

Marsh: Well, it worked out beautifully.

Smothers: But, Egypt is not Abu Dhabi. Egypt is progressive, very

liber al, women are acknowledged as professionals. But in the

Emirates . . .

Marsh: You don't want me to stay.

Smothers: It's not me. Please understand that I would be delighted to

have you stay. But, but, I can't imagine, Miss Marsh, how you could do

your job. Our clients are conservative, traditional. They expect their

principal loan officer to be a man. They won't do business with us. They

won't take us seriously.

Marsh: Why not?

Smothers: They just won't. It's simply not done. Unheard of, even.

Marsh: With all due respect, I think you're vastly mistaken.

Smothers: What?

Marsh: That's right. Mistaken. Our clients come to our bank to borrow

pounds in order to finance projects that must be paid in pounds. Nothing

more, nothing less. What they are looking for is a loan officer who can

place their loan at a competitive interest rate and in short order. Isn't that

correct?

Dialogue between Smothers and Marsh

Smothers: Yes. And no.

Marsh: Why no?

Smothers: Miss Marsh, you've been in corporate banking long

enough to realize that personal relations between a client and a lending

institution are vitally important. I, I can't see how our clients could, would

relate to you. And we're not the only bank in town either. Why, just in Abu

Dhabi alone there are at least two dozen foreign banks with whom we

are in direct competition, not to mention the other two dozen Emirate-

owned banks plus all the other foreign banks with represen tatives on

restricted licenses who also can occasionally take business away from

us.

Marsh: Mr. Smothers, I am well aware of competition and the

role of the loan officer. I am so well aware, in fact, that I feel that I can be

as effective, or more effective, than I was in Beirut and Cairo. I

understand the Middle East. I've lived here for many years. I speak, read,

and write Arabic. I know the customs, the religion, the history, and, most

importantly, the business of business. How many other loan officers are

fluent in Arabic?

Smothers: Not many. I'm not even myself. But that has not been a

disadvantage.

Marsh: Has it been an advantage?

Smothers: No, I can't say that either.

Marsh: Besides, Mr. Smothers, let me remind you that this is a

British bank, not an Arab bank and . . .

Smothers: But a British bank in an Arab country.

Exhibit 2: Texts of a Series of Faxes Sent Back and Forth from

Smothers to Duncan

Fax from Smothers to Duncan:

JANET MARSH ARRIVED YESTERDAY. HAVE SERIOUS DOUBTS AS TO HER ABILITY TO

PERFORM DUTIES ADEQUATELY GIVEN STRONG TRADITIONAL ARAB CULTURE HERE.

PLEASE ADVISE ASAP.

Fax from Duncan to Smothers:

PLS CLARIFY MESSAGE RE MARSH.

Fax from Smothers to Duncan:

CLARIFICATION REGARDING JANET MARSH: FEEL ARABS WILL NOT DEAL WITH

WOMAN LOAN OFFICER. EMIRATES VERY TRADITIONAL, NOT ACCUSTOMED TO

FEMALES IN BUSINESS. COULD SERIOUSLY JEOPARDIZE OPERATIONS. PLEASE

ADVISE.

Exhibit 4: Letter from Marsh to Smothers

Dear Mr. Smothers:

In relation to our conversation of yesterday, I feel some further clarification of my position is desirable.

Let me assure you, first, that I did not apply for this position in order to create a “test” case regarding the employment of women

in executive positions in the Arab world. It is simply that the qualifications posted for the position were ideally suited to my talents.

Let me also assure you that I gave considerable thought to the possible complications involved, but I felt, and still feel, that my

own administrative skills are sufficient to overcome objections that arise initially from our predominantly Arab clientele. My

positions in both Beirut and Cairo have taught me much about how to proceed in the Middle East, and I trust I can draw on those

lessons to ensure a smooth and speedy transition from Cairo to Abu Dhabi.

In Cairo I worked with a number of Saudi clients and, in general, had friendly and excellent relationships with them. Although they

were certainly traditional in their social views, I found them to be extremely progressive in their business outlook. This progressive

viewpoint extended to our client/banker relationship, where I was seen as “a banker”. Their attitude was quite clearly one of

financial pragmatism, i.e., if Millars employed me in such a position, I must be qualified.

Additional anecdotes abound; however, in most of them “financial pragmatism” was more important than “cultural tradition”. Had I

been an Arab woman, things might have been different, but as an Englishwoman working for an English bank, I have been

allowed to stand outside the “cultural tradition”.

In conclusion, Mr. Smothers, I simply urge you to grant me the opportunity to serve Millars Bank in Abu Dhabi. If my performance

is not satisfactory, I promise to step down from the position within ninety days.

I thank you in advance for your consideration. Very truly yours,

J. L. Marsh

2 August 1994

Millars Bank

14 Talaat Harb St.

Cairo, Egypt

Employment

11 '88 to present

Millars Bank (Cairo) Ltd.

14 Talaat Harb St., Cairo, Egypt

Position: Corporate Loan Officer

Duties: Liaison with clients; Processing of acceptance

s and transit items; financialinvestigations; Eurodollar

financing; Project evaluations.

Supervisor: John Phillips

6/85 to 11/88

Millars Bank (Beirut) Ltd.

POB 1028, Beirut, Lebanon

Position: Assistant Corporate Loan Officer

Duties: Processing of acceptances and transit items;

financial investigations; liaison with clients.

9/82 to 6/85

Millars Bank, International Division 58 Lombard St.,

London EC3, England

Position: Assistant, International Finance

Duties: Processing of letters of credit, acceptances,

and transit items; Eurodollar loan

financing; Middle East finance specialist. Translator and

interpreter: Arabic—English, English— Arabic.

Exhibit 3: CV of Janet Marsh Janet Louise MarshHealth: ExcellentCitizenship: United KingdomMarital Status: SingleDate of Birth: 4 January 1961

EducationLondon School of EconomicsHoughton St., London WC2A 2PE, EnglandB.Sc. (Econ) June 1982 Programme: Monetary EconomiesMajor Studies: Monetary Economics, Finance, Accounting, Arabic, International Finance Publications“The Changing Character of International Finance in Egypt,'' Banking International, v. 14, no. 63, 1982. Languages Arabic, French (fluent) German (reading knowledge) Leisure Activities Tennis, Swimming, Photography

Women conditions in Abu Dhabi in 1994

United Arab Emirates is a traditional arabic society:

The most conservative country of the Arabian Peninsula

Women rarely hold important positions

Women and men are not on the same equal footing

But the women conditions evolves differently in other parts of the Middle East and North Africa

THE EXISTING SITUATION

CommunicationSTRENGHTS WEAKNESSES

Smothers’ tranparency towards Marsh and her integration in the Abu Dhabi Millars Bank.

Misunderstanding between Smothers and Duncan concerning the gender of the new loan officer (Mrs Marsh)

Smother directly informed, Ducanthe vice-president in London.

Smothers and Marsh don’t have the same opinion about women in executive position in the Arabic World.

Intercultural differencesSTRENGHTS WEAKNESSES

The position of women in Arab societies is in a state of evolution.

Clash of cultures between the West and the Middle East.

The is a gap between traditional and modern Arab societies (not the same stage)

Women don’t have the same opportunities for higher education and professionnal careers.

The international vice-president, Duncan, was not awre of the cultural differences in Arab countries

EthicsSTRENGHTS WEAKNESSES

Discrimination against women in executive positions.

Very conservative way to do business in Abu Dhabi

No intention to give Mrs. Marsh a chance to proove her capabilities and talents.

ManagementSTRENGHTS WEAKNESSES

Real implication from the London office concerning the situation in Abu Dhabi.

Smothers does not trust Mrs. Marsh even though she is qualified.

Direct proposition of a qualified worker that would perfeclty fit for the job.

Smothers recognizes Marsh’s qualifications.

Problem

Clash of culture between West and Middle East but also

between traditional and modern Arabic countries that can

lead to women discrimination in workplace.

OUR OPTIONS

Our options1.Mrs. Marsh stays the new loan officer assigned for

replacement

2.Smothers hires her for a probation time of 90 days

3.Smothers hires an Arab man to assist her to deal with clients

4.Marsh moves in a more liberal country as corporate loan officer

5.Millars follows United Arab Emirates’ traditions and hire a man instead of Ms. Marsh

Mrs. Marsh stays the new loan officer assigned for replacement

Strenghts Weaknesses

Fair for Mrs. Marsh and her 12 years-experience in international banking.

The bank can lost a lot of clients because of the place of women in Abu Dhabi’s society.

Breaks the codes: leads to an evolution inside a traditional society.

Smothers might always have a little doubt (bad relationship between both of them).

More credibility since she is a UK citizen and not a local.

OPTION 1

Smothers hires her for a probation time of 90 days


A way for marsh to proove her reliability and qualifications to Smothers

Clients not accustomed to female in business.

More credibility since she is a UK citizen and not a local.

It could seriously jeopardize operations

OPTION 2

Smothers hires an Arab man to assist her to deal with clients


Clients will be reassured. Marsh will still be running the operations

No loss of existing clients. Additional costs in terms of wages.

No trust towards Marsh and her ability to deal with clients.

She will maybe not be really enthusiastic about this solution and won’t work in an efficient way.

OPTION 3

Marsh moves in a more liberal country as corporate loan officer


The bank won’t lost any clients. She won’t have the chance to prove that she is able to work in Abu Dhabi.

She keeps the same position as corporate loan officer.

OPTION 4

Millars follows United Arab Emirates’ traditions and hire a man instead of Ms. Marsh


The bank won’t lost any clients Won’t help to change women conditions in Arabic countries

Ms Marsh won’t have the chance to prove that she is able to handle this job

OPTION 5

Debate

Do you think cultural difference can be a brake with the process of hiring someone ?

Thank you for you attention!

Business

Millars bank