High-flying female sales exec sues for sex discrimination after 'prestigious' award given to male colleague

A female sales executive who earned £750,000 a year in commission has sued her employer for sex discrimination after the company’s prestigious ‘Salesperson Of The Year Award’ went to a male colleague.

Nadine Lee, a sales manager at software company Splunk, also claimed her male bosses ‘went behind her back’ by stripping her of multi-million pound accounts in favour of a new salesman without her consent.

At a London tribunal Ms Lee alleged she was discriminated against when she did not receive the award - which was considered 'prestigious' and had been won by her before -  despite bringing in the most revenue.

She was regularly praised by colleagues at the London office for negotiating high-value deals with some of the largest banks in the world.

Despite her success, Ms Lee was ‘pushed aside for an old boys network,’ and had been encouraged by her bosses to take six months leave over concerns that she would ‘burn out’, the tribunal heard.

Ms Lee’s profitable accounts were then handed over to newly-hired salesmen without her permission.

Upon her return Ms Lee was shocked to discover she was being given significantly less valuable accounts than before.

Ms Lee sued her employers for sex discrimination and unfair dismissal after arguing that new recruits were given 'preferential treatment'.

Ms Lee, of Asian descent, said: "This appears to be an old boys' network and a high performing female from an ethnic background with an outstanding performance is being pushed aside for the furtherance of that network."

Employment Judge Lewis ruled in Ms Lee’s favour over her claims of sex discrimination yet found that her employer’s choice to give the award to her colleague did not amount to discrimination as the decision had been up to the 'discretion' of her boss.

A tribunal report revealed the damning gender unbalance at the male-dominated Splunk, with men making up for '90 per cent of its upper pay quartile'.

Accounts had been hurriedly transferred to male executives just three weeks before Ms Lee returned from leave, the tribunal heard.

Judge Lewis said the reallocation of accounts was 'humiliating' and wouldn't have happened if she were a man.

Global account manager Ms Lee had worked for the company from February 2013 until her resignation in August 2018.

She had received numerous emails from bosses praising her for her 'masterful' work after closing a series of deals worth $3.5 million, $9.1 million and $12 million.

Employment Judge Lewis said: "Removing and reallocating [accounts] without  Ms Lee's consent was a detriment.

"The claimant was a top performer, if not the top performer, in the Europe, Middle East and Africa division for many years.”

"Moreover, the way it was carried out, without consultation and behind her back, was hurtful and humiliating."

The judge added: "We find that.. the reallocation of [accounts] as well as the way it was handled while the claimant was away and behind her back, was because of the claimant's sex.”

Ms Lee is yet to receive compensation.