Hong Kong Bankers Say City’s Divide Is Infecting Office Life
- Divergent views on the protests are fueling workplace tension
- BoCom economist says he was ousted for not toeing party line
An economist says he was pushed out of his job at a Chinese bank in part due to his views on the impact of Hong Kong’s protests. A brokerage employee in the city is looking for a new job because she disagrees with her bosses’ politics. An investment banker says he avoids talking to most colleagues about the unrest, fearing it may damage his career.
At financial firms across Hong Kong, personal political views that used to have little bearing on work are taking on new significance as the city’s pro-democracy protests harden opinions on both sides of the debate. For some in the industry, it’s making an already difficult business environment even tougher to navigate and fueling concerns about Hong Kong’s future as one of the world’s premier financial hubs.