Managing director of major mainland Chinese bank in Hong Kong sued by ex-employee for alleged sexual harassment

District Court writ claims female employee, hired from overseas, was assigned to lesser role after she spurned managing director Alan Lai’s advances

Claimant asks court for apology from Lai, damages for loss of earnings, medical expenses and loss of reputation

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A top executive at China Construction Bank in Hong Kong has been sued for sexual harassment by a woman former employee. Photo: Nora Tam

Published: 7:31pm, 20 May 2024Updated: 8:05pm, 20 May 2024

A managing director of a major mainland Chinese bank in Hong Kong has been sued for alleged sexual harassment by a woman subordinate who claims she was forced to quit her job the same day she was told she was to be laid off because of her “poor sales performance”.

Alan Lai King-lun, head of transaction banking at China Construction Bank (Asia), is alleged to have groped the woman seven times over a 2½ month period after he became her supervisor in February last year.

A writ lodged with the District Court, made available on Monday and seen by the Post, said the claimant, who was recruited from overseas, was gradually removed from her original role and given “menial tasks” after she told Lai to stop touching her.

The woman was recruited by the bank to expand its agency and trustee services in South Korea, which involved monthly business trips to the country’s capital Seoul, the writ said.

The District Court in Wan Chai, where a bank managing director is being sued for alleged sexual harassment by a female ex-employee. Photo: Nora Tam

But it added that two weeks after the claimant spoke out against Lai’s unwelcome advances, she was moved to sales support and asked to take weekly meeting notes, handle price quotes and attend client meetings.

Lai is alleged to have said he was “too busy and could no longer pay as much attention to Korea as a market as [he] did to other countries” when the woman demanded an explanation for her transfer.

Managing director of major mainland Chinese bank in Hong Kong sued by ex-employee for alleged sexual harassment

District Court writ claims female employee, hired from overseas, was assigned to lesser role after she spurned managing director Alan Lai’s advances Claimant asks court for apology from Lai, damages for loss of earnings, medical expenses and loss of reputation

District Court writ claims female employee, hired from overseas, was assigned to lesser role after she spurned managing director Alan Lai’s advances

Claimant asks court for apology from Lai, damages for loss of earnings, medical expenses and loss of reputation