The Incredible Banker (8 page)

T
HE next six months were very momentous in the lives of all the GB2 players.

Karan was totally disillusioned with the way things transpired subsequent to the audit report and two months of below-target performance. He had always held that one or two months of poor performance did not make someone a good or poor performer. No one could be a star for years and a dud the next month or vice-versa. But Rajneesh didn't feel so. And that was beginning to impact Karan.

Looking for a job outside GB2 was a temptation which Karan had never succumbed to, despite extreme pressures. However, this time he gave in. He was very well regarded in the market and it was just a matter of time before Citibank hired him to head their distribution for all loan products in western India. They even offered him a hike of 20 per cent. The day he got the offer letter from Citibank, he quit GB2. He had no motivation to work there any longer. He felt tremendously undervalued. If only Rajneesh had had the spine to help him deal with the politics, he would have stayed. But his boss, the head of mortgages, was so busy cementing his position and protecting his skin in the control-oriented regime that Karan's pleas fell on deaf ears.

On the other side, the romance between Savitha and Deepak was making much headway. They became a lot more open about their relationship. They would take coffee breaks and lunch breaks together and even come and go at the same time. Deepak started leaving office early so that he could spend time with Savitha before he went back home.

This gave fodder to all gossipmongers but that did not deter either Deepak or Savitha. Oblivious of what people around them were saying, they continued bonding with each other.

Savitha's move to credit made life easier for Deepak. In fact it was Deepak who choreographed that move. When Deepak's audit report was released and Bhisham terminated his head of vendor management for the laxity shown in the management of valuation agencies, that position fell vacant.

Deepak met with Bhisham the day he had terminated his resource.

'Bhisham, thanks for taking action on my report. I didn't want to recommend action on the credit folks for obvious reasons. I would rather speak with you than put anything on record about the department I work in. I hope the sales guys also take the cue from you and do something about their people. By the way, have you thought about the replacement?'

'Not yet. Do you have anyone in mind?'

Not really...but now that you ask, what do you think of Savitha?' Deepak casually forwarded her name.

'Who? That girl in mortgage sales?'

'Yes,' nodded Deepak.

'Do you think she will fit into the role?' Bhisham seemed a little skeptical.

'Bhisham, mortgages is going to be our greatest focus area. And she has spent enough time there. She understands the business and the risks. And, in fact, she is the one who tipped me off about sales guys interfering with the valuations. So, she is high on integrity too.'

'Will she be interested?' Bhisham was straightforward; he had no clue of Deepak's intentions.

'I can ask her if you want me to.'

'Fine...ask her. If she is interested, tell her to meet me tomorrow.'

'Sure,' and Deepak left.

The next day, Savitha met Bhisham and had a long discussion with him. At the end Bhisham was convinced that she was a good resource.

After she left, Bhisham called Deepak. 'She is very good, yaar. Knows her stuff. We will take her.'

'How do we do this, Bhisham?'

"The internal job posting is getting released tomorrow. Ask her to apply. While we have a process to follow, tell her that we will select her from the lot of applicants.'

Sixteen people applied for the job the next day. Twelve were shortlisted and interviewed. Of the twelve, Savitha was finally selected.

Within forty-five days, she moved into her new role as 'Head -Vendor Management' for GB2. Though she had to directly report to Bhisham, it was a job at a much lower level as compared to Deepak's or Karan's, despite the fancy designation of 'Head – Vendor Management'.

Savitha was happy. Her gamble on Deepak was paying off. She got to move to the same office as Deepak and hence the two were very close at work, too. Life was beginning to change for the better for her.

Deepak was extremely thrilled with her appointment as he could spend more time with her. Everyone around was envious of him. Despite her age, Savitha looked gorgeous. She didn't, for a moment, look like the mother of an eight-year-old girl. On the other hand, Radhika was blissfully unaware of her husband's escapades and continued to believe that he was a loyal and devoted spouse. How terribly mistaken she was!

Life was one rocking party for Deepak and Savitha, or so he thought, till a fateful day in early January 2008. A shocking piece of news hit Deepak like a bolt from the blue.

He was at his workstation giving finishing touches to an update which Bhisham had requested. Casually, he went to his inbox and clicked on the 'Refresh' button. Four new mails were downloaded. One was an update from his team member. One was a message from Savitha. He quickly opened it. It was a simple message, which just said 'I Love U baby'. He smiled and sent a reply. 'Me2222222222,' it said. The third one was a mail from internal communications which said: 'Protect your password'. He didn't even read it, just clicked 'Delete' and the message was trashed. In MNCs such messages were regularly sent as a part of adherence to global guidelines. GB2 was no different.

It was the last mail, however, that caught his attention. The subject was – 'Organisational announcement'. 'Who is moving now ?' he said to himself as he clicked open the mail. It was a mail from the CEO to all employees.

Dear Colleagues,

With great regret I announce to you that Sanjit Banerjee, our Deputy CEO, has expressed his desire to move on and pursue interests outside GB2 in India. Sanjit is a close friend and a wonderful human being. While I am sad to lose him, I wish him good luck in all his future endeavours.

Sanjit's replacement will be announced in due course.

Regards,

Girija Vaswani

CEO

It was a short and crisp message which turned Deepak's world topsyturvy. He was worried. He dialled Savitha's number.

'Pick up, pick up...pick up...,' he muttered under his breath, waiting for her to pick up the phone.

When she didn't, he got up and walked to her desk. She was not there. He was irritated. 'Where the hell is she?' He came back to his desk and dialled her mobile. 'I am in the loo. I will call back,' she whispered. 'What the hell! Couldn't she have found a better time to lock herself in the loo?' he grumbled as he made his way back to his cubicle.

Within a couple of minutes Savitha was at his table. 'What happened? Why are you so jumpy?' She had sensed it in his tone.

'Have you seen Girija's mail?'

'What mail?'

'Sanjit's leaving!'

'Oh that one. Yeah, I heard of it yesterday.' Bhisham was telling someone.

'Why didn't you tell me, you idiot?'

'Arre, I didn't get a chance. And how am I to know that it would interest you so much?'

'But you should know how important he is for me.'

'But why? If he is moving, why do you look worried?'

'Babes, I moved in here because Sanjit wanted me to. When he asked me to take up this role last year, he had committed to me that he will move me out of it in twelve months. I have spent a better part of the last ten months trying to put systems and processes in place and ensure all the audit comments are rectified. This is a critical time for me. If he moves now, I will be in deep trouble. No one else knows that he had agreed to move me in twelve months and not eighteen as documented.'

'You are doing exceedingly well here. So what's the worry? Even if you are here, you will do well na?' Savitha didn't see much point in Deepak's fretting.

'No, dumbo! I don't see a career for myself in credit. I am a sales guy. I am a business guy! I need to move back to business. And that's why I am a bit worried with Sanjit moving out. I have no clue what will happen to me now.'

'Try talking to him. I am sure he will work something out. He is not leaving tomorrow morning. He is here at least for some time,' Savitha tried to assure him.

'Yes, I am sure he will do something before he goes.' There was a moments silence before he spoke again. 'But I worry that he may not have enough clout to do anything now that he is moving out.'

'Yes. That's a worry. Why don't you call him now? Let's see what he says.'

'Yes, yes, come...sit. Let me call him now.' Savitha sat down and Deepak dialled Sanjit's line.

'Sanjit Banerjee's office, how may I help you?'

'Hi Sherlyn, how are you? Deepak this side.'

'Hey Deepak! How are you? You want to speak with Sanjit?'

'Yes, Sherlyn...if possible. "

'Wait, let me check,' and she put him on hold. She came back within ten seconds and said, 'Hold on...connecting you.'

For a couple of seconds, Deepak could hear music play on the intercom as Sherlyn was connecting him to Sanjit.

'Hey, young man! How are you?' Sanjit said as the line connected.

'I am fine, Sanjit. You are leaving the bank? I was shocked when I saw the mail.'

'Haha...young man. Yes, I am leaving the bank. You saw Girija's message, I guess?'

'Yes, sir.'

'At times in life, Deepak, you have to make a choice,' Sanjit said rather philosophically. 'And these choices are not easy. After having spent so many years in GB2, deciding to move out is like moving out of your parents' house and stepping out into the big bad world. I am at that stage in my career where if I don't venture out now, I will never be able to do so. So, even though it was not easy, I took the plunge.'

'Yes, Sanjit. We all look up to you for support and guidance. And all of a sudden you will not be there any longer in the organisation.'

'I will be there for you, young man. I am not moving out of Mumbai.'

'Sanjit, I called to ask something,' Deepak finally decided to pop the question.

'Tell me.'

'When I moved into the audit role at your insistence, you had promised that you will move me out in twelve months. That period will get over in some time now. So I wanted to check with you if it will be possible to move me out of audit before you go. Otherwise I will get stuck here.'

'But why do you want to move? There are issues, but you are doing a reasonably good job.'

'I don't see myself building a career in credit and risk, Sanjit,' said Deepak, at the same time wondering what were the issues he was talking about. 'I am managing right now but the organisation will never see me as the top man for the risk management job.'

'Why do you say that?' Sanjit asked.

'There will be seasoned risk professionals ready to take on Bhisham's role. I will be nowhere in the consideration subset even if I carry on for a few years in this role. I will always be seen as a business guy in a credit role. Always under the microscope,' Deepak explained his apprehensions.

'Hmm...that may not be the right way to look at things but that's the way the world works. Yes, you may have a point there. Ok, let me see what I can do.'

'Thanks, Sanjit. Do keep me on your radar. Please don't forget about me. I am depending on you for this.' Deepak was beginning to realise that he had ruffled quite a few feathers by firing from Sanjit's shoulders. Now without Sanjit, he would himself come into the firing line.

'Yes, Deepak. I am aware. Will surely try and fix up something.'

'Thanks. If I may, I had one last question.'

'Shoot.'

'You just said that despite some issues, I have done reasonably well. What were those issues, Sanjit?'

'Nothing that cannot be fixed, my friend.'

'I would then like to fix it, Sanjit. If you could let me know, I will work on them.'

'Look, Deepak. If you had not asked, I would have called and told you myself but probably at a later date. Now that you ask, I will tell you. See, I have been picking up a lot of noises around you.'

'As in?'

'Deepak, I never spoke to you about this because you were doing a good job. But many people have come and spoken to me... at times bordering on even complaints that you have misused your proximity to me and often played dirty with people. I have also heard that in the team, no one likes you. In fact I did speak to the retail banking head a few weeks back to consider you for a role. He was very hesitant and the only reason he gave me was that it would vitiate the atmosphere in his team. Now that is not a good reputation to have, my friend.'

'But I haven't done anything wrong, Sanjit. I just did my job.'

'Look, Deepak, there is a way one goes about doing one's job. You have done a good job, no doubt, but as you move up in life, managing stakeholders with conflicting objectives becomes extremely critical. You need to know how to get things done without ruffling too many feathers. Our organisation lays a lot of stress on collaboration. People working together. Let me give you an example. When you did the mortgage process audit, it was clear to everyone that you were out on a witch-hunt. You did not even give poor Karan a chance to explain his position before you released the report. Is that the protocol? No. The poor guy was condemned even before he could explain. I just bumped into him at a supermarket the other day and he told me the real reason for his quitting. I am surprised why Rajneesh never took it up. Probably with all the issues that we have had in audits, he was too worried to take up anything with the credit folks.'

'But, Sanjit...,' Deepak began to say something but he was cut short by Sanjit.

'Look, my friend, I will be out of this place. You have to survive here. You can either try and rationalise your behaviour or take this as a learning and move on. If I was you, I would introspect on what went wrong and then make efforts to build bridges which I have burnt. I need to go now. Have a conference call with Singapore. Sherlyn has been standing on my head for a while now. You take care. Will talk in some time...and by the way, please congratulate Sherlyn. She is moving as the CEO's secretary after I leave,' and he hung up, leaving a fuming Deepak holding the phone at the other end.