Nomura boss cuts pay after employee ‘tried to kill clients’

The boss of Japanese bank Nomura has taken a short-term pay cut after a former employee was accused of robbing bank clients, attempted murder and arson.

On July 28 this year, a bank worker allegedly stole money from customers and set his house on fire. said in a statement.

The employee was fired a week later, and was arrested in October.

Nomura apologized to the alleged victims, and said Chief Executive Kentaro Okuda would voluntarily return 30% of his salary for three months.

In addition, nine other Nomura directors and executives will return 20% to 30% of their pay for the same period.

The bank said the former employee told the branch office manager in Hiroshima on Aug. 2 that police suspected him of arson in connection with a fire at a client’s home, and that when he went to their home, he found clients Money was stolen from

They were fired by the bank on August 4, and Nomura said “severe disciplinary action” had been taken against the managers involved.

After learning of the alleged robbery, the bank said it immediately contacted the former employee’s clients and “initiated an investigation into other possible incidents”.

The employee provided asset management advice to individual and corporate clients.

Police arrested him on October 30, and the Hiroshima District Public Prosecutors Office indicted him on November 20.

“We want to express our heartfelt sympathies and apologize to our clients who were harmed by this incident. We also apologize to all those who have been harmed by this incident,” Nomura said in a statement on Tuesday. Affected by the trouble.”

“We take this matter very seriously,” he added. “Such an incident should never happen at a financial institution that is entrusted with the responsibility of looking after the assets of its clients.”

It said it had introduced “more stringent and effective measures” to “ensure our clients feel confident using our services”.

These include managers accompanying employees when they visit clients’ homes and accompanying them when they talk on the phone.

Nomura said he would “strictly manage” client visits, and monitor employees using data from the company’s mobile phones and dashboard cameras.

It will also require employees to take continuous leave every year so that the bank can detect any “possible error”.

Nomura is one of Japan’s largest banks and operates in approximately 30 countries and territories.

It focuses on wealth management, investment management, global markets and investment banking.