Nomura facing sex discrimination tribunal

Nomura is being sued by two former female employees over claims they were driven out of their jobs because of a combination of racism and sexism.

The UK operation of the Japanese investment bank is facing a combined $5 million lawsuit from Maureen Murphy and Anna Francis.

In a statement to the Central London Employment Tribunal, their barrister Michael Duggan described Nomura as an institutionally racist and sexist organization.

When speaking about hiring a cleaner, Miss Murphy claimed one co-worker told her: "You're a woman.

"That's where you belong, at home cleaning the floors."

She added that in the period leading up to her dismissal in March 2009 she had felt marginalized by other traders and was excluded from seeing clients.

Miss Murphy declared she would not have been treated in this way if she had been a male Japanese employee.

Nomura denies the allegations and the case continues.

Last month, the bank announced a net profit in the six months up until September 2009 of $430,000.

By Asim Shah