Kuda Technologies, a digital bank operating in Nigeria and the United Kingdom, has been sued by former Group Chief People Officer, Rosemary Hewat, for gender discrimination, victimisation, and wrongful termination.
Hewat, who joined Kuda in August 2021, claims she endured a pattern of workplace mistreatment that ultimately led to her dismissal in April 2024.
In her filing, which is against both the company and its CEO, Babatunde Ogundeyi, she alleges that senior management systematically underrated her role, creating a toxic work environment that was hostile to women.
An incident cited in the complaint occurred at a company retreat in Lagos in December 2023. Hewat claims that Ogundeyi publicly humiliated two female employees, referring to them as “low class” and criticising their lack of exposure to luxury.
The filing also states that Ogundeyi frequently boasted about his influence within Kuda, allegedly telling Hewat that employees viewed him as “God” and feared approaching him.
The lawsuit further details instances where Hewat was excluded from key strategic discussions despite her role overseeing global human resources.
She alleges that in January 2023, then-Chief Operating Officer Pavel Khristolubov excluded her from a senior management meeting concerning resource planning—an area directly within her purview.
When she pointed out being sidelined, Ogundeyi reportedly dismissed her complaints and advised her to “spend the next six months getting Pavel to like you.”
Hewat also accuses Kuda of unfair treatment regarding stock options. She claims that when she joined the company, she was promised equity at the Series A valuation.
However, when the company finally formalised her stock grant in April 2022, it was based on the higher Series B valuation, effectively reducing the value of her shares.
According to the filing, she later discovered that Kuda’s former Chief Financial Officer, Steven Bastian, had successfully negotiated his shares at the lower Series A price. When Hewat raised the discrepancy with Ogundeyi, he allegedly dismissed her talks, stating that Bastian’s role was “more important” than hers.
By the end of 2023, Hewat formally documented her grievances, warning that Kuda’s handling of stock options and salary disparities could amount to sex discrimination under UK law. The filing alleges that instead of addressing her concerns, Ogundeyi threatened her with termination.
Hewat’s dismissal came in February 2024 while she was en route to Lagos for an executive retreat. She claims Ogundeyi insisted on a video call during her layover, despite her just having attended her sister’s memorial service.
During the call, she was abruptly fired and subsequently barred from attending the retreat. When she questioned the decision in person, Ogundeyi allegedly referred to economic instability and cost-cutting measures but also said, “In the UK, you are probably underpaid, but for Kuda, you are expensive.”
Following her dismissal, Hewat alleges Kuda retaliated further by cutting off her salary, cancelling her health insurance, and withholding her holiday pay. She describes the situation as a calculated effort to push her out and claims that the company violated its own grievance policies.
A Kuda spokesperson acknowledged the lawsuit, stating, “It is accurate that Rosemary Hewat, a former employee of Kuda Technologies Limited UK, has made an employment tribunal claim against the company.” They declined to provide further comment, referring to the ongoing legal process.
The case is set for a full hearing in October and is likely to attract high attention, particularly given the growing investigations on corporate governance and workplace culture within Africa’s tech sector.
