The very hungry banker: Honesty, trust and reputation in Fekete V. Citibank (2023)

Barnes, V., De Pascalis, F., Loughrey, J. and Newton, L. ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0003-1453-8824 (2026) The very hungry banker: Honesty, trust and reputation in Fekete V. Citibank (2023). European Business Law Review. ISSN 0959-6941 (In Press)

Abstract/Summary

This article examines the recent case involving a senior manager at Citibank, who was dismissed after filing fraudulent expenses claims. We take inspiration for its title from the short children’s book, The Very Hungry Caterpillar. The case of Fekete v. Citibank (2023) shares some of those themes and it offers some interesting parallels for the banking industry. The moral lessons in both instances are potentially about avoiding greed and avarice, as well as the importance of restraint. These issues are now considered to be central to good governance and a strong and ethical and trustworthy culture in banks since the 2008 financial crisis, at the very least. This article bridges the literature in law and organisational culture to show how trust and honesty are central tenets in the regulation of the banking sector. Keywords: banking law; financial law; bank management; bank regulation; fraud; banking culture; trust; employment law; business law.

Item Type	Article
URI	https://centaur.reading.ac.uk/id/eprint/129247
Refereed	Yes
Divisions	Henley Business School > International Business and Strategy
Publisher	Wolters Kluwer
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