Jenus Fiouzi, pictured, claims key decisions at the German Commerzbank AG were made during all male drinking sessions to which she wasn't invited

A City hedge fund manager is seeking £7million compensation after claiming she was excluded from the trading floor at a German bank dominated by a 'frat club' culture.

Foreign exchange manager Jenus Fiouzi claims key decisions at Commerzbank AG were made during all-male drinking sessions to which she was not invited.

The 43-year-old, who was born in Iran, but migrated to Canada at the age of 17, told a Central London Employment Tribunal that her colleagues often spoke German in front of her, leaving her feeling 'isolated and outnumbered'.

She began working at the bank's London office in April 2013 on an annual salary of £130,000.

Ms Fiouzi was fired by the bank in October 2014 and is claiming £7million for loss of earnings and injury to feelings after allegedly suffering sex and race discrimination and unfair dismissal.

She was employed in foreign exchange sales as part of the money managers and hedge fund team and had previously worked at Credit Agricole, JP Morgan, Euromoney PLC and Citigroup.

Referring to her time at Commerzbank, she said she was aware there were more men than women working in the City.

'However, the culture was different at the bank,' she added.

'It was a German male-dominated environment, especially in the senior management ranks.

'On and off the trading floor there was a German "boys' club" culture at the bank, which I would describe as akin to a college fraternity or frat club.

'There were no senior female managers in sales that I can recall.'

She added the sole woman on the trading side 'unexpectedly left the bank under a cloak of secrecy'.

Ms Fiouzi said: 'I later heard via the office grapevine that she had raised concerns about her treatment as a non-German female on the trading floor.

'After she left, all decision makers were German and I felt more isolated and outnumbered.'

She said her colleagues would socialise in the evening after work, and discuss officer matters.

Some of the traders 'would often chat with each other on [the instant messaging service Bloomberg] Chat in German' and would go out for drinks after work 'inviting others to join them but not usually me, unless it was work-related'.

She said: 'It was quite clear to me that during their evenings together as is normal with colleagues, work would come up in conversation.

'It then became evident to me that decisions about work matters were being taken during drinking sessions because when the same matters later came up in the office, I was out of the loop.'

She added: 'The men's social relationships really strengthened their working relationships, so by excluding me from the social side, I felt they put up a barrier at work.

'My team frequently excluded me from business discussions by insisting on communicating in German when I was around.'

She said some colleagues would talk across her in German adding: 'This excluded me and made me feel uncomfortable and marginalised.

Jenus Fiouzi told a Central London Employment Tribunal that her colleagues at the London branch of Commerzbank AG (pictured) often spoke German in front of her, leaving her feeling 'isolated and outnumbered'

'There genuinely were two sets of rules. One for German men and one for me.

'As a woman I was seen as easy to challenge and my achievements were less important than a man's, particularly a German man, and therefore easy to dismiss and redistribute to the wider team.'

Ms Fiouzi said she had never experienced such treatment in the workplace before.

She added: 'I am a woman who does not go around making these accusations lightly.

'I have worked in this industry, and it is a tough industry, for 15 years, where I have worked with lots of different people from lots of different nationalities and they are all mostly men.

'In 15 years I have never [had] this level of discrimination in any workplace.

'I made suggestions about how to make improvements, but no one wanted to hear my suggestions. They said I was rocking the boat.'

Speaking outside the tribunal hearing, Jennifer Sole, of Ms Fiouzi's legal team, said: 'Ms Fiouzi is claiming around £7million from Commerzbank for loss of earnings and injury to feelings.'

There were two sets of rules. One for German men and one for me

Commerzbank denies all the allegations claiming Ms Fiouzi was let go because she failed to meet targets.

In a statement the bank said: 'Commerzbank categorically denies that Ms Fiouzi was subjected to any detriment on the grounds of her race, gender or of any other sort.

'Her descriptions of working life at Commerzbank's London office bear little relationship to the reality and the allegations she makes are all denied.'

In its evidence to the tribunal the company said: 'It quickly became apparent that the claimant was a difficult person to get on with and did little to integrate herself with the team.'

Commerzbank also says Ms Fiouzi's 'conduct at work was often disruptive' and that 'she argued with colleagues' and 'ignored instructions'.

But Trevor Malin, head of the Foreign Exchange Sales in London, said she failed to join in with the team rather than her being shunned.

He told the tribunal: 'Whenever I heard them speaking German, it was clear that they were discussing the work that they were doing together, confirming numeric values and were not discussing matters that would disadvantage Jenus in any way.

'In her claim Jenus seems to suggest that the business of the desk was conducted in German. That is not correct. The business of the desk was conducted in English and all team meetings and discussions were held in English.

'My German would not have been good enough to conduct such meetings in German.

Ms Fiouzi was fired by the bank in October 2014 and is claiming £7million for loss of earnings and injury to feelings after suffering sex and race discrimination and unfair dismissal

'What she says about there being a "band of brothers" or that there was a boyish frat-like atmosphere is incorrect.

'It is paramount that the sales and trading desks work together effectively as a team. Communication and developing relationships with colleagues are key.

'It is not unusual for employees of the bank to meet at the pub after work, especially after some stressful days.

'Having a drink together after work is a great way to build relationships and wind down after a hard day.

'There was no formal invitation to people. There was a standing invitation and it was well known by everyone that employees would go to a bar called the Fine Line, which was very close to the bank's office. I would pop in on my way home about twice a week.

'Jenus in common with everyone else, was invited, but only very rarely attended. That was symptomatic of her overall failure to integrate into the team. Neither sex nor nationality was relevant at all to employees socialising.'

He said Ms Fiouzi 'integrated poorly into the team and continually seemed to have issues' with other staff.

Jenus told me on several occasions that she was unhappy with the way things were going

Managing Director Jessica James, head of quantitative solutions group told the hearing: 'Jenus alleges that there were no senior female managers on the trading side of FIC - fixed income and currencies.

'That is incorrect. There are, I understand, 18 senior females, directors and managing directors in FIC, including me. I work on the trading side.'

She added: 'I ended getting on well with her. Towards the end of her time with the bank, I realised Jenus was unhappy.

'Jenus told me on several occasions that she was unhappy with the way things were going for her in the business sense.

'I understand Jenus is alleging that she was discriminated against because of her sex and race. Jenus did not raise with me at any time any complaint of mistreatment on the grounds of her sex or her race.

She added that she would would have encouraged Ms Fiouzi to go to the bank's HR team if the matter had been raised.

'I understand that Jenus makes general complaints about the bank being discriminatory towards women and non-Germans. I do not believe this is the case. I have never felt that the bank discriminates against women or non-Germans.

'I have never seen any evidence of this and of discrimination against female or non-German colleagues. I have never seen this at all.

'I don't recognise the German speaking club atmosphere at all. The trading floor was very inclusive, diverse and respectful towards women. I don't recognise the picture that has been painted.'