IBM sues former worker for return of Rs 3.7 crore bonus after she joins rival Accenture

IBM Corp. is suing the previous high government in its Thailand subsidiary, claiming she ought to pay again practically half one million {dollars} in bonus awards for taking a job at a rival firm. In a lawsuit filed Monday in federal courtroom in New York, the tech large alleged its former Thailand normal supervisor, Patama Chantaruck, breached her contract when she accepted a senior position with Accenture. IBM mentioned Accenture was its largest competitor within the Asia-Pacific area when it comes to consulting income.

Chantaruck, who joined IBM in 2018, resigned final yr and joined Accenture as Thailand managing director a month later, in April 2022, in accordance with the go well with. IBM claims it awarded her bonuses totaling greater than $470,000 (Rs 3.7 crore) in trade for Chantaruck safeguarding confidential firm data and never participating in “aggressive conduct inside particular time durations.”

Her swift transfer to Accenture offers IBM the precise to rescind her bonus, the latter firm mentioned in its go well with.

Ladies of the Yr
“IBM and Accenture entities compete notably within the data, digitalization, and consulting areas, each globally and throughout the Asia-Pacific area,” IBM’s attorneys wrote within the grievance.

IBM mentioned it had requested Chantaruck to return the cash, however she refused.

Chantaruck didn’t instantly reply to a request for remark. Accenture additionally didn’t instantly reply to a request for remark.

Recurrently acknowledged as a high tech government in Southeast Asia, Chantaruck spent a few years working for Microsoft Corp. earlier than she joined IBM. The Bangkok Put up named her certainly one of its 24 Ladies of the Yr in 2021, together with former New Zealand Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern and Taiwan President Tsai Ing-Wen.
The case is IBM v. Chantaruck, 23-cv-1191, US District Court docket, Southern District of New York (Manhattan).