An employment tribunal in the UK has dismissed all allegations of discrimination and unfair dismissal brought against Nigerian fintech company Kuda by its former Chief People Officer, Rosemary Hewat.
This follows a lawsuit in February 2025, in which Hewat accused the company of gender-based discrimination, unfair treatment, and wrongful termination.
The case, which centred around events between 2023 and 2024, included claims of public humiliation, a hostile work environment, and disparities in employee stock options.
In a judgment issued between October 13 and 21, 2025, the Tribunal concluded the claims were unfounded after examining evidence from both sides.
One of the allegations — that senior leadership made derogatory remarks about Hewat’s background during a company retreat — was dismissed. Instead, the Tribunal determined that feedback given by the Group CEO during the event was part of routine efforts to address accommodation logistics and not directed with hostility.
Another key claim involved internal tensions with a colleague and a supposed instruction to “make him like her.” The Tribunal concluded that this was part of broader conflict resolution applied across the team and not a targeted or inappropriate statement.
Regarding stock options, Hewat had alleged she was promised a more favourable strike price similar to a male colleague’s Series A valuation. However, the Tribunal confirmed that the official documentation reflected a Series B strike price and that there was no evidence to support her claim of being misled.
On the accusation of gender-based preferential treatment, the Tribunal noted that the repricing of a male colleague’s options was due to his critical role in fundraising, not his gender.
Hewat also argued that her eventual dismissal — which followed an internal request to revise her stock option terms — was retaliatory. But the Tribunal found that her role as Chief People Officer was eliminated during a legitimate organisational restructuring, with cost-cutting and role consolidation cited as the driving factors.
Meanwhile, on the issue of confidentiality, the Tribunal determined that the likely source of leaked information about Hewat’s departure was Hewat herself, not the company.
A developing story..
