A Place to Gain Experience – But at a High Personal Cost
Pros
If there’s one positive takeaway from my time at Citco Mauritius Limited, it’s that I gained experience. The exposure to certain regulatory tasks and processes did add value to my career path. However, that is where the positives end.
Cons
To begin with, the company does not provide adequate equipment for employees to perform their duties effectively. Instead of issuing laptops, staff members are given desktop computers—even when remote work is occasionally required. There is an expectation to carry these bulky machines home, which is completely unreasonable. Only managers and senior staff are provided with laptops, creating an unnecessary hierarchy and unequal working conditions. The work environment is highly invasive and unprofessional. Managers and team members frequently pry into your personal life, and if you choose not to share, you're met with judgmental stares and passive-aggressive behavior. Simply stating that something is personal is not accepted—they continue pressing until you're forced to explicitly say you're uncomfortable, and even then, you're treated as if you’ve done something wrong. The behavior of some managers is shockingly inappropriate. One manager made a remark along the lines of, “If you don’t respond, I’ll use a ruler on your hand,” which is entirely unacceptable in any professional setting. On another occasion, a female employee was asked to walk around the office as a form of public humiliation—behavior that mirrors a school-like punishment, not workplace discipline. Bullying and Harassment were a regular part of the environment. There is a glaring absence of professionalism. Managers frequently team up with others to bully and harass employees, and no action is ever taken against them—likely because they have family members working within the company. Even individuals holding professional titles, such as lawyers, often demonstrate a complete lack of decorum and appropriate workplace behavior. The appraisal process is just as disheartening. Discussions about performance and salary increments are held in open spaces, with no regard for confidentiality or employee dignity. When it comes to compensation, the increments offered are minimal—if any. The excuse is always a “tight budget” or that you’re “not eligible,” yet the company manages to allocate funds for monthly happy hour events, internal gatherings and other unrelated chatter . This clearly reflects misplaced priorities and a lack of respect for employees’ contributions. To be fair, this was my personal experience at Citco Mauritius Limited. I cannot speak for Citco’s operations in other countries—perhaps the work culture and management style are better elsewhere. But based on what I experienced in the Mauritius office, I would not recommend it to anyone looking for a professional, respectful, or growth-oriented workplace. In summary, Citco Mauritius Limited offers a work environment that is disrespectful, poorly managed, and demotivating. Employees are underappreciated, underpaid, and subjected to inappropriate behavior under the guise of leadership.
