Page 148 - A Banker Down the Rabbit Hole

income families like us. It was reported that there was a potential for big
savings while posted at overseas center that made it all the more
attractive.

Finally, the complete list was received and my colleague, with 4 others
from all over India, was marked to be in the waiting list for UK posting
due to UK batch of Expatriates yet to complete their 3 year tenure in next
6 months. Only after competition of their tenure they were to be replaced
by the wait listed officers.

I joined the Hong Kong center in September end. Meanwhile, the bank
got its new Chairman who reviewed the major decisions taken recently
and decided to reduce the overall numbers of vacancies to 12 for all three
overseas centers taken together. Thus the top 12 in the selection list were
posted at various overseas branches and remaining 6 were placed in the
wait list that finally expired. My same colleague appeared in the process
of selection for overseas posting after 2 years to replace our batch of
Expatriates. This time he was placed among the top few in the list of
successful empaneled candidates and was selected for posting at
Singapore.

History of uncertain joining at an overseas branch
It was a saying in our bank that until one joined the overseas center, there
was all possibility of stopping the officer at the railway station before
boarding the train or at the airport before boarding the flight to overseas
center. People used to quote some examples when bank had really done
like this.

I called my colleague at Staff College in India, to congratulate him on his
selection for Singapore posting. I asked him to join at the overseas branch
at the earliest, looking at what happened in our bank. He gave a stoic
reply that whatever is destined would happen and he would not want to
hurry up any more. This officer joined Singapore branch when I was
preparing to leave Hong Kong after completing my tenure of 3 years.

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