KEY POINTS
- Christo Wiesner who previously worked as an FNB manager received debarment status because he sent client information to his personal email account.
- High-net-worth client financial data together with undisclosed information about clients fell into the hands of unauthorized parties.
- The management at FNB took disciplinary steps while strengthening banking sector data protection rules.
Christo Wiesner lost his rights to work in banking industries after he distributed sensitive FNB client data through personal email just before joining another financial organization.
Breach of confidentiality during notice period
The former FNB employee Wiesner began his tenure at the financial institution in 2010 until his departure in January 2024 to work at a competing banking company.
While working at FNB during August 2023 he signed an agreement to maintain client privacy before starting his new position at a competing bank.
The employee accessed his work email to send two messages to his personnel Gmail account including safe customer information.
A second email contained detailed information about profitable clients and their fund origins together with their financial status.
Severe consequences for data breach
FNB initiated their own investigation before they barred the employee from professional financial services work.
The incident demonstrates how data breaches produce critical consequences mainly in banking because clients depend on absolute confidentiality.
