Coroner Fiona Wilcox said at the inquest of former Deutsche Bank AG risk executive William Broeksmit's death that the late financial executive showed signs of worry over the proves conducted at his company. Bloomberg said Broeksmit hung himself at his home in London in January, and is one of the number of deaths that shed light to the hazardous practice of long working hours in the financial industry.
Wilcox, who read the report from Broeksmit's general practitioner, said that the 58 year-old was seeing a psychologist and had difficulty sleeping in the months ahead of his suicide. Wilcox also said that Broeksmit wrote and left notes for family members and friends that has a clear indication that he is contemplating suicide then.
Deustche is one of the many banks being investigated for various scandals that rocked the financial world as of late, Bloomberg said. The European Union has imposed a €725 million or $1 billion fine on the Frankfurt, Germany-based bank after the probe on the lender revealed that the latter rigged rates linked to Libor, or the London interbank offered rate.
Bloomberg said Broeksmit had two stints at the Europe's biggest investment bank by revenue, first as an independent consultant in the interim from 1996 to 2001. When he rejoined Deustche in 2008, he was given a newly-create position, which is head of portfolio risk optimization.
Broeksmit's clinical psychologist, William Mitchell, wrote in the report Wilcox read, which said, "(Broeksmit was) very anxious about authorities investigating areas of the bank at which he worked. (Broeksmit was) catastrophizing (scenarios from work, leading him to a) lot of anxiety and sleeplessness."
When asked about a comment after Broeksmit's inquest, Deutsche spokeswoman Kathryn Hanes said in an email, "Bill was not under suspicion of wrongdoing in any matter."
Another inquest, this time, for the death of 39-year-old vice president in technology operations Gabriel Magee at JPMorgan Chase & Co, is scheduled to happen in late May. Magee fell from his company's 33-story London headquarters to his death, Bloomberg said.
