"I tend not to work with women. Be well sweetheart."
A man is facing intense backlash after sending a sexist message to a CEO on LinkedIn.
It all started when Louisa Klouda, CEO of London-based investment service Fenchurch Legal, shared a screenshot of her conversation with Nirmal Patel.
He describes himself as an “Sfo deal syndicate middleman” on LinkedIn.
The exchange quickly went viral, igniting outrage across social media.
In December 2024, Patel sent Ms Klouda a message that read:
“Happy to take a call as I don’t like to connect without knowing the person.”
But after receiving no response, he sent a single question mark on January 6, prompting Ms Klouda to reply.
Ms Klouda responded: “Hi Nirmal, I hope you’re well. Happy New Year.
“Would you be available for a Teams call next week at some point? If so, please share times and days that are convenient for you.”
However, Patel sent a reply that angered her.
His message read: “Thanks, as interesting and successful as your business is I tend not to work with women. Be well sweetheart.”
Outraged by his blatant sexism, Ms Klouda shared the screenshot of their conversation on LinkedIn, where it quickly gained traction.
She wrote: “Well, I woke up today and learned something groundbreaking: Some people still think women shouldn’t be in business. Wild.
“It’s 2025, we’ve got AI writing novels, people vacationing in space, and yet… here we are.”
The post triggered a strong reaction from LinkedIn users, many of whom condemned Patel’s remarks.
One commented: “This is unbelievable and on top of that he ends it with ‘sweetheart’. It’s sad to see such comments still in 2025.”
Another user expressed support: “Shocking and outdated mindset, Louisa!
“This is a testament to your strength and resilience as a woman in business. Keep doing your thing, girl!”
A third user criticised Mr Patel’s mindset, writing:
“The views of Nirmal on females have no place in today’s world.”
“Thank you for sharing something so insane it’s hard to comprehend people still exist that (1) have those views and (2) are willing to commit them to writing on a business forum.”
Ms Klouda concluded her post: “Now, as a woman in business, I could let outdated thinking get me down, but instead, I’ll do what women have been doing for centuries – keep succeeding, keep breaking barriers, and keep proving that competence has NO gender.
“To my fellow women (and men) in business: Keep being brilliant. Keep making deals. Keep leading.
“And to those who ‘tend not to work with women’ – best of luck finding success without half the world’s talent.”
As the controversy continues to gain traction, the backlash against Nirmal Patel serves as a reminder that sexism in the workplace remains an issue, even in modern business environments.
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