The demand was made in the course of  a Hong Kong tribunal case brought by Jon Pratt, a former Merrill Lynch banker who is challenging the amount of his 2008 bonus.

“The parties would need to seek disclosure of the bonus payments by the company to its employees,” the presiding officer told a bank executive before ordering that the claim be transferred to the Court of First Instance.

Mr Pratt, now  back in the US, is contesting his discretionary bonus of $350,000 for 2008 and has demanded an additional $500,000-$1,000,000.