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Tidjane Thiam’s farewell at Credit Suisse provided few fireworks – but the outgoing CEO couldn’t entirely hide his bitterness at leaving before his time. 

A slew of photographers in tow, Tidjane Thiam took a final bow at the bank’s conference center off Zurich’s Paradeplatz on his second-last day. If anyone was expecting fireworks, they were disappointed.

Instead, the outgoing CEO took a 25-minute journey through his four-and-a-half-year stint at Credit Suisse. The 57-year-old is capping his stormy tenure with a more than two-thirds surge in net profit on the year – and many promises delivered, as finews.asia reported.

His highlights include two Herculean (and necessary) cash calls totaling 10 billion Swiss francs ($10.2 billion), a dramatic rearrangement of the Swiss bank’s markets strategy just months after unveiling the master plan in 2015 when markets plunged and «the ground opened under our feet,» and restoring Credit Suisse leverage ratio – the lowest in Europe when he arrived.

Vindicated by Results?

Were the most recent results, smoothed by a surprise revaluing of Credit Suisse’s seat on the Swiss stock exchange and on the sale of a funds platform, a vindication of his time at the bank? No, Thiam argued but said he is pleased for Credit Suisse’s staff (many of whom – including Iqbal Khan, now at UBS, and Thomas Gottstein, who will succeed him – came through for him on the three-year restructuring).

The public victory lap is an unusual concession for a CEO who has effectively been sacked by his board – though formally of course he resigned. «I serve at the pleasure of the board, and if they decide they want to make a change, it’s my duty to make that happen,» he remarked. «I am doing that with a clear conscience.»

Asked about any regrets, Thiam noted he had already apologized in writing (click here to read more) and made it clear he wouldn’t succumb to expectations for another, public apology. He wasn't asked about his leadership, or about the Credit Suisse culture under him which germinated the scandal.