He started his career as a banker at First National Bank of Boston in 1981 in Boston and London, and in 1984, he joined Booz Allen & Hamilton as an associate and became a partner in the financial consulting practice in 1990. In 1994, Clive joined HSBC Investment Bank as Director and Head of Planning and Strategy in London with a remit to help with the integration of part of James Capel. He moved to New York in 1996 to be the deputy CEO of HSBC Inc and Head of Investment Banking in the US. In 1999, he was appointed Chief Executive of HSBC Group Private Banking and subsequently became Group General Manager in July 2001, and Group Managing Director in 2006 on the Executive Committee, of Group I