Discover your dream Career
For Recruiters

10 things you need to know about pay at HSBC's investment bank

HSBC's fourth quarter results are out.

If you work in the Global Banking & Markets (GB&M) business they were not good. In fact, in the words of Investec analysts they were "exceptionally weak." Revenues fell 29% in GB&M quarter on quarter. Costs rose, targets were jettisoned, and pay is being punished accordingly.

There are some plus points, however.

 

1. 2014 bonuses at HSBC are down

HSBC bonuses

2. But a lower proportion is deferred

HSBC pay deferred or not

3. HSBC chief executive Stuart Gulliver receives £88k a year in 'car benefits' and £246k a year in accommodation benefits 

HSBC car benefit

4. The number of people at HSBC who are covered by EU remuneration rules has gone through the roof. HSBC used to refer to them as 'code staff' but has now recategorized them as 'material risk takers' (MRTs).

Code staff at HSBC

5. Pay for HSBC investment bankers seems to have fallen, or not 

The average pay for a material risk taker at HSBC was $1m (£650k) in 2014. This compared to $1.5m for code staff in 2013. That looks like a big drop - except we're not comparing like with like. Code staff were a smaller and more tightly defined group. This may explain why they were higher paid.

6. You can get a sign-on payment to join HSBC. In 2014, five MRTs were paid a combined $2.6m to join (another 13 were paid a combined $4.1m to go away) 

Sign on and severance payments HSBC

7. 79% of MRTs at HSBC earn less than $1m 

19% earn $1m to $2m. 2% earn more than $2m.

MRT by remuneration band

8. None of the senior executives at HSBC are getting a pay rise

HSBC pay rise

9. The most important single factor in determining Stuart Gulliver's pay for 2015 is ability to take control of risk and compliance 

Stuart Gulliver incentives

10. The vast majority of HSBC's shareholders are entirely happy with the way the bank pays its staff - or at least they were in 2013 

HSBC vote

author-card-avatar
AUTHORSarah Butcher Global Editor

Sign up to our Newsletter!

Get advice to help you manage and drive your career.

Boost your career

Find thousands of job opportunities by signing up to eFinancialCareers today.
Latest Jobs
Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank
2024 Legal Associate Program (5342) (Base in Beijing)
Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank
New York, United States
Bank Vontobel
US Product Management
Bank Vontobel
New York, United States
Northern Trust
Reporting & Analytics Consultant, HR
Northern Trust
Chicago, United States
Northern Trust
Senior Trust Advisor
Northern Trust
Naples, United States
Northern Trust
Senior Tax Administrator
Northern Trust
Chicago, United States
Northern Trust
Senior Trust Advisor
Northern Trust
Miami, United States

Sign up to our Newsletter!

Get advice to help you manage and drive your career.