Brad Watson

My journey at HSBC has truly been a family effort. Over the past 13 years, the support and foundation provided by my family have allowed me to fully embrace the global opportunities that have come my way.

The start of something big

While studying Economics in the UK, I was already drawn to the idea of working in an international environment. Ahead of my penultimate year, I secured an internship at HSBC. Despite the financial commitment to relocate for it, I knew this was an opportunity I couldn’t pass up.

That internship opened my eyes to the possibilities within HSBC. My first manager, an International Manager (IM), inspired me to believe that I could achieve my professional and personal ambitions here. Coming from humble beginnings, I saw HSBC as a place where I could truly flourish.

Embracing the global experience

After the internship, I was offered a graduate role as an Executive Management Trainee. This role gave me my first taste of international work, including an invaluable experience in New York. That experience solidified my aspiration to work internationally and become an IM. As my graduate programme concluded, I applied to the International Manager Programme and following a year-long process, I was thrilled to be successful.

A decade of international growth

Over the past 13 years – over 10 of them as an IM – I’ve had the privilege of working in six countries with HSBC across Europe, the Middle East and North America, having just started working in Mexico. I’ve taken on a variety of roles and experienced the richness of HSBC’s culture firsthand, alongside the fortunate opportunity to fully immerse myself in the local lifestyle of each country.

It’s taken proactive effort, curiosity, and commitment to reach where I am today. HSBC has rewarded that dedication, and I’m proud to be part of an organisation that invests in its people.

Giving back

This journey has always been about more than just me. Growing up in a single-parent household in the north-east of England, a global career with HSBC was not an obvious opportunity. Dreaming bigger has proven fruitful and I’m incredibly proud of what we’ve achieved as a family. From fulfilling my late father’s wish of his child being the first in the family to go to university, to receiving my mother’s unwavering support, it’s been a shared success.

Now, I’m in a position to give back – to my family, my community, and to others who are just starting their career journey from similar beginnings. And that makes everything worthwhile.