HSBC has hired a clutch of senior infrastructure and real estate investment bankers, as the bank grapples with a rebellion within its ranks over the leadership of the division.

The move comes a matter of weeks after HSBC’s investment banking business was attacked in a scathing anonymous memo, the authors of which claimed to be senior bankers working there. Among their criticisms was HSBC's failure to recruit and retain top staff. HSBC has argued it has appointed a net 19 managing directors at its investment bank in the past 12 months, not including the latest additions.