LONDON, Feb 22 (Reuter) - HSBC would not launchanother review of where the bank's headquarters should be basedif Britain were to leave the European Union, Chief ExecutiveStuart Gulliver said on Monday.
Last week the bank said following a 10-month review of theissue that it had decided to keep its headquarters in Britain,rejecting the option of shifting its centre of gravity back toits main profit-generating hub of Hong Kong.
A so-called 'Brexit' could result in around 1000 jobs in thelender's trading and investment banking division moving to thecontinent, likely Paris, Gulliver said.
Gulliver, speaking on a confercence call with reporters, saidthe best possible outcome of a referendum later this year onBritain's EU membership would be for the country to remain inthe EU.
Gulliver also said London would remain the dominant foreignexchange trading centre even it Britain were to vote to exit theEU.
HSBC earlier reported weaker than expected profits for 2015,dragged down by an unexpected $858 million loss in the fourthquarter. (Reporting by Lawrence White and Richa Naidu. Writing by JaneMerriman; Editing by Greg Mahlich)