Clifton joined Interbrand in 1997 as chief executive and became chairman in 2002. She joined the brand consultancy after eleven years with Saatchi & Saatchi, where she was director of strategic planning, executive planning director and finally as vice-chairman.

In April 2009 she was named the new president of the Market Research Society, replacing ad man Jeremy Bullmore. She is also a board chairman of Populus, the reputation research house and pollster to the Times.

She has also been non-executive director of Dixons Retail and Bupa. She has also been a member of the Government’s Sustainable Development Commission and served on the Assurance and Advisory Board for BP’s carbon-offset programme Target Neutral.

In 2006 she was appointed Visiting Professor at Henley Business School and a trustee of Worldwide Fund for Nature in 2007 and is also Chairman of BTCV, the conservation volunteering and social enterprise group.