 In about 1790 he became a partner with John Irving in the West India trading house of his relative John Rae, which expanded its operations to the East Indies and became Reid, Irving and Company.In 1803 he became a director of the East India Company, being elected again in 1805–08 and 1810–13.In 1815 and 1820 he served as Deputy-Governor of the company, followed in both cases by being made Governor the following year (1816 and 1821).