Rishi Sunak trades Downing Street for Silicon Valley, now advising Microsoft and Anthropic

As reported on by the BBC, on October 9, 2025, Rishi Sunak was appointed as a senior advisor on a part-time basis at both Microsoft and Anthropic. These are not full-time management roles, but senior advisory positions focused on providing high-level strategic insight.

For context, Sunak served as the United Kingdom’s 98th Prime Minister from 25 October 2022 until 4 July 2024, leading the Conservative Party until Labour’s victory under Keir Starmer.

Both Microsoft and Anthropic publicly confirmed the appointments, which were approved by the UK’s Advisory Committee on Business Appointments (ACOBA).

ACOBA also imposed a two-year ban preventing Sunak from lobbying UK government officials on behalf of either company, barred him from drawing on privileged government information, and prohibited him from advising on UK policy or contracts for at least two years.

However, because Sunak continues to serve as a Member of Parliament for Richmond and Northallerton, the dual roles could still attract scrutiny.

What His Roles Actually Involve

Sunak won’t be taking on a full-time role at either company. Instead, he will sit in on selected meetings and calls to provide strategic advice, without being involved in daily management or operations.

At Microsoft, Sunak will offer guidance on global macroeconomics, geopolitical trends, and potential AI and digital policy developments. His advice is expected to help the company understand how governments might approach emerging technology regulation in the years ahead.

At Anthropic, he will act more as a “think tank” advisor, focusing on global AI safety, innovation, and regulatory trends outside the UK. Like his Microsoft position, the role will remain advisory only, without any direct involvement in company operations.

As Prime Minister, Sunak spearheaded the creation of the UK’s AI Safety Institute and hosted the first international AI Safety Summit at Bletchley Park in November 2023, which resulted in the “Bletchley Declaration” — a landmark agreement on the safe development of artificial intelligence. Those experiences give him a depth of insight that both companies are likely keen to draw from.

Concerns over influence and credibility

These appointments have raised questions about whether companies like Microsoft and Anthropic could use Sunak’s experience to gain influence or access to government circles, rather than simply hiring him for his expertise.

This is particularly relevant given Microsoft’s recent $30 billion commitment to UK AI infrastructure, which demonstrates its major interest in future regulation and investment environments.

There are also questions about whether Sunak is the right figure for such high-profile advisory positions. In April 2022, The Independent revealed that his wife, Akshata Murty — daughter of Indian tech billionaire N.R. Narayana Murthy — had claimed non-domiciled tax status while living at Downing Street, potentially saving her up to £2.1 million annually in UK taxes on overseas earnings.

It later emerged that Sunak held a U.S. green card until October 2021 while serving as Chancellor of the Exchequer, raising questions about his residency and tax obligations during that period.

Under public pressure, Murty agreed to pay UK tax on her worldwide income, though she retained non-dom status for inheritance tax purposes. While these controversies don’t directly relate to his new positions, they may still influence public perception, as Sunak’s record is not without blemishes.

Legacy, Motives, and Public Perception

Some people will view this move as smart and forward-thinking, while others may see it as opportunistic or self-serving. Despite his political setbacks and earlier controversies, it’s possible Sunak is simply working to rebuild his public image.

He has pledged to donate all earnings from his Microsoft and Anthropic roles to The Richmond Project — a numeracy charity he co-founded with his wife in February 2025. The charity focuses on helping children who struggle with math, and this charitable commitment adds an altruistic layer to his new roles.

It also keeps him visible both in the public eye and on the global stage, following a wider trend of politicians transitioning into the technology sector. Nick Clegg, the former UK Deputy Prime Minister, joined Meta and was promoted to the companies Top Policy Executive in 2022, while Mick Mulvaney, the former White House Budget Director, took a role with a data management firm.

While these examples don’t match the same scale or visibility as Sunak’s dual appointments, they do highlight an ongoing “revolving door” trend — where political figures move into influential tech roles after leaving public office.