Former British Prime Minister Rishi Sunak has accepted paid advisory positions at Microsoft and Anthropic, marking his entry into the technology sector while maintaining his role as Member of Parliament for Richmond and Northallerton. The dual appointments, alongside a similar position at his former employer Goldman Sachs, reflect a growing trend of political figures transitioning into technology advisory roles following their tenure in government.
The move comes approximately nine months after Sunak’s July 2024 election defeat and follows a well-established pattern of former government officials leveraging policy expertise within the private sector. However, the appointments have drawn scrutiny due to the regulatory influence Sunak wielded over technology policy during his premiership, particularly regarding artificial intelligence governance.
The Advisory Committee on Business Appointments, an independent watchdog overseeing post-government employment transitions, has imposed specific conditions on both technology roles, including a two-year prohibition on lobbying current government ministers on behalf of either company.
Microsoft Engagement Focuses on Geopolitical Strategic Perspectives
At Microsoft, Sunak will provide what regulatory oversight describes as “high-level strategic perspectives” on geopolitical trends—a role that capitalizes on his experience navigating international relations and economic policy during his time as Chancellor of the Exchequer and Prime Minister.
The appointment raises questions about access and influence given Microsoft’s substantial investments in the United Kingdom. The technology giant has committed significant resources to UK data center infrastructure and has been actively engaged with government initiatives around digital transformation and artificial intelligence development.
Sunak’s private sector background includes employment at Goldman Sachs between 2001 and 2004, establishing a foundation of financial services experience that preceded his political career. This combination of financial acumen and recent government leadership positions him to offer insights on regulatory landscapes and policy trends affecting technology companies operating across multiple jurisdictions.
The Advisory Committee’s restrictions acknowledge that the passage of time since Sunak left office has diminished the immediate value of privileged information he might possess. Nevertheless, standard safeguards remain in place preventing former ministers from advising on UK contract bids or engaging in direct government lobbying during the two-year restriction period.
Anthropic Role Positions Sunak Within AI Safety Discussions
Sunak’s engagement with Anthropic takes a different form, which he described to the oversight committee as “akin to operating as an internal think tank.” This framing suggests a role focused on strategic planning and policy analysis rather than operational decision-making.
Anthropic, founded by former OpenAI executives, has positioned itself within the artificial intelligence sector with particular emphasis on developing what it characterizes as “safe” AI systems. The company counts Google among its significant backers and has gained attention for its approach to AI alignment and safety research.
The watchdog committee noted that Anthropic maintains “a significant interest in UK government policy,” raising concerns that the appointment could potentially offer “unfair access and influence” within government channels. These concerns carry particular weight given Sunak’s direct involvement in shaping UK technology policy during his premiership.
During his tenure as Prime Minister, Sunak elevated technology regulation as a policy priority, most notably hosting an AI safety summit in 2023. The summit brought together government representatives and technology company leaders to address risks associated with advanced AI systems, establishing the UK as a participant in global AI governance discussions.
This background creates potential questions about the boundaries between Sunak’s advisory role and his previous regulatory authority. While the two-year lobbying restriction addresses direct government engagement, the nature of technology policy influence often operates through broader ecosystem participation rather than explicit lobbying activities.
Technology Sector Engagement Reflects Sunak’s Stated Policy Priorities
Sunak has committed to donating all compensation from the three advisory positions to The Richmond Project, a charitable organization he established this year with his wife Akshata Murty. The charity focuses on improving numeracy education in the UK, aligning with education policy priorities Sunak championed during his time in government.
The donation arrangement addresses potential ethical concerns about personal financial benefit from post-government appointments while maintaining Sunak’s involvement in technology sector discussions. However, it does not eliminate questions about access and influence that arise from former government officials joining organizations they previously regulated.
“I have long believed that technology will transform our world and play a key part in determining our future,” Sunak stated regarding his new positions. “We stand on the edge of a technological revolution whose impacts will be as profound as those of the industrial revolution: and felt more quickly.”
Following last summer’s election defeat, speculation suggested Sunak might relocate to California, where he and Murty maintain property, to pursue Silicon Valley opportunities. The current advisory arrangements strengthen his connections to US technology companies while allowing him to maintain his parliamentary responsibilities and UK residence.
Broader Pattern of Political-to-Technology Sector Transitions
Sunak’s appointments exemplify an increasingly common trajectory from government service to technology sector advisory roles. Former political leaders bring regulatory knowledge, policy expertise, and government networks that technology companies value as they navigate complex regulatory environments and seek to influence policy development.
This pattern extends beyond the UK, with former government officials worldwide accepting similar positions at major technology firms. The arrangements create potential concerns about revolving door dynamics, where regulatory decisions during government service might be influenced by future private sector opportunities, and where former officials’ government relationships might provide companies with advantageous access.
Regulatory frameworks attempt to address these concerns through cooling-off periods, lobbying restrictions, and disclosure requirements. However, the effectiveness of these measures remains debated, particularly as technology policy grows increasingly complex and the line between legitimate expertise sharing and improper influence becomes harder to define.
The technology sector’s interest in former government officials also reflects the growing intersection of technology development and public policy. As artificial intelligence, data privacy, cybersecurity, and digital infrastructure become central to economic and security policy, companies seek advisors who understand both technological capabilities and governmental decision-making processes.
For Sunak specifically, the dual appointments at Microsoft and Anthropic position him within overlapping but distinct technology sector conversations—Microsoft’s focus on enterprise technology and cloud infrastructure versus Anthropic’s concentration on AI safety and alignment research. This combination allows him to engage across the technology policy spectrum while his charitable commitment addresses some ethical concerns about post-government employment.
The arrangements will likely face ongoing scrutiny as observers assess whether the oversight committee’s restrictions adequately protect against potential conflicts of interest while allowing former government officials to contribute their expertise to private sector organizations. The outcome may influence how future transitions from government to technology sector roles are structured and regulated.