Goldman Sachs hires UK ex-PM Rishi Sunak as adviser for global clients

Goldman Sachs has appointed former UK PM Rishi Sunak as a senior adviser. He will guide international clients on economic and geopolitical matters, marking his first major role since office

Former United Kingdom Prime Minister Rishi Sunak has taken up a new role as senior adviser at Goldman Sachs, according to a report by Bloomberg.

 

The firm said Sunak will work closely with its leadership to advise international clients, bringing in his “unique perspectives and insights on the macroeconomic and geopolitical landscape,” according to a statement by CEO David Solomon.

 

Sunak served as prime minister from October 2022 until July 2024. Before leading the country, he was chancellor of the exchequer from February 2020 to July 2022, and held earlier roles as chief secretary to the Treasury and as a junior minister in the housing department. His political journey began in 2015 when he was elected Member of Parliament for Richmond and Northallerton, a seat he continues to represent.

 

Despite the Conservative Party’s devastating defeat in the 2024 general election — where it lost over two-thirds of its seats — Sunak pledged during the campaign that he would remain an MP for the full parliamentary term, regardless of the outcome. Labour’s Keir Starmer, now Prime Minister, is not required to call another general election until mid-2029.

Returning to his professional roots

Sunak’s latest appointment marks a return to the financial world. He began his career at Goldman Sachs with a summer internship in 2000, later working as an analyst from 2001 to 2004. After leaving the firm, he co-founded an investment company that worked with international businesses.

 

This is his first high-profile role since stepping down as prime minister. In addition to his position at Goldman, Sunak earlier this year accepted academic roles at both Oxford and Stanford universities. He has, however, largely stayed away from public attention since his party’s electoral collapse.

Continued parliamentary role

Sunak's appointment at Goldman comes alongside his ongoing commitment to Parliament, where he now serves from the backbenches. He has also chosen to donate any income from his new role to the Richmond Project, a charity founded by him and his wife, Akshata Murty, aimed at improving numeracy skills in the UK, according to the Financial Times.

 

Sunak and Murty, whose wealth is mainly derived from her stake in Indian IT firm Infosys — founded by her father Narayana Murthy — are estimated to have a combined net worth of £640 million, as reported in the Sunday Times Rich List.