Former UK Prime Minister Rishi Sunak to Advise Microsoft and Anthropic

Rishi Sunak, the former UK Prime Minister (2022-2024), has taken on senior advisory roles at both Microsoft and Anthropic, as reported by The Guardian.

Letters from the UK Parliament's Advisory Committee on Business Appointments (Acoba), which disclosed Sunak's appointments, raised concerns that his previous access to sensitive government information could potentially grant Microsoft an unfair advantage.

Ties to Microsoft

Sunak's connection with Microsoft goes back to his tenure as prime minister. In 2023, he unveiled a £2.5 billion deal with Microsoft to invest in new data centres and training initiatives in the UK. Acoba raised concerns that Sunak's new advisory roles could be seen as granting unfair access to the UK government, especially given ongoing debates over AI regulation and intense lobbying on global policy approaches.

Sunak's Response

Sunak has committed to steering clear of advising on any UK policy matters directly related to Microsoft or Anthropic. He emphasised that his role would focus on providing high-level perspectives on macroeconomic and geopolitical trends, while avoiding any lobbying. Additionally, he announced that he would donate his advisory salary to the Richmond Project, a charity he founded with his wife earlier this year.

Other Roles

In addition to his advisory roles at Microsoft and Anthropic, Sunak also serves as a senior advisor to Goldman Sachs and works as a speechwriter for firms such as Bain Capital and Makena Capital.

A History of Political Figures Advising Tech Giants

Sunak is not the first British politician to take on such roles with Silicon Valley tech giants. For instance, Sunak's former senior political advisor, Liam Booth-Smith, is also employed by Anthropic. Additionally, Nick Clegg, the former Liberal Democrat Deputy Prime Minister, served as Meta's president of global affairs until January 2025.

In the United States, the revolving door between Silicon Valley and government continues to operate. For example, Joel Kaplan, former deputy chief of staff under George W. Bush, replaced Clegg at Meta, and Dustin Carmack, a former advisor to Governor Ron DeSantis, joined the company's policy team in 2024. Similarly, Microsoft's current president of global affairs, Lisa Monaco, was previously deputy attorney general under Joe Biden.