Former PM Rishi Sunak Joins Microsoft and Anthropic

Just this week, it was announced that former British Prime Minister Rishi Sunak has taken on a senior advisory role at Microsoft and Anthropic.

This is his first big move back into the private sector since leaving 10 Downing Street in June 2024.

From Prime Minister To Big Tech

Rishi Sunak is no stranger to the private sector. After studying PPE at Oxford and getting an MBA from Stanford, he went on to work for Goldman Sachs and become a partner at two hedge fund firms.

He moved into politics officially in 2015, later playing a key role as Chancellor of the Exchequer in Boris Johnson’s government.

After losing the leadership election to Liz Truss, who only lasted a couple of weeks in Government, he later took the role as Prime Minister, a position he held until the July 2024 election.

After leaving office, he briefly returned to Goldman Sachs.

Now, at Microsoft, Sunak will advise on global technology strategy and innovation policy, with a focus on artificial intelligence governance, digital transformation, and public-private collaboration.

At Anthropic, one of the world’s leading AI safety and research companies, he will help the company develop responsible AI frameworks and promote transparency across the global AI ecosystem.

The Next Step In His AI Legacy

But Rishi Sunak has always been interested in the potential of AI.

During his time as Prime Minister, Sunak worked hard to position the UK as a leader in AI. He headed up the AI Safety Summit in 2023 and built the UK’s ‘Frontier AI Taskforce’ – both designed to position the UK as an AI powerhouse.

And whilst he no longer holds the keys to 10 Downing Street, his move towards two of the biggest names in AI shows his interest in the sector hasn’t faltered. The only difference is that now, he is leading it from the corporate side of the table.

A Trend Of Politicians Moving Into Big Tech

But Rishi Sunak’s move to Microsoft and Anthropic isn’t unique. In fact, for years, British politicians have been absorbed by some of the biggest names in tech to help them better engage with governments and understand the impact of policy making.

Some examples include:

Nick Clegg: Former Deputy Prime Minister and leader of the Liberal Democrat Party, served as President of Global Affairs at Meta from 2018 until early 2025. As part of his role, he reported directly to Mark Zuckerberg and accumulated over $19m in shares during his 6 year term. (The Guardian).

Liam Booth-Smith: Rishi Sunak’s former senior adviser who also joined Anthropic earlier this year as ‘external affairs chief’.

Cassian Horowitz: The former Head of Strategic Communications at No.10 Downing Street, became Head of Executive Digital Communications at Google in August 2025. As part of the role, he has relocated to the US.

Amber Rudd: Since leaving Parliament in 2018, former Home Secretary Amber Rudd was made a senior advisor at Teneo and also sits on Darktrace’s advisory board. As part of her role at Darktrace, she sits alongside former MI5 director general Lord Evans of Weardale. (The Guardian)

Baroness Joanna Shields: After serving as The UK’s first Minister for Internet Safety & Security in 2018, she has gone on to hold leadership roles at Google, Facebook, and BenevolentAI.

The Mix Of Policy and Profit

It’s no surprise that some of the biggest names in tech are looking to swoop up public sector standouts to advise them from above. As policies around AI and big tech continue to evolve, the input of those that know the inner workings of the public sector are more valuable than ever.

As these companies race to stay on top of changing policies, it will be interesting to see whether this investment pays off.

One thing however is for sure, Sunak’s new role is a sign that his interest and influence over the UK’s AI future is far from over.