Rishi Sunak, Former British Prime Minister, Appointed Senior Advisor at Microsoft and Anthropic

Rishi Sunak Joins Microsoft and Anthropic as Senior Advisor

In a notable development in the tech industry, former British Prime Minister Rishi Sunak announced on LinkedIn that he has taken on advisory roles at Microsoft and Anthropic. This revelation adds a new chapter to his career trajectory, highlighting his commitment to contributing to technological advancements.

Strategic Advisory Focus

While specific details about his advisory responsibilities are still under wraps, Sunak has indicated that he will address “big strategic questions”that involve leveraging technology to enhance economic, security, and societal outcomes.

Microsoft has driven productivity improvements for decades and Anthropic is one of the most exciting AI frontier labs.[…] 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. In my role as a senior adviser, I want to help these companies ensure that this shift delivers the improvements in all of our lives that it can.

Compliance with Advisory Appointment Regulations

According to Reuters, Sunak’s position at Anthropic is part-time and adheres to the UK’s Advisory Committee on Business Appointments (ACOBA) guidelines, which oversee appointments of former ministers and senior civil servants, including Sunak himself.

Global Advising Scope

In his advisory capacity at Anthropic, Sunak will provide insights related to macroeconomic and geopolitical trends on a global scale, extending beyond UK-specific issues. Similarly, at Microsoft, he is expected to contribute to discussions at their annual summit, although he will not be advising on UK policies as per ACOBA’s stipulations.

Parliamentary Restrictions and Philanthropic Efforts

It’s important to note that despite no longer leading the Conservative Party, Sunak remains a UK parliament member, imposing a restriction on his ability to lobby for either Microsoft or Anthropic for two years following his term as a minister.

Additionally, Rishi Sunak also serves as a senior advisor at Goldman Sachs. He has committed that his income from the new roles at Microsoft and Anthropic will benefit The Richmond Project, a charitable initiative he launched with his wife, Akshata Murty.

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