Former British Prime Minister Rishi Sunak has been officially cleared to take up part-time senior advisory roles at Microsoft and Anthropic, with oversight from the UK’s Advisory Committee on Business Appointments (ACOBA) to ensure no conflict of interest with his prior government duties.
Under the approved terms, Sunak will advise both companies on global economic trends, technology policy, and governance strategy but is barred from lobbying or influencing UK government matters for the next two years. ACOBA’s clearance comes with conditions ensuring transparency and integrity in his post-political career.
At Microsoft, Sunak will focus on shaping long-term strategies around innovation, AI adoption, and leadership initiatives, including participation in select global forums such as the Microsoft Summit. Meanwhile, at Anthropic, a San Francisco-based AI safety startup and major OpenAI rival, he will offer strategic guidance on global market positioning and ethical AI frameworks.
In a statement, Sunak confirmed he will donate all earnings from both advisory roles to The Richmond Project, a charitable initiative co-founded with his wife, Akshata Murty, focused on youth development and education.
Prosus, the global investor backing Anthropic, has also welcomed Sunak’s addition, viewing it as a step toward strengthening the bridge between technology, governance, and ethical AI deployment.
The move marks Sunak’s continued engagement with the technology sector after leaving office, following earlier stints in finance and public policy. With this, he joins a growing list of former world leaders stepping into advisory roles within global technology giants — a trend highlighting the deepening intersection of politics, AI governance, and corporate influence.
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