Rishi Sunak Joins Goldman Sachs as Senior Adviser, Sparking Ethics Concerns

Rishi Sunak Joins Goldman Sachs as Senior Adviser, Sparking Ethics Concerns

London, July 9, 2025 — Former UK Prime Minister Rishi Sunak has taken up a new role as a senior adviser at Goldman Sachs, marking his return to the investment bank where he began his career over 20 years ago. The announcement, made on Tuesday, has drawn attention from the UK’s ethics watchdog, which raised concerns about potential conflicts of interest due to Sunak’s recent political influence.

Sunak, who served as Prime Minister from October 2022 to July 2024, will advise Goldman Sachs’ clients on global economic and geopolitical issues while continuing to serve as the Member of Parliament (MP) for Richmond and Northallerton. He has pledged to donate his entire salary from the role to the Richmond Project, a charity he founded with his wife, Akshata Murty, to improve numeracy skills in the UK.

The Advisory Committee on Business Appointments (Acoba), the UK body that oversees post-government roles for former ministers, approved Sunak’s appointment but imposed strict conditions. He is barred from lobbying the UK government or using privileged information from his time in office for two years, until July 2026. Acoba expressed concerns that Sunak’s position could give Goldman Sachs undue access to insider knowledge, highlighting the “revolving door” between politics and finance.

Goldman Sachs CEO David Solomon welcomed Sunak’s return, stating, “I am excited to have Rishi back to share his unique perspectives on the global landscape.” Sunak previously worked at the bank as an intern and junior analyst from 2001 to 2004.

The move has sparked mixed reactions. Some praise Sunak’s expertise and charitable commitment, while others, including social media users, have questioned the ethics of a former prime minister joining a major financial institution so soon after leaving office. Posts on X also referenced Sunak’s father-in-law, Infosys co-founder Narayana Murthy, joking about whether Sunak would adopt Murthy’s advocated 70-hour workweek.

Sunak’s appointment comes after the Conservative Party’s significant defeat in the July 2024 general election, which ended his tenure as Prime Minister. Despite stepping back from party leadership, he remains an active MP and has taken up academic roles at Oxford and Stanford Universities.

Critics argue that the UK’s ethics framework for post-ministerial roles needs strengthening to address concerns about political influence in the private sector. For now, Sunak’s return to Goldman Sachs marks a new chapter in his career, blending his financial roots with his political experience.