Former UK PM Rishi Sunak returns to Goldman Sachs as senior adviser

Goldman Sachs has named former United Kingdom prime minister Rishi Sunak as a senior adviser, bringing the veteran policymaker back to the bank where he began his career two decades ago.

The Wall Street giant announced the appointment on Tuesday, describing Sunak’s experience as offering “unique perspectives and insights” on the global economy and geopolitical affairs at a time when financial institutions are grappling with mounting regulatory and political uncertainty.

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Sunak, who resigned as prime minister in July 2024 after leading the Conservatives to their worst election defeat, will advise Goldman’s clients on a part-time basis while remaining the Conservative MP for Richmond and Northallerton in Yorkshire.

The 45-year-old previously worked at Goldman Sachs as an analyst in the early 2000s before moving into hedge funds and eventually politics. He later served as the UK’s finance minister during the pandemic, when he became a household name for his emergency support packages.

David Solomon Goldman’s chief executive said he was “excited to welcome Rishi back,” adding that the former prime minister would work with leaders across the firm and spend time with staff around the world, “contributing to our culture of ongoing learning and development.”

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The move is the latest in a well-trodden path of former senior politicians crossing into finance, where their policy background and global networks are often seen as strategic assets.

Sunak, whose personal fortune — bolstered by his previous financial career and the wealth of his wife, Akshata Murty, whose family co-founded Indian IT giant Infosys — once made him the wealthiest occupant of Number 10, has largely stayed out of the spotlight since leaving Downing Street.

His salary from Goldman Sachs will be donated to The Richmond Project, a charity he and Murty launched this year to improve numeracy across the UK.

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However, the appointment has attracted scrutiny. The Advisory Committee on Business Appointments (Acoba), which must vet roles taken by former ministers for two years after they leave office, said Sunak’s new position posed “a number of risks” that the bank could benefit unfairly from privileged information or contacts.

Under conditions set by Acoba, Sunak is barred from advising sovereign wealth funds or other governments on Goldman’s behalf, and from lobbying the UK government. He also cannot advise clients he dealt with directly while in office.

Sunak first joined Goldman Sachs as an intern in 2000 before spending three years as an analyst. He went on to co-found an international investment firm before entering Parliament in 2015. He rose quickly through Conservative ranks, becoming chancellor under Boris Johnson and then prime minister in 2022.