Former UK Prime Minister Rishi Sunak has accepted senior advisory roles at Microsoft and AI firm Anthropic, sparking immediate concerns about potential conflicts of interest and privileged access to government. The appointments, disclosed through parliamentary letters from the Advisory Committee on Business Appointments (Acoba), come just months after Sunak left office in 2024 and follow his previous £2.5 billion government deal with Microsoft.
Regulatory Body Flags “Unfair Advantage” Concerns
The Advisory Committee on Business Applications expressed serious reservations about Sunak’s Microsoft appointment, warning it could “grant Microsoft an unfair advantage” through the former prime minister’s insider knowledge. In their official correspondence, Acoba noted particular concern about Sunak’s access to privileged information regarding artificial intelligence regulation and government contracting.
Acoba’s letter specifically highlighted that “there is a reasonable concern that your appointment could be seen to offer unfair access and influence within the U.K. government.” The committee emphasized the timing coincides with “intense debate and lobbying around the world” about AI regulation approaches. This concern is amplified by Microsoft’s existing £2.5 billion investment commitment to the UK that Sunak announced during his premiership.
Sunak’s Growing Corporate Portfolio
The Microsoft and Anthropic positions represent the latest additions to Sunak’s expanding corporate advisory portfolio. The former prime minister already serves as senior advisor to investment bank Goldman Sachs and provides speechwriting services to Bain Capital and Makena Capital. This pattern of rapid transition from high office to corporate advisory roles has drawn criticism from transparency advocates.
Sunak has attempted to address conflict concerns by pledging to avoid advising on UK policy matters and focusing instead on “high-level perspectives on macro-economic and geopolitical trends.” He committed to donating his Microsoft salary to the Richmond Project, a charity he founded with his wife. However, Transparency International UK has repeatedly warned that such arrangements don’t eliminate the risk of privileged access.
UK’s Revolving Door Problem Intensifies
Sunak’s move highlights Britain’s persistent “revolving door” problem, where senior politicians quickly transition to lucrative private sector roles. His senior political adviser, Liam Booth-Smith, also joined Anthropic, creating a cluster of former government insiders at the AI company. The pattern extends across parties—former Liberal Democrat Deputy Prime Minister Nick Clegg served as Meta’s president of global affairs until January 2025.
According to Institute for Government research, nearly 70% of former ministers who left government between 2015 and 2022 took private sector roles within months. The current Acoba system operates as an advisory body without enforcement powers, leading critics to call for stronger regulations. The committee can only delay appointments for up to two years and lacks authority to block them entirely.
Global Pattern of Tech-Government Crossovers
The phenomenon extends well beyond UK borders, particularly in the technology sector. In the United States, Microsoft’s current president of global affairs is Lisa Monaco, former deputy attorney general under President Joe Biden. Meta recently appointed Joel Kaplan, George W. Bush’s former deputy chief of staff, and Dustin Carmack, a former adviser to Florida Governor Ron DeSantis.
This global trend raises questions about whether tech companies are systematically recruiting former government officials to navigate regulatory landscapes. A Stanford University study found that tech firms hiring former government officials experienced 25% fewer regulatory actions. The pattern suggests that companies value not just policy expertise but the relationships and insider knowledge these appointments bring.
