From Downing Street to Wall Street: Rishi Sunak returns to Goldman Sachs; know his new role

Former UK Prime Minister Rishi Sunak has joined Goldman Sachs as a senior adviser, the investment bank announced on Tuesday. The appointment brings Sunak full circle — he began his career with the firm as a summer intern in 2000 and worked as an analyst from 2001 to 2004.

“In his role, he will … advise our clients globally on a range of important topics, sharing his unique perspectives and insights on the macroeconomic and geopolitical landscape,” said Goldman Sachs CEO David Solomon in a statement.

Sunak’s move reflects a familiar pattern in global finance, where former senior policymakers are often tapped by banks and investment firms for their experience and strategic networks. His predecessors as Chancellor of the Exchequer, George Osborne and Sajid Javid, have also entered the financial sector — Osborne joined BlackRock as an adviser, while Javid became a partner at investment firm Centricus.

Goldman’s decision comes amid heightened geopolitical and regulatory volatility, where demand for insight from former officials has grown. The bank said Sunak’s “unique perspectives” would be leveraged to help guide clients through such uncertainty.

Sunak served as UK prime minister from October 2022 to July 2024 and as Chancellor from February 2020 to July 2022. He resigned from leadership after a heavy electoral defeat to Labour Party leader Keir Starmer last year. He currently remains a Member of Parliament for Richmond and Northallerton.

(With inputs from Reuters)