Rishi Sunak

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Rishi Sunak
Official portrait, 2022
Rishi Sunak
Born12 5, 1980
BirthplaceSouthampton, England
NationalityBritish
OccupationPolitician, financier
Known forPrime Minister of the United Kingdom (2022–2024), Chancellor of the Exchequer (2020–2022)
EducationMaster of Business Administration (Stanford University)
Spouse(s)Akshata Murty
Children2
AwardsFulbright Scholarship

Rishi Sunak (born 12 May 1980) is a British politician and former financier who served as Prime Minister of the United Kingdom and Leader of the Conservative Party from October 2022 to July 2024. Born in Southampton to parents of Indian descent who had emigrated to the United Kingdom from East Africa during the 1960s, Sunak rose through the ranks of British politics after a career in investment banking and hedge fund management. He was first elected to the House of Commons as the Member of Parliament for Richmond (Yorks) in 2015 and served in increasingly senior government roles, including as Chief Secretary to the Treasury under Boris Johnson in 2019 and as Chancellor of the Exchequer from 2020 to 2022. His tenure as Chancellor was marked by his central role in the United Kingdom's financial response to the COVID-19 pandemic, including the creation of the furlough scheme and the Eat Out to Help Out programme. After resigning from the Cabinet in July 2022 during a government crisis, Sunak lost a leadership contest to Liz Truss but was subsequently elected unopposed as Conservative leader following Truss's resignation. At 42, he became the youngest person to serve as Prime Minister since the Earl of Liverpool in 1812, the first British Asian to hold the office, and the first Hindu Prime Minister of the United Kingdom. Following the Conservative Party's defeat in the 2024 general election, Sunak served briefly as Leader of the Opposition before stepping down as party leader in November 2024. He continues to serve as MP for the constituency of Richmond and Northallerton.[1]

Early Life

Rishi Sunak was born on 12 May 1980 in Southampton, Hampshire, England. His parents were of Indian descent and had migrated to Britain from East Africa during the 1960s. His family's roots trace back to Punjab in India, and Sunak has spoken publicly about his heritage and identity, describing himself as "British, English and British Asian."[2] His father, Yashvir Sunak, was a general practitioner with the National Health Service, and his mother, Usha Sunak, ran a local pharmacy. Sunak was the eldest of three siblings.[3]

Sunak grew up in Southampton and has described a middle-class upbringing shaped by the values of hard work and public service that his parents instilled in the family. His father's work in the NHS and his mother's entrepreneurial activity in running a pharmacy provided formative influences that Sunak would later reference during his political career.[4]

From a young age, Sunak was academically oriented. He attended Winchester College, one of the oldest and most prestigious independent schools in England, where he excelled in his studies. At Winchester, he served as head boy, demonstrating early leadership capabilities. The school's rigorous academic environment prepared him for entry into the United Kingdom's top universities.[5]

Sunak has frequently acknowledged the sacrifices his parents and grandparents made in immigrating to Britain, and he has spoken about his Hindu faith as an important part of his identity and daily life. His family background — spanning India, East Africa, and the United Kingdom — has been a recurring subject of public interest throughout his career.[6]

Education

Sunak was educated at Winchester College before reading Philosophy, Politics and Economics (PPE) at Lincoln College, University of Oxford. It was during his time at Oxford that he joined the Conservative Party.[7]

After completing his undergraduate degree at Oxford, Sunak pursued further education in the United States, earning a Master of Business Administration (MBA) from Stanford University in California. He attended Stanford as a Fulbright Scholar, one of the most competitive and prestigious international academic exchange programmes.[4] His time at Stanford exposed him to the technology and venture capital ecosystem of Silicon Valley, an experience that would shape his subsequent career in finance and, later, his interest in technology policy as a politician. It was also at Stanford that Sunak met his future wife, Akshata Murty, the daughter of Indian billionaire N. R. Narayana Murthy, co-founder of Infosys.[6]

Career

Finance Career

Following his education, Sunak embarked on a career in the financial services industry. He joined Goldman Sachs as an analyst, working at the investment bank during the early 2000s.[8]

Sunak subsequently moved into the hedge fund sector. He joined The Children's Investment Fund Management (TCI), one of London's prominent hedge funds, as a partner. TCI added Sunak to its roster of partners in 2007.[9] He later co-founded Theleme Partners, a hedge fund firm established in 2010, with Patrick Degorce, a former colleague from TCI.[10][11] His work in the hedge fund industry was recognised by The Hedge Fund Journal, which included him among its "Tomorrow's Titans" survey of rising figures in the sector.[12]

Sunak's financial career was also documented in the register of the Financial Conduct Authority.[13] His background in hedge fund management became a point of scrutiny when he entered front-line politics, with questions raised about potential conflicts of interest and his wealth. The Guardian reported in 2020, upon his appointment as Chancellor, that he faced challenges over his hedge fund past.[14]

Early Political Career

Sunak entered electoral politics as the Conservative Party candidate for the safe seat of Richmond (Yorks) in North Yorkshire at the 2015 general election, succeeding former Conservative leader William Hague who had represented the constituency since 1989. He won the seat and entered the House of Commons.[15] His father-in-law, N. R. Narayana Murthy, co-founder of Infosys, expressed confidence in Sunak's political prospects at the time.[16]

As a backbench MP, Sunak supported the Vote Leave campaign during the 2016 referendum on the United Kingdom's membership of the European Union, aligning himself with the Brexit cause. This positioned him within the Eurosceptic wing of the Conservative Party.[17]

In January 2018, Prime Minister Theresa May appointed Sunak as Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Local Government, his first ministerial position. Following Boris Johnson's election as Conservative leader and appointment as Prime Minister in July 2019, Sunak was promoted to the role of Chief Secretary to the Treasury, a position that attends Cabinet meetings but is not a full Cabinet appointment. This role placed him at the centre of the government's fiscal planning and provided him with direct exposure to Treasury operations.[18]

Chancellor of the Exchequer

In February 2020, following the resignation of Sajid Javid, Boris Johnson promoted Sunak to Chancellor of the Exchequer, making him one of the youngest holders of the office in modern British history. His appointment came just weeks before the COVID-19 pandemic forced the United Kingdom into its first national lockdown.[19]

As Chancellor, Sunak became the public face of the government's economic response to the pandemic. He introduced the Coronavirus Job Retention Scheme, commonly known as the furlough scheme, which paid a portion of the wages of employees who would otherwise have been made redundant due to lockdown measures. At its peak, the scheme supported millions of jobs across the United Kingdom. He also launched the Eat Out to Help Out scheme in August 2020, which offered subsidised meals at restaurants to encourage consumer spending in the hospitality sector after the easing of lockdown restrictions. The scheme proved popular but attracted criticism from some epidemiologists who argued it may have contributed to a rise in COVID-19 infections.[20]

During the early stages of the pandemic, Sunak received high public approval ratings for his handling of the economic crisis. His regular press conferences and the scale of government financial intervention made him one of the most visible members of the Johnson government. However, his popularity declined during 2022 as the United Kingdom faced a cost-of-living crisis driven by rising energy prices, inflation, and the economic aftermath of the pandemic and Brexit.[21]

In July 2022, amid a widening government crisis triggered by a series of scandals involving Boris Johnson, Sunak resigned as Chancellor. His resignation, alongside that of Sajid Javid as Health Secretary, precipitated a wave of further ministerial departures that ultimately led to Johnson's decision to step down as Conservative leader and Prime Minister.[22]

2022 Leadership Contests and Premiership

Following Johnson's resignation as party leader, Sunak entered the Conservative leadership contest in the summer of 2022. He was the frontrunner among Conservative MPs in the parliamentary ballots but lost the final vote of party members to Liz Truss, who campaigned on a platform of tax cuts and deregulation. Sunak had warned during the campaign that Truss's economic plans risked fuelling inflation, a prediction that gained retrospective attention after the market turmoil that followed Truss's mini-budget in September 2022.[23]

Truss resigned as Prime Minister on 20 October 2022, after just 45 days in office, making her the shortest-serving Prime Minister in British history. In the subsequent leadership election, Sunak quickly secured the backing of more than 100 Conservative MPs — the threshold required to be nominated. When no other candidate achieved the required level of support within the deadline, Sunak was elected leader of the Conservative Party unopposed on 24 October 2022. He was appointed Prime Minister by King Charles III on 25 October 2022.[24]

At 42 years old, Sunak became the youngest Prime Minister of the United Kingdom since the Earl of Liverpool took office in 1812. He was also the first British Asian and the first Hindu to hold the office of Prime Minister, a fact that attracted significant global attention and commentary.[4]

Prime Ministership

Upon taking office, Sunak sought to stabilise both the British economy and the Conservative Party after the turbulence of the Truss premiership. He outlined five key priorities for his government: halving inflation, growing the economy, reducing the national debt, cutting National Health Service (NHS) waiting lists, and stopping irregular small boat crossings of the English Channel.[25]

On the economy, Sunak's government worked with the Bank of England to address inflationary pressures. Inflation, which had peaked at over 11% in late 2022, did fall significantly during his time in office, and Sunak claimed partial credit for this decline. Economic growth, however, remained sluggish, and the government faced criticism for the slow pace of recovery and the continued burden on household finances.

A central and contentious element of Sunak's domestic policy was the Rwanda asylum plan, which proposed to deport asylum seekers who arrived in the United Kingdom via irregular means to Rwanda for processing and resettlement. The plan faced repeated legal challenges and was ultimately struck down by the Supreme Court of the United Kingdom in November 2023, which ruled that Rwanda could not be considered a safe third country. In response, Sunak introduced the Safety of Rwanda (Asylum and Immigration) Act 2024, which sought to override the Court's ruling by legislating that Rwanda was a safe country. The Act received Royal Assent in April 2024, but no deportation flights departed before the general election was called.[26]

On foreign policy, Sunak continued the United Kingdom's support for Ukraine in the face of Russia's invasion, authorising the supply of military aid and weapons to Ukrainian forces. He maintained close relations with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy and remained engaged on the issue after leaving office. In February 2026, following a meeting with Zelenskyy at the Munich Security Conference, Sunak wrote about the transformative role of drone technology in modern warfare, citing Zelenskyy's claim that drones were responsible for approximately 80% of Russian casualties.[27][28]

In the aftermath of the October 7, 2023 attacks on Israel, Sunak expressed support for Israel and pledged solidarity. He later called for a ceasefire in the Gaza Strip as the humanitarian toll of the ensuing conflict grew.

Sunak also took a notable interest in artificial intelligence policy during his premiership. He hosted the AI Safety Summit at Bletchley Park in November 2023, bringing together global leaders, technology executives, and researchers to discuss the risks and governance of advanced AI systems. This marked one of the first major international summits focused specifically on AI safety.[29]

2024 General Election and Aftermath

Sunak called a general election for 4 July 2024. The Conservative Party suffered a significant defeat, losing to Keir Starmer's Labour Party, which won a large parliamentary majority. The Conservatives were reduced to one of their lowest seat totals in modern history. Sunak conceded defeat and served briefly as Leader of the Opposition from July to November 2024 before stepping down as leader of the Conservative Party. He continued to represent his constituency, which had been redrawn and renamed Richmond and Northallerton.[30]

Post-Premiership Activities

After leaving office, Sunak has remained active in public discourse, particularly on issues related to technology, defence, and artificial intelligence. In November 2025, he shared advice regarding the impact of AI on the job market, drawing on personal reflections about the future his two teenage daughters will face in an AI-transformed economy.[31] In February 2026, he publicly warned that AI would "fundamentally transform the labour market" and urged the government to provide support for workers affected by these changes.[32]

Sunak has also continued to engage with international affairs, attending the 2026 Munich Security Conference where he met with President Zelenskyy and subsequently published analysis on the role of drone warfare in the Russia–Ukraine conflict.[33]

Personal Life

Sunak married Akshata Murty in 2009. Murty is the daughter of N. R. Narayana Murthy, the co-founder of Indian technology company Infosys, and philanthropist Sudha Murty. The couple met while both were studying at Stanford University.[6] They have two daughters.[34]

Sunak is a practising Hindu and has spoken publicly about the role his faith plays in his life. He took his oath of office as an MP on the Bhagavad Gita. In February 2026, amid public debates about race and national identity in the United Kingdom, Sunak described himself as "British, English and British Asian," pushing back against what he characterised as racially charged language in the national discourse.[35]

The wealth of Sunak and his wife has been a subject of public discussion throughout his political career. Murty's stake in Infosys, inherited from her father, made her one of the wealthiest individuals in the United Kingdom. In 2022, controversy arose over Murty's non-domiciled status for tax purposes, which allowed her to avoid paying United Kingdom tax on overseas income. Following public scrutiny, Murty announced she would pay UK taxes on her worldwide income.[36]

Recognition

Sunak's appointment as Prime Minister in October 2022 was noted as a historic milestone. He became the first person of Indian heritage, the first British Asian, and the first Hindu to serve as Prime Minister of the United Kingdom. This was noted in both British and international media, and received particular attention in India, where it was seen as a reflection of the Indian diaspora's influence and success abroad.[4][6]

During his time as Chancellor, Sunak received the Fulbright Scholarship distinction retroactively noted in coverage of his career, highlighting his earlier academic achievement at Stanford University. His inclusion in The Hedge Fund Journal's "Tomorrow's Titans" survey during his finance career recognised him as an emerging figure in the investment management industry.[37]

Sunak's hosting of the AI Safety Summit at Bletchley Park in November 2023 was regarded as a significant diplomatic and policy initiative, positioning the United Kingdom as an early convener of international discussions on artificial intelligence governance. The summit brought together representatives from 28 countries and major technology companies, and produced the Bletchley Declaration on AI safety.[38]

Legacy

Sunak's premiership, while lasting less than two years, covered a period of significant economic and political challenges for the United Kingdom. His government's management of the transition from the economic instability of the Truss era — including the restoration of market confidence following the September 2022 mini-budget crisis — is viewed as a stabilising period for British fiscal policy. The decline in inflation during his time in office, from over 11% to below the Bank of England's target, was one of the achievements he highlighted, though analysts have debated the extent to which government policy, as opposed to broader global trends, was responsible for the decline.

His role as Chancellor during the COVID-19 pandemic left a lasting mark on British economic policy. The furlough scheme, which supported millions of workers during lockdowns, was one of the largest government interventions in the labour market in British history. The programme's design and scale drew both praise for preventing mass unemployment and criticism for its cost to the public finances.

Sunak's emphasis on technology policy, particularly artificial intelligence, represented a distinctive feature of his political agenda. The AI Safety Summit at Bletchley Park and his continued advocacy for AI governance after leaving office have contributed to ongoing international discussions about the regulation and safety of advanced AI systems.[39]

His status as the first British Asian and first Hindu Prime Minister carries significance in the context of British multicultural society and the representation of ethnic minorities in the highest levels of political power. In February 2026, he continued to engage with questions of identity and belonging, articulating a vision of Britishness that encompasses multiple identities.[40]

The 2024 general election defeat, however, marked one of the worst results for the Conservative Party in its modern history, and assessments of Sunak's leadership have included analysis of the structural challenges facing the party during his tenure, including divisions over Brexit, the cost-of-living crisis, and public fatigue with the Conservatives after 14 years in government.

References

  1. ↑ "Rishi Sunak".Encyclopædia Britannica.https://www.britannica.com/biography/Rishi-Sunak.Retrieved 2026-02-24.
  2. ↑ "'I'm British, English and British Asian', says Rishi Sunak in riposte to racially charged debate over identity".The Guardian.2026-02-06.https://www.theguardian.com/politics/2026/feb/06/british-rishi-sunak-riposte-racially-charged-debate-identity.Retrieved 2026-02-24.
  3. ↑ "Rishi Sunak".Encyclopædia Britannica.https://www.britannica.com/biography/Rishi-Sunak.Retrieved 2026-02-24.
  4. ↑ 4.0 4.1 4.2 4.3 "Punjab ancestry, Oxford graduate, proud Hindu: All eyes on Rishi Sunak in UK PM race".ThePrint.https://theprint.in/world/punjab-ancestry-oxford-graduate-proud-hindu-all-eyes-on-rishi-sunak-in-uk-pm-race/1045990/.Retrieved 2026-02-24.
  5. ↑ "Rishi Sunak".Encyclopædia Britannica.https://www.britannica.com/biography/Rishi-Sunak.Retrieved 2026-02-24.
  6. ↑ 6.0 6.1 6.2 6.3 "All You Need to Know About Rishi Sunak's Family History".The Quint.https://www.thequint.com/news/world/all-you-need-to-know-about-rishi-sunaks-family-history.Retrieved 2026-02-24.
  7. ↑ "Rishi Sunak".Encyclopædia Britannica.https://www.britannica.com/biography/Rishi-Sunak.Retrieved 2026-02-24.
  8. ↑ "Rishi Sunak".Encyclopædia Britannica.https://www.britannica.com/biography/Rishi-Sunak.Retrieved 2026-02-24.
  9. ↑ "TCI adds four partners".Financial News London.2007-01-24.https://web.archive.org/web/20190725051540/https://www.fnlondon.com/articles/tci-adds-four-partners-20070124.Retrieved 2026-02-24.
  10. ↑ "Theleme Partners launch".Financial Times.https://web.archive.org/web/20190725053502/https://www.ft.com/content/75c1e2da-dfb3-11df-bed9-00144feabdc0.Retrieved 2026-02-24.
  11. ↑ "Theleme Partners".Financial Times.https://web.archive.org/web/20190921065205/https://www.ft.com/content/37c77240-50e8-11e1-8cdb-00144feabdc0.Retrieved 2026-02-24.
  12. ↑ "Tomorrow's Titans".The Hedge Fund Journal.https://web.archive.org/web/20201009125539/https://thehedgefundjournal.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/07/THFJ-Tomorrows-Titans-survey.pdf.Retrieved 2026-02-24.
  13. ↑ "FCA Individual Register – Rishi Sunak".Financial Conduct Authority.https://web.archive.org/web/20220409204228/https://register.fca.org.uk/s/individual?id=003b000000LVKnuAAH.Retrieved 2026-02-24.
  14. ↑ "New chancellor Rishi Sunak challenged over hedge fund past".The Guardian.2020-02-14.https://www.theguardian.com/politics/2020/feb/14/new-chancellor-rishi-sunak-challenged-over-hedge-fund-past.Retrieved 2026-02-24.
  15. ↑ "Sudha Narayana Murthy's son-in-law Rishi Sunak wins polls as Conservative Party member".The Economic Times.https://web.archive.org/web/20150512011704/http://economictimes.indiatimes.com/nri/nris-in-news/sudha-narayana-murthys-son-in-law-rishi-sunak-wins-polls-as-conservative-party-member/articleshow/47209420.cms.Retrieved 2026-02-24.
  16. ↑ "'Quite positive that Rishi will do well as a MP', says Murthy".Business Standard.2015-05-08.https://web.archive.org/web/20160102233041/http://www.business-standard.com/article/companies/quite-positive-that-rishi-will-do-well-as-a-mp-says-murthy-115050800943_1.html.Retrieved 2026-02-24.
  17. ↑ "Rishi Sunak".Encyclopædia Britannica.https://www.britannica.com/biography/Rishi-Sunak.Retrieved 2026-02-24.
  18. ↑ "Rishi Sunak".Encyclopædia Britannica.https://www.britannica.com/biography/Rishi-Sunak.Retrieved 2026-02-24.
  19. ↑ "New chancellor Rishi Sunak challenged over hedge fund past".The Guardian.2020-02-14.https://www.theguardian.com/politics/2020/feb/14/new-chancellor-rishi-sunak-challenged-over-hedge-fund-past.Retrieved 2026-02-24.
  20. ↑ "Rishi Sunak".Encyclopædia Britannica.https://www.britannica.com/biography/Rishi-Sunak.Retrieved 2026-02-24.
  21. ↑ "Rishi Sunak".Encyclopædia Britannica.https://www.britannica.com/biography/Rishi-Sunak.Retrieved 2026-02-24.
  22. ↑ "Rishi Sunak".Encyclopædia Britannica.https://www.britannica.com/biography/Rishi-Sunak.Retrieved 2026-02-24.
  23. ↑ "Rishi Sunak".Encyclopædia Britannica.https://www.britannica.com/biography/Rishi-Sunak.Retrieved 2026-02-24.
  24. ↑ "Rishi Sunak".Encyclopædia Britannica.https://www.britannica.com/biography/Rishi-Sunak.Retrieved 2026-02-24.
  25. ↑ "Rishi Sunak".Encyclopædia Britannica.https://www.britannica.com/biography/Rishi-Sunak.Retrieved 2026-02-24.
  26. ↑ "Rishi Sunak".Encyclopædia Britannica.https://www.britannica.com/biography/Rishi-Sunak.Retrieved 2026-02-24.
  27. ↑ "Rishi Sunak: What Zelensky told me at Munich about the future of war".The Times.2026-02-19.https://www.thetimes.com/business/companies-markets/article/rishi-sunak-drones-defence-ukraine-russia-lh7ltvmcp.Retrieved 2026-02-24.
  28. ↑ "'Russia suffering 1,000 casualties a day, 80% from drones': Rishi Sunak writes after meeting Volodymyr Zelenskyy".The Times of India.2026-02-20.https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/world/europe/russia-suffering-1000-casualties-a-day-80-from-drones-rishi-sunak-writes-after-meeting-volodymyr-zelenskyy/articleshow/128666284.cms.Retrieved 2026-02-24.
  29. ↑ "Rishi Sunak".Encyclopædia Britannica.https://www.britannica.com/biography/Rishi-Sunak.Retrieved 2026-02-24.
  30. ↑ "Rishi Sunak".Encyclopædia Britannica.https://www.britannica.com/biography/Rishi-Sunak.Retrieved 2026-02-24.
  31. ↑ "Rishi Sunak shares advice for his 2 teenage daughters entering the AI job market".Business Insider.2025-11-20.https://www.businessinsider.com/rishi-sunak-job-skills-young-graduates-daughters-ai-agents-2025-11.Retrieved 2026-02-24.
  32. ↑ "Rishi Sunak Warns AI Will Reshape Jobs, Urges Government Support".Veloxx Media.https://veloxxmedia.com/rishi-sunak-warns-ai-will-reshape-jobs-urges-government-support/.Retrieved 2026-02-24.
  33. ↑ "Rishi Sunak: What Zelensky told me at Munich about the future of war".The Times.2026-02-19.https://www.thetimes.com/business/companies-markets/article/rishi-sunak-drones-defence-ukraine-russia-lh7ltvmcp.Retrieved 2026-02-24.
  34. ↑ "Rishi Sunak shares advice for his 2 teenage daughters entering the AI job market".Business Insider.2025-11-20.https://www.businessinsider.com/rishi-sunak-job-skills-young-graduates-daughters-ai-agents-2025-11.Retrieved 2026-02-24.
  35. ↑ "'I'm British, English and British Asian', says Rishi Sunak in riposte to racially charged debate over identity".The Guardian.2026-02-06.https://www.theguardian.com/politics/2026/feb/06/british-rishi-sunak-riposte-racially-charged-debate-identity.Retrieved 2026-02-24.
  36. ↑ "Rishi Sunak".Encyclopædia Britannica.https://www.britannica.com/biography/Rishi-Sunak.Retrieved 2026-02-24.
  37. ↑ "Tomorrow's Titans".The Hedge Fund Journal.https://web.archive.org/web/20201009125539/https://thehedgefundjournal.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/07/THFJ-Tomorrows-Titans-survey.pdf.Retrieved 2026-02-24.
  38. ↑ "Rishi Sunak".Encyclopædia Britannica.https://www.britannica.com/biography/Rishi-Sunak.Retrieved 2026-02-24.
  39. ↑ "Rishi Sunak Warns AI Will Reshape Jobs, Urges Government Support".Veloxx Media.https://veloxxmedia.com/rishi-sunak-warns-ai-will-reshape-jobs-urges-government-support/.Retrieved 2026-02-24.
  40. ↑ "'I'm British, English and British Asian', says Rishi Sunak in riposte to racially charged debate over identity".The Guardian.2026-02-06.https://www.theguardian.com/politics/2026/feb/06/british-rishi-sunak-riposte-racially-charged-debate-identity.Retrieved 2026-02-24.

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