From A Financial Analyst To British PM: Inside Rishi Sunak's Meteoric Rise, Wealth

Rishi Sunak took the world by storm when he was elected in 2022 as the first Indian-origin prime minister to serve the United Kingdom. Sunak's meteoric rise was long overdue, considering he had all the relevant qualities of a world leader. He honed his abilities to understand complex subjects through his extensive financial career, where he worked as an analyst at the prestigious Goldman Sachs. Building capital assets was never an issue for Sunak, as he was well aware of how investment mechanisms are operated to build wealth through wealth. Here's a look at Sunak's and his wife's $844 million net fortune journey, coupled with glimpses of how he accumulated all his wealth through sheer hard work and dedication.

Early life and career

Born on May 12, 1980, to Indian-origin parents Usha and Yashvir Sunak, Rishi was a brilliant child from the moment he was born. He attended Stroud School in Romsey. Sunak was later enrolled at Winchester College as a dayboy, where he was declared the head boy of his college. He went to Lincoln College in Oxford to study philosophy, politics, and economics and later earned an MBA from Stanford University to understand the complex mechanisms of the corporate world. It was at Stanford that Rishi met Akshara, his future wife, and daughter of billionaire Indian entrepreneur N. R. Narayana Murthy.

His career as a successful politician commenced in 2010 when he joined the conservative party and was elected as a conservative candidate from Richmond. In 2014, Sunak chaired the Black and Minority Ethnic Research Unit. He was later elected a parliamentary member of the Environment, Food, and Rural Affairs Select Committee. He worked as chancellor of the exchequer before assuming the role of Prime Minister of the United Kingdom.

His financial and political stints helped him amass great fortunes worth millions. Sunak recently filed his tax returns, where he reportedly paid £393,217 in 2020/2021 and £227,350 in 2019/20. The grandiose figures gave us a brief glimpse of his expansive financial portfolio and the wealth that he has accumulated through the years.

Rishi Sunak's $844 million fortune: A breakdown

Sunak's personal wealth was built through his credible political and financial stints, where he accumulated millions through sheer hard work and dedication. However, Sunak's $844 million fortune has been amassed through collective efforts. His wife Akshara, who is the daughter of affluent Indian entrepreneur Narayana Murthy, has greatly contributed to helping boost Sunak's wealth portfolio. Akshara's father is the owner of Infosys, an Indian tech giant in which Akshara holds a major stake. According to CNBC, her shares in the company amount to £430 million (USD 546 mil) alone.

Akshara's family also owns a joint stake in Amazon India, a deal that is estimated to be worth $900 million. She also has her own firm, Catamaran Ventures UK, where she is said to keep her personal fortune. Together, the couple has accumulated and built an $800 million fortune, which is more than the collective fortune owned by King Charles II and Queen Elizabeth II of the U.K.

According to CNBC, Sunak and Akshara's collective $844 million fortune further encompasses earnings from buildings, artworks, forests, and fields that are worth billions of dollars.

How much does Rishi Sunak earn as PM?

Apart from accumulating millions through various financial and political occupations, Sunak also earns a whopping £164,951 as his salary by being a credible prime minister serving the United Kingdom. The breakdown of his salary includes remuneration amassed through two vocations. According to LBC U.K., Rishi earns £80,807 for his role as PM (although only £75,440 of that was claimed) and a further £84,144 for being an MP (Richmond).

Rishi Sunak's real estate investments

According to CNBC, Rishi Sunak, along with his wife Akshara, owns four properties worth £18.3 million, including an apartment in California. Before shifting to the Downing Street residence, Sunak lived in a five-bedroom house in Kensington, London, worth £6.6 million.