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Rishi Sunak closer to living in $7.2m California home than ever thanks to new career move, but will he?

Jan 22, 2025 02:49 PM IST

Ex-UK PM Rishi Sunak announced Tuesday that his two new jobs entailed joining the Blavatnik School of Government At Oxford and Hoover Institution at Stanford.

Former UK Prime Minister Rishi Sunak is making new career moves. He announced this week that two jobs await him at Oxford University and Stanford University’s Hoover Institute. The latter undoubtedly brings him closer to his California dream.

(Left) Rishi Sunak and his wife, Akshata Murty, at Stanford. Their California connection runs even deeper as they own a $7.2 million penthouse in Santa Monica (right). (Instagram - Google Street)
(Left) Rishi Sunak and his wife, Akshata Murty, at Stanford. Their California connection runs even deeper as they own a $7.2 million penthouse in Santa Monica (right). (Instagram - Google Street)

Both universities have played an indispensable role in shaping his life. He studied philosophy, politics and economics at Oxford before pursuing his master’s degree in business administration at Stanford. “I look forward to contributing to their world-class work addressing the challenges and the technological opportunities of our time,” he admitted while acknowledging how “delighted” he was for his career trajectory branching out into new paths. The ex-PM intends to continue his role as backbench MP for Richmond and Northallerton in Yorkshire while undertaking the new responsibilities, per The Mirror UK.

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Rishi Sunak's new jobs

At Stanford’s Hoover Institute, he will work as a Distinguished Visiting Fellow, addressing issues such as tech, the economy and global security. On the other hand, the Oxford role will see him settling in as a Distinguished Fellow at the Blavatnik School. Even though he won’t be paid for either role, Stanford will cover his expenses.

His California connection explained

The former Tory leader especially shares strong ties with California. In addition to his own time as a Stanford alum, Rishi Sunak also met his wife, Akshata Murty, at the US uni. During his years there, he won a Fulbright scholarship to get his MBA. Sunak, his wife, and daughter Anoushka and Krishna were even spotted at Santa Monica Pier during their 2023 summer holiday, where he purportedly joined a Taylor Swift-themed Soul Cycle gym class.

Following the Tories’ landslide defeat at last year’s general election, it was heavily speculated that the Indian-origin ex-UK PM would hatch an escape plan to California, where he owns a $7.2 million (£5.5m) beach home. According to Politico, Britain’s former prime minister’s luxury penthouse overlooks the Pacific to the west and the Malibu mountains to the north. The UK politician previously even mentioned that he ran a hedge fund, Theleme Partners, in Santa Monica before ultimately returning to the UK and making his political debut.

Given his open expression of affinity for the US state, outgoing US President Joe Biden joked during their San Diego meet-up in 2023: “I want to welcome you back to California — he’s a Stanford man, and he still has a home here in California. That’s why I’m being very nice to you, maybe you can invite me to your home in California.”

What Indian-origin Rishi Sunak has said about relocating to California

Although his political opponents at the time continued slamming him for potentially taking off for the US in light of the failing polls, Sunak rubbished the notion, insisting that there was no California move planned out. In a 2024 ITV interview, Sunak again doubled down on his public denials about his future in California. “It’s simply not true. I mean, it’s just simply not true,” he said while asserting further that he was “committed to staying in the UK.”

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“This is my home,” he said. “I mean, my football team just got promoted back in the Premiership and I hope to be watching them for years to come in the Premier League.” At his final Prime Minister's Questions (PMQs) in October, he re-affirmed, “I'm happy to confirm reports that I will now be spending more time in the greatest place where the scenery is indeed worthy of a movie set and everyone is a character. That's right, if anyone needs me, I will be in Yorkshire.”

About Rishi Sunak's California house

Sunak and his wife Akshata purchased their Santa Monica penthouse in a luxe condo building in 2014, per The Real Deal. The ocean-view condo is one of four penthouses in the complex. The 101,000-square-foot building housing the penthouse has 65 units and boasts amenities like a fifth-floor sky lounge and pet spa. The 1,150-square-foot apartment on the fourth floor features one bedroom. In 2022, the Guardian reported that the couple usually visit the flat over the Easter holidays.

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