’70 Hours Loading…’: Rishi Sunak Returns to Goldman Sachs, And So Do the 70-Hour Workweek Jokes

Former UK Prime Minister Rishi Sunak is back where his career began at Goldman Sachs. This week, Sunak rejoined the banking giant as a senior adviser, sparking a fresh wave of memes and banter online, all thanks to his father-in-law Narayana Murthy’s famous advice about working 70 hours a week.  

Sunak, who started his professional journey at Goldman Sachs in 2001, has taken on a part-time advisory role while continuing to serve as the Conservative MP for Richmond and Northallerton. This marks his first significant professional step since stepping down as prime minister in July 2024.   

Internet Can’t Resist the “70 Hours” Meme

Naturally, the internet didn’t let this opportunity slide. X users quickly flooded timelines with jokes questioning whether Sunak would clock 70 hours a week, a playful nod to Infosys founder Narayana Murthy’s remark that young people should work those many hours. Sunak is married to Murthy’s daughter, Akshata Murthy, making the meme material almost write itself.

Advising on Geopolitics, Donating the Salary

Goldman Sachs stated that Sunak would advise clients on geopolitics and the global economy. The bank’s chairman and CEO, David Solomon, said he was “excited to welcome Rishi back,” adding that Sunak would also engage with staff globally to “contribute to our culture of ongoing learning and development.”

Sunak, in turn, announced that his salary from Goldman Sachs would be donated to The Richmond Project, a charity he and Akshata Murty launched earlier this year to promote numeracy across the UK.

Sunak’s appointment, however, comes with a set of restrictions. The Advisory Committee on Business Appointments (Acoba), which monitors post-ministerial jobs, flagged the risk of Goldman Sachs gaining access to privileged information from Sunak’s time as Prime Minister.

Under these conditions, Sunak cannot advise foreign governments or sovereign wealth funds on behalf of Goldman Sachs. He is also barred from advising clients he interacted with during his premiership and from lobbying the UK government.

ALSO READ: Girl Makes Reel While Standing On Edge Of Cruising Train, Mother Notices And Decides To Teach Her A Lesson | Watch