After only 44 days in office by the previous British Prime Minister, Liz Truss, the next British Prime Minister has been determined to be Rishi Sunak, an Indian-born Briton whose enormous personal wealth has become the focus of attention. According to the Sunday Times' annual rich list, Sunak, 42, and his heir wife, Akshata Murthy, are among the richest people in Britain, with their combined assets of £730 million ($828 million). The British media dubbed the politician "Rishi Rich," a name from the children's film Richie Rich.
Sunak is the first A-list politician to make the rich list since its inception in the late 80s. Sunak worked at Goldman Sachs and later made his fortune as a hedge fund manager before marrying Indian heiress Akshata Murthy, who owns shares in Infosys. Infosys is a company founded by her billionaire father.
The couple's wealth is estimated to exceed that of Charles III, who inherited a $500 million estate when the queen died, although the royal family also owned a portfolio of assets including jewelry, art, palaces and $42 billion worth of land.
In April, when Sunak was chancellor, the Sunak family's finances sparked controversy. Previously, his wife, Akshata Murthy, ran her own fashion brand, and her overseas income was not taxed in the UK because she was an Indian citizen with "non-domiciled" status. But after the quarrel, Murthy agreed to pay the taxes.
Sunak's wealth may surprise some, but most politicians tend not to struggle to make ends meet when they reach the top – so how does Sunak's wealth compare to his upcoming peers on the world stage? While the Saudi royal family and some African leaders may scoff at Sunak's bank balances, how does it compare to Lin and others in those countries in the West?
United States
Joe Biden often positions himself as a "middle-class" president, but Forbes' analysis of public records shows his fortune was about $8 million as of last June. Oddly enough, the magazine thinks he should actually be richer than that, as he made more than $17 million selling books and touring after dinner after his presidency.
Even taking into account that $7 million goes to taxes and another $1.3 million for charity, plus mortgages and employee bills, he should still have some money in his bank account. The magazine suggested he may have spent a lot of money or given some money to his family.
In any case, his wealth pales in comparison to his predecessor, with former President Donald Trump becoming the first billionaire president. Forbes puts his fortune at $3.2 billion, much of it from real estate and his resorts, though Trump claims he is richer than that.
Canada
According to the Celebrity Net Worth website, Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau is worth about $10 million, most of which is family wealth. His father, Pierre, also served as prime minister, and his grandfather made a fortune through real estate and gas stations.
France
French President Emmanuel Macron is a former top investment banker with an illustrious career that earned millions of dollars before entering politics. But according to the British newspaper Daily Express, his wealth has since dwindled and is now only $540815. Behind his shrinking fortune is reportedly his salary cut after entering public office and France's high income tax.
Ukraine
According to Forbes, Vladimir Zelensky is worth between $20 million and $30 million, thanks to his stake in a successful television company that he gave up after taking office, though it is likely to be recovered again later.