Politicians are cashing in on the tech boom
Former British Prime Minister David Cameron
David Cameron’s work for Greensill Capital, which has dragged the British government into a high-profile lobbying scandal, has showcased the growing trend of politicians taking jobs at companies tapping the global tech investment boom.
The former prime minister, who resigned in 2016, is also chairman of the advisory board at artificial intelligence company Afiniti. Darktrace, the British cybersecurity company that filed to go public this week, counts former home secretary Amber Rudd on its advisory council, alongside the ex-head of intelligence agency MI5. Nick Clegg, former deputy prime minister, has worked at Facebook since 2018.
At Afiniti, Cameron sits alongside ex CEOs, the former Pakistani Ambassador to the U.S. and retired U.S. Navy Admiral Mike Mullen on the 17-member body, which doesn’t have any fiduciary duties. The company makes technology that it says can pair customers with the call-center workers most likely to solve their problems. Beatrice York, Queen Elizabeth II’s granddaughter, is listed as Afiniti’s vice president of partnerships and strategy.
Afiniti CEO Zia Chishti said the company benefits from a “diverse array of senior business and political leaders.” “Each one has made a significant mark in their field and I have great respect for their achievements,” Chishti said, adding on Cameron: “We value his contribution enormously and he has our full support.”