Starmer appoints Rishi Sunak's wife as V&A trustee

Telegraph

24-03-2025

Rishi Sunak's wife has been appointed a trustee at one of Britain's leading museums by Sir Keir Starmer.
Akshata Murty was confirmed by the Prime Minister as one of six new appointments at the Victoria and Albert Museum (V&A) in London.
The Department for Culture, Media and Sport, which announced her appointment, said it was hoped she could bring her experience in both business and No 10 to the role.
A spokesman added: ' Akshata is passionate about education and the power of creativity to have positive effects on young people.
'With her husband, former prime minister Rishi Sunak, Akshata is a co-founder of The Richmond Project, a charity focused on enabling social mobility by breaking down barriers to numeracy. She is also a keen supporter of the UK's veteran community.'
The role of trustee entails scrutinising and promoting the museum's work, as well as seeking out chairmen to handle its day-to-day running.
Ms Murty, who together with her husband is worth an estimated £651 million, will oversee the work of Tristram Hunt, the current V&A chairman, who is a vocal advocate for returning contested artefacts to their countries of origin.
The Telegraph revealed in 2023 that the museum was one of several whose Indian collections were being targeted for repatriation by government officials in New Delhi.
Under Narendra Modi, the country's prime minister, India has been pursuing long-term plans to reclaim artefacts removed by British soldiers and collectors.
Ms Murty's mother, Sudha, was appointed to the Indian parliament by Mr Modi in 2024. She is married to Narayana Murthy, the billionaire chairman of technology company Infosys.
The former prime minister's wife was appointed to help fill slots vacated by V&A trustees who have completed their four-year terms.
Presenter and author among other appointees
Other new trustees include Nigel Newton, the Bloomsbury publishing chief executive, Pedro Pina, a YouTube vice-president, and Andrew Keith, the retail veteran.
Also appointed by Sir Keir are Mariella Frostrup, the broadcaster and author, and Vick Hope, the television presenter and former Strictly Come Dancing contestant.
Trustees, including Ms Murty, must apply through an official process before their selection is signed off by the serving prime minister.
The Sunaks are now thought to be splitting their time between the UK and US, after the former prime minister announced in January this year that he would be taking up a visiting fellowship role at Stanford University, as well as a position at the University of Oxford's Blavatnik School of Government.
Meanwhile, Sir Keir has also approved several new appointments at the British Museum, also in the capital.
Its new trustees include Claudia Winkleman, the presenter of the popular television programme The Traitors, along with Martha Kearney, presenter of BBC Radio 4's The World at One, and Tom Holland, the historian.