Rishi Sunak and Akshata Murty Announced as Claremont McKenna Commencement Speakers

Rishi Sunak and Akshata Murty walk to G20 dinner. (Photo Credit: Simon Walker)

Former United Kingdom Prime Minister Rishi Sunak and Akshata Murty (CMC '02) will deliver the commencement address at Claremont McKenna College’s graduation ceremony on May 16. The announcement came in an email from President Hiram Chodosh Thursday morning.

Sunak served as the Prime Minister of the United Kingdom and leader of the Conservative Party from 2022 to 2024. During his tenure, he worked to stabilize the economy after the UK’s 2022 financial crisis and negotiated the Windsor Framework, a post-Brexit agreement with the European Union on trade rules for Northern Ireland. Prior to his Premiership, Sunak figured prominently in the UK government's financial response to the COVID-19 pandemic. Before entering politics, he worked in finance at Goldman Sachs and two hedge funds.

Murty graduated from Claremont McKenna in 2002 with a BA in Economics and French. She currently serves on the Board of Trustees and previously as an adviser to the Berger Institute for Individual and Social Development. She is a fashion designer, businesswoman, and venture capitalist.

The couple has supported Claremont McKenna over the years, including through the founding of the Murty-Sunak Quantitative and Computing Lab and endowment of a philosophy professorship, which doubled the size of the Philosophy, Politics, and Economics program. They also recently established The Richmond Project, a charity aimed at breaking down barriers to numeracy. 

“We are moved by their selfless leadership, generous support, and close friendship to so many throughout the CMC community. It is an honor that they will be joining us for this special Commencement celebration,” President Chodosh wrote in an email to students. 

The announcement comes nearly one year after Salman Rushdie stepped down from his role as graduation speaker in 2025 after outcry from Claremont Colleges Muslim Student Association.

Sunak is one of the only conservative commencement speakers in CMC’s recent history. Past speakers have included feminist Cheryl Strayed in 2024, political scientist Robert Putnam in 2023, and violinist Vijay Gupta in 2021.

California Supreme Court Associate Justice Goodwin Liu, humanitarian worker Jane Olson, and Harvard Professor Daniel Ziblatt (PO ‘95), author of How Democracies Die, will speak at Pomona’s commencement. Sources tell the Independent that Marxist feminist scholar Angela Davis may speak at Pitzer College.