Tech firm part-owned by Rishi Sunak’s millionaire wife will close its Russian office – after facing pressure to end operations in the country amid its invasion of Ukraine
- Infosys is to close its Russian office after facing pressure to end operations
- Rishi Sunak’s wife has £490m stake in the company owned by her father
- Mr Sunak had described criticism towards her as ‘upsetting’ this week
- But Sir Keir Starmer insisted it was right to ask questions about her financial affairs
The tech firm part-owned by Rishi Sunak’s millionaire wife is to close its Russian office.
Infosys is closing its Moscow office after facing pressure to end operations in the country amid Russia’s invasion of Ukraine.
The company, in which Rishi Sunak’s wife Akshata Murthy owns shares worth more than £400m, is trying to find replacement roles abroad for staff employed in Moscow.
The company, in which Rishi Sunak’s wife Akshata Murthy owns shares worth more than £400m, is trying to find replacement roles for staff employed in Moscow. Pictured: Mr Sunak with his wife
Tech giant Infoysys is one of India’s largest companies and has a presence in about 50 countries.
It set up an engineering centre in Moscow in 2016 where it is thought that up to 100 people were employed.
Despite many global IT firms suspending operations in Russia after the invasion of Ukraine, Infosys had kept what it has described as a ‘small team’ there until now, according to the BBC.
But in a recent statement, the company had said: ‘We do not have any active business relationships with local Russian enterprises.’
The company, which has offices in London, Edinburgh and Nottinghamshire, announced last year that it was hiring 1,000 extra staff in the UK.
Mr Sunak and his wife Ms Murthy had faced questions over her shares in the firm, founded by her father NR Narayana Murthy (pictured with Vladimir Putin in 2004)
Mr Sunak and his wife Ms Murthy had faced questions over her shares in the firm, founded by her father NR Narayana Murthy.
Labour and the Liberal Democrats had both called for Mr Sunak to answer questions over the issue.
In the Commons on Thursday, a Labour shadow minister was forced to withdraw a claim that Mr Sunak was ‘hypocritical’ because of his family’s shares in the company.
But Labour leader Sir Keir Starmer, who told Sky News that despite the ‘general argument’ that families should not be dragged into politics, it is in the public interest to know whether Mr Sunak’s wife was benefiting from Russia-related interests.
He said: ‘So far as the Chancellor’s wife is concerned, there’s just a fundamental principle, is their household benefiting from money made in Russia when the Government has put in place sanctions?’
Questions have come from figures including Labour leader Sir Keir Starmer, who told Sky News that despite the ‘general argument’ that families should not be dragged into politics, it is in the public interest to know whether Mr Sunak’s wife was benefiting from Russia-related interests
But last night Mr Sunak launched a defence of Akshata Murthy, likening himself to the actor Will Smith, who slapped Chris Rock for insulting his wife at the Oscars.
He said that his wife was not ‘fair game’ and said the criticism of his wife had been ‘very upsetting’ following questions about her 0.91 per cent stake in Infosys.
Sir Keir has however insisted that it was right to ask questions about her financial affairs. The Ministerial Code states that ministers must declare all financial interests that could lead to a conflict, including ‘the Minister’s spouse or partner and close family’.
In an interview with BBC Newscast, Mr Sunak suggested his experience was similar to Will Smith – who dramatically slapped comedian Chris Rock at the Oscars for joking about his alopecia-suffering wife’s bald head.
He joked: ‘Someone said, ‘Joe Root, Will Smith, and me – not the best of weekends for any of us’.
But last night Mr Sunak launched a defence of Akshata Murthy, likening himself to the actor Will Smith, who slapped Chris Rock for insulting his wife at the Oscars. He said that his wife was not ‘fair game’ and said the criticism of his wife had been ‘very upsetting’ following questions about her 0.91 per cent stake in Infosys
‘But I feel, on reflection, both Will Smith and me having our wives attacked – at least I didn’t get up and slap anybody, which is good.’
Mr Sunak added: ‘You know, I think it’s totally fine for people to take shots at me. It’s fair game. I’m the one sitting here and that’s what I signed up for.
‘Actually, it’s very upsetting and, I think, wrong for people to try and come at my wife, and you know, beyond that actually, with regard to my father-in-law, for whom I have nothing but enormous pride and admiration for everything that he’s achieved, and no amount of attempted smearing is going to make me change that because he’s wonderful and has achieved a huge amount, as I said, I’m enormously proud of him.’
In an interview with BBC Newscast, Mr Sunak suggested his experience was similar to Will Smith – who dramatically slapped comedian Chris Rock at the Oscars for joking about his alopecia-suffering wife’s bald head. Pictured: Will Smith slaps Chris Rock at the Oscars
Previously, Mr Sunak had refused to answer questions about his wife’s involvement in the company.
Asked on Sky News whether his family was going against advice given to companies over connections with Russia, he said: ‘I’m an elected politician, and I’m here to talk to you about what I’m responsible for. My wife is not.’
He said he had ‘nothing to do with that company’.
Ms Murthy runs fashion label Akshata Designs and is also a director of a venture capital firm founded by her father in 2010.
The couple have two daughters and live in a magnificent Georgian manor house in the small village of Kirby Sigston, just outside Northallerton in North Yorkshire. Mr Sunak is a multi-millionaire in his own right thanks to his investment career.
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