UK Adviser's Secret Tech Meetings Exposed
A UK government adviser held 16 undisclosed meetings with U.S. tech executives, discussing policy and investment, raising transparency concerns.
Lauren Collins ·
UK Adviser Held Undisclosed Tech Meetings A senior UK government adviser, Varun Chandra, conducted 16 undisclosed meetings with executives from six major U.S. technology companies between October 2024 and October 2025.
These meetings, revealed through Freedom of Information requests, involved discussions on regulatory changes, artificial intelligence (AI) policy, and the potential impact of a second Donald Trump administration. Chandra, who serves as the Prime Minister's chief business adviser and U.S.
trade envoy, engaged with representatives from Google, Microsoft, Amazon, Oracle, Apple, and Meta.
The engagements occurred as the UK government developed policies aimed at attracting investment from Silicon Valley, including multimillion-pound energy subsidies and preferential planning approvals for data centers in designated AI growth zones. During these discussions, Chandra reportedly offered to facilitate direct meetings between tech executives and the Prime Minister.
One instance involved an offer to help an Oracle executive meet the Prime Minister, and preparations were made for the Prime Minister to meet Amazon's CEO.
These meetings also coincided with significant policy shifts, including a government directive to business watchdogs to reduce anti-growth regulations, which led to the removal of the Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) chair. While Downing Street stated that meeting businesses is a core part of the adviser's role and has contributed to securing a UK-U.S.
trade deal and inward investment, the lack of public disclosure for these interactions has raised concerns regarding transparency and potential lobbying influence.