He served as Governor of the Hungarian National Bank during the Communist regime from 1 July 1960 to 31 October 1961.
Sulyok became an official at the Hungarian General Savings Bank in 1923.
He joined the Soviet Red Army in 1944 and participated in "liberation" of Hungary.
He later entered politics and took part in the foundation of Szikra Press, which became the most powerful propaganda tool of the Communist rule.
He served as deputy head of the Economics Department of the Hungarian Communist Party (MKP) for a short time beginning in April 1945.