Listen to this story Members can listen to an AI-generated audio version of this article. 1.0x Audio narration uses an AI-generated voice. 0:00 0:00 Become a member to listen to this article Subscribe Top City & Guilds executives Kirstie Donnelly and Abid Ismail are preparing legal action after being officially exited from their roles by the awarding body’s new owners, FE Week can reveal. City & Guilds staff were informed this evening that chief executive Kirstie Donnelly and chief financial officer Abid Ismail, who were placed on leave in January amid an internal investigation, have been exited from the organisation. In a statement to FE Week, legal representatives for Donnelly and Ismail confirmed their departure from the organisation and said “full litigation” would be taken against the move. City & Guilds staff were informed by email this evening that Donnelly and Ismail “have left the business” after a “rigorous internal process” supported by external advice. The email said the decision reflected the board’s commitment to “the highest standards of governance and integrity” and confirmed “their departure was not subject to any financial settlement.” It also stated that the matter is subject to “ongoing legal proceedings” and no further details will be shared. The pair were placed on leave in January when an internal investigation, led by PeopleCert’s legal representatives and non-executive board members, was launched to examine information “to fully understand events before and after” it bought the City & Guilds awarding business from the charity City & Guilds of London Institute in October. Staff were told Andy Moss will continue as interim CEO, supported by Konstantinos Andrikopoulos as acting chief financial officer. The investigation was launched shortly after City & Guilds’ sale to PeopleCert, which saw the awarding body move into private ownership for the first time in its 150 year history. Staff were told this evening to respect confidentiality and avoid speculation. The sale is also subject to a statutory Charity Commission inquiry, which is yet to report. In a statement this evening, representatives acting for Donnelly and Ismail said: “We can confirm that our clients have both left the business. However, as we will shortly be commencing full litigation against CGL [City & Guilds Limited], on their behalf in respect of this matter, neither we nor they will be making any further comment at this time.”
Noel Johnson 7 April 2026 How the mighty have fallen……… It is sad to see City and Guilds both sold on and caught up in this tasteless tussle. I’m not convinced that it can regain any credibility in the sector, but it should definitely try!
Donald smith 10 April 2026 I wouldn’t be surprised that all of this will lead to a massive warranty claim from the buyer based on the actions of the executive and chair £ms recouped from a sale already at an under value