City & Guilds Foundation pulls plug on Blackledge CEO hire

Trustees at the embattled City & Guilds Foundation have withdrawn Ben Blackledge’s chief executive job offer just days before his planned start next week.

Blackledge will now continue as chief executive of WorldSkills UK after its board agreed to let him withdraw his resignation. He had been due to leave today after 12 years at the organisation, which had already begun recruiting his successor through an executive recruitment agency.

The reversal comes a year after the controversial £166 million sale of the foundation’s awarding and training business to PeopleCert, which remains the subject of a Charity Commission statutory inquiry and a separate investigation commissioned by the foundation following pressure from its members.

The foundation appointed learning tech-firm boss Jessica Leigh Jones as its new chair in April. Blackledge’s appointment, announced the following month, was to give the charity its first permanent chief executive since the sale.

The foundation, formally called the City and Guilds of London Institute, said trustees have now decided not to proceed with appointing a new chief executive at this stage.

A spokesperson said: “The institute is undertaking a wider review of its future strategy, organisational structure, and operating model to ensure it is best placed to deliver its charitable mission in the years ahead. Trustees have decided it would be more appropriate to complete this work before making a permanent leadership appointment.

“Existing interim leadership arrangements remain in place, and the organisation’s day-to-day operations, services and commitments continue as normal.

“As part of the review process, trustees will consider a range of evidence and stakeholder feedback before determining the timing of a future recruitment process.

“The trustees and team have enjoyed working with Ben Blackledge during his preparation to join the Institute and thank him for his contribution during this period and wish him every success for the future.”

The foundation’s website lists Barbara le Fleming, its executive director of finance and operations and secretary of the institute, as acting chief executive.

Announcing his appointment on 12 May, Leigh Jones praised Blackledge’s “exceptional track record” and said: “Ben’s leadership will be vital as we deepen our impact.”

The role was advertised with a salary of around £130,000 and responsibility for an annual grant-making budget of £3 million to £5 million, alongside policy work and developing a long-term strategy.

FE Week has asked the foundation what changed after the appointment was announced, why Blackledge could not lead the review, and whether either investigation into the sale informed its decision.

Back to Blackledge

WorldSkills UK had already begun recruiting Blackledge’s successor through recruitment firm Starfish Search. Final interviews had been scheduled for 15 and 16 October.

Marion Plant, chair of WorldSkills UK’s trustees, said: “The WorldSkills UK board has agreed a request from Ben Blackledge to withdraw his resignation and continue as chief executive.

“Following Team UK’s success in Shanghai alongside exciting developments in our workforce development activity, and the continued opportunity to support young people into the world of work, we are delighted that Ben will continue to lead WorldSkills UK.”

Blackledge said: “I am delighted to be continuing as chief executive of WorldSkills UK.

“There is so much to look forward to as we meet for our national finals in Wales next month and begin the next international cycle for WorldSkills Aichi 2028.”

Blackledge has led WorldSkills UK as chief executive since May 2023, having previously worked as its deputy chief executive. He stayed on to lead the organisation through Team UK’s participation at WorldSkills Shanghai last month.

Investigations continue

City & Guilds Foundation trustees agreed to sell the City & Guilds awarding and training business to PeopleCert in October 2025.

Reports of million-pound bonuses paid to senior executives involved in the transaction prompted scrutiny from the regulator.

The Charity Commission opened its statutory inquiry in January and is yet to report. It is examining information the charity supplied about the sale and trustees’ decision-making, including the information they considered before agreeing the transaction and a coexistence agreement with the new company.

The regulator had sought assurances before the sale, although the deal did not require its approval.

City & Guilds Foundation members voted for an independent inquiry at their annual meeting in April. Following a campaign, the charity agreed in June to commission a King’s Counsel-led investigation into the reasons for the sale and its governance processes.

That inquiry has begun but is also yet to report. The foundation previously said its findings would be shared with its advisory council this autumn and published.

Meanwhile, PeopleCert has claimed it is seeking to recover almost £3 million in bonuses paid to former City & Guilds chief executive Kirstie Donnelly and finance chief Abid Ismail after an internal investigation concluded the payments were “unauthorised”.

Donnelly and Ismail “categorically rejected” the allegations and previously said they would present evidence to the courts that “overwhelmingly demonstrates” all bonus payments were “approved, documented and implemented” as part of the transaction process.