City & Guilds Foundation has appointed its first permanent chief executive since the £166m sale of the charity’s commercial arm last year.
Ben Blackledge is currently CEO of apprenticeship and technical education charity WorldSkills UK, where he has spent 12 years overall, and will join the foundation in mid-October.
He will take over from interim City & Guilds Foundation leader Mike Adamson, who joined as the sale to PeopleCert last year was announced, which saw around 1,400 staff transfer from the charity.
Ahead of his appointment, Blackledge said: “I am delighted to be joining the City & Guilds Foundation at such an important and exciting moment.
“The foundation’s role has never been more vital.”
A charity spokesperson said Blackledge would lead on its new strategy following initial work being undertaken by Adamson.
“The strategy will build on our purpose so far which is rooted in access to skills,” they told Civil Society.
“We already do this through grantmaking, awards and recognition programmes and advocacy.”
Blackledge’s appointment follows that of Jessica Leigh Jones as chair.
“At a pivotal moment for the UK, Ben’s leadership will be vital as we deepen our impact, building clearer pathways to opportunity and helping ensure that talent, wherever it’s found, can flourish,” she said.
Inquiry into sale concerns ongoing
The sale of the charity’s commercial wing to PeopleCert last year has drawn concerns and led to the Charity Commission opening a statutory inquiry in January.
It is investigating public reports relating to the sale and bonuses awarded to the charity’s former executives, who transferred to PeopleCert.
PeopleCert has run its own investigation and stood down Kirstie Donnelly and Abid Ismail, who were chief executive and chief finance officer of the charity respectively before being transferred, as a result.
The pair plan legal action against PeopleCert over their exits, FE Week reported last month.
Meanwhile, Save City & Guilds Action Group has called for the charity to commission another investigation after it expressed frustration with the speed of the commission’s inquiry.
In mid-April, 67 members of more than 100 in-person and online attendees voted in favour of the action group’s investigation proposal, but the charity has yet to announce one.
A charity spokesperson said: “The trustees remain committed to working constructively with members to find a clear and proportionate way forward in the best interests of the charity.
“We are reviewing options to shape this approach, ensuring we address members’ concerns while avoiding unnecessary duplication with the Charity Commission’s investigation.”
