City & Guilds Executives Receive Multi-Million-pound Bonuses Following Privatisation
The City & Guilds training and awards operation was sold by its charity parent, City & Guilds London Institute (CGLI), to PeopleCert in October 2025. Despite the privatisation, the City & Guilds brand will continue to be used by the new entity.
Following the sale, executives Kirstie Donnelly, the CEO, and Abid Ismail, the Finance Director, were awarded multi-million-pound bonuses of £1.7 million and £1.2 million respectively. Donnelly's salary was increased by £100,000 to approximately £430,000, while Ismail’s salary rose by about £70,000 to around £300,000, representing roughly a 30% increase.
The sale provided CGLI with a cash windfall estimated between £180 million and £200 million to support its charitable objectives and to invest in the commercial training business.
PeopleCert identified £22 million of savings at City & Guilds, including £13 million in personnel costs. As part of a cost-cutting drive, plans are in place to relocate about one third of UK roles to Greece and to not replace some positions, resulting in an anticipated reduction in the UK workforce. However, remaining UK staff will be supplemented by domestic hires where necessary.
Official statements from the involved parties confirm that the bonuses are within existing CGLI remuneration schemes, with no payments made outside these schemes. CGLI accounts will disclose pay and remuneration, and City & Guilds Ltd accounts are expected to be reported by the end of 2026.
