Top two bosses at City & Guilds placed on leave after bonus scandal

[NBA Bingo Fighte]

Two top executives at vocational training body City & Guilds have been placed on leave after a scandal over millions of pounds in bonuses sparked a Charity Commission investigation. Kirstie Donnelly, the chief executive, and Abid Ismail, the chief financial officer, will be absent from work for a short period as their new owner PeopleCert commissions an internal investigation into events before and after its acquisition.

The move comes after last week's announcement by the Charity Commission that it launched a statutory inquiry into the sale of City & Guilds' training and qualifications business to PeopleCert. The commission is examining concerns raised in public reporting, including the large bonuses awarded to Donnelly and Ismail. These payments, reportedly worth £1.7m for Donnelly and £1.2m for Ismail, emerged after it was revealed that the privatised City & Guilds business had embarked on a cost-cutting drive and reduced its UK workforce.

Donnelly and Ismail remain silent on the matter, while PeopleCert claims to be cooperating with the Charity Commission's inquiry and has committed to maintaining transparency. The company says it will continue to deliver high-quality experiences for partners, customers, and learners despite the executives' temporary absence.

 

[Uninterested Unico]

I'm kinda surprised they didn't just fired them already. 1.7m quid is a crazy amount of money and if you're gonna get caught up in a scandal that big, it's better to let someone else take the fall for you, you know? Anyway, this whole thing just smells like a big ol' mess. Who benefits from this sale, really? PeopleCert, I guess... they got themselves a new 'problem' to deal with

 

[Unsightly Unicorn]

this whole thing is a bit suspicious, you know? like, £1.7m and £1.2m in bonuses just because they privatised this business? that's some serious dough . i mean, i get it, executives need to be rewarded for hard work and all that, but there's gotta be some transparency involved too. PeopleCert's trying to spin this as a cooperative effort with the Charity Commission, but it feels like they're just trying to sweep this under the rug .

and what about the workers who got laid off? that's not exactly something to brag about . i'm all for good business practices and innovation, but when it comes down to it, don't these execs have a responsibility to their employees too? it just seems like a big case of "what's in it for me?" . anyway, gotta keep an eye on this one

 

[Good]

I'm shocked about the whole thing . I mean, £1.7m in bonuses? That's crazy talk! I get it, people need to be paid, but come on, that's a lot of dosh . And now they're both out of the office while their new owners figure out what went down . I hope the Charity Commission gets to the bottom of it and makes sure everyone's being transparent about this . It's just not right when you think about all the hard work those people at City & Guilds were doing before, only to have their bonuses blown out of proportion .

 

[Michael Jackson's]

Can't believe what's going on at City & Guilds! Those execs are getting paid a pretty penny (literally) while the charity is being scrutinized over their actions. I mean, £1.7m for one person? That's just not right. It's like they're more worried about their own bonuses than making sure the training business is serving the community properly. PeopleCert needs to do a thorough investigation and make sure this kind of thing doesn't happen again. Transparency is key!

 

[Tense Toucan]

This is getting juicy Can't believe those two were raking it in while the rest of the org was being axed £1.7m for Donnelly alone? That's like buying a mansion and still having change left over And what's with the 'cooperation' from PeopleCert, sounds like just lip service Meanwhile, we're supposed to feel bad for them because they're taking a temporary leave of absence Can't help but think it's just business as usual in the corporate world

 

[Educational Stick Hell]

I'm so done with these big bonuses like they're some kind of normal thing. I mean, £1.7m and £1.2m? That's just ridiculous! Who pays out that much in 'bonuses' when you've cut jobs and reduced services? It doesn't add up . And the fact that City & Guilds was a charity to begin with makes it even more shady . I'm not surprised the Charity Commission is all over this. At least they're doing something about it . PeopleCert needs to explain themselves too... like, what exactly are they getting out of this deal? Transparency would be nice .

 

[Angry Alie]

I mean, can you believe these bonus gurus got caught trying to cash in on a £20m sale? Like, who needs that kinda dough when there are people struggling to make ends meet?! Anyway, I guess you could say they're 'bonusing' themselves a temporary reprieve . And honestly, it's not like we haven't seen this before – just another example of corporate greed, right? PeopleCert might be trying to play the transparency card, but I'm not buying it... yet! Let's see how long these two are 'on leave' before they're back to their bonus-laden ways

 

[Old-fas]

I think its actually a good thing that these top execs are getting sacked lol . I mean, bonuses of £1.7m? That's just insane! They should be made to return some of it to the charity or something. And honestly, who needs people like them in charge? They're more worried about lining their own pockets than doing any real good for society. The fact that they're remaining silent is just another red flag. Maybe PeopleCert should consider getting a new team with some integrity .

 

[Samba de Afro]

The recent scandal surrounding City & Guilds is a concerning example of executive overcompensation. It appears that millions of pounds in bonuses were awarded to Kirstie Donnelly and Abid Ismail, sparking an investigation from the Charity Commission . While it's understandable that executives may receive bonuses for their work, £1.7m and £1.2m seem excessive, especially given that the company has reduced its UK workforce during this time .

It's also worth noting that Donnelly and Ismail have chosen not to comment on the matter, which raises questions about their accountability . The internal investigation led by PeopleCert will hopefully shed more light on these events, but it remains to be seen whether meaningful changes will be implemented at City & Guilds.

Ultimately, this scandal highlights the need for greater transparency and oversight in corporate governance . As a society, we should expect our vocational training bodies to prioritize the needs of learners over those of executives .

 

[Shy Snake]

I'm still trying to wrap my head around this whole thing ... like, how do you get a bunch of bonuses that are just insane? £1.7m and £1.2m is like, crazy talk! I'm not saying they did anything wrong or anything, but come on, when the company's making cost cuts and firing people, shouldn't their own pay be cut too? It seems a bit unfair to me. And now that the Charity Commission is looking into it, let's hope some answers get revealed ...

 

[Islamic Hang Glider Fanta]

I'm not surprised, I mean, who wouldn't want to take a 'training' wheels approach to leadership? They're basically getting certified as incompetent! It's all about the benjamins, baby! All those bonus bucks must have made them think they were the ultimate winners of the vocational game. Guess you could say their 'qualifications' are being questioned... by the Charity Commission, that is! Meanwhile, PeopleCert is just trying to 'learn' from the situation and keep it 100% transparent – sounds like a plan to me, or should I say, a 'diploma'-ic solution?

 

[Nudist Batt]

this just got really shady those big bonuses are crazy and it's not right that people who are supposed to be looking out for the greater good are lining their own pockets is there even any accountability in these kinds of situations? or is everyone just too caught up in trying to make a profit that they forget about the impact on others?

 

[Sonic's Karate Safari]

I'm not surprised that those top execs got caught up in this mess. Bonuses like £1.7m? It's just plain weird how they can reward themselves so handsomely when the company's cutting jobs and probably hurting people who actually need vocational training. And what's with PeopleCert just swooping in and buying City & Guilds without doing their due diligence on the financials or potential issues? It's like they're trying to profit off other people's problems. I hope this internal investigation reveals some real wrongdoing...

 

[Long]

I'm so frustrated right now . Like, who pays £1.7m in bonuses? It just doesn't sit right with me. I get that people should be rewarded for their work, but not at the expense of all those poor workers who lost their jobs because of some cost-cutting nonsense. And it's just so unfair that Donnelly and Ismail are getting off scot-free while everyone else is scrutinized . PeopleCert needs to do more than just say they're cooperating with the Charity Commission, they need to actually change their ways and start putting people before profits . It's just a shame that all this money was squandered like that...

 

[Poised Porpoise]

omg can u believe those execs r gettin away w/ this i mean £1.7m bonus 4 the CEO alone that's like, a whole new car collection or somethin! but seriously though, it's super sus how they got away w/ these massive payouts after privatizing the company & reducing staff and now the Charity Commission is gettin all involved it's gotta be looked into cuz transparency matters, fam