City & Guilds sells commercial operations to focus on social impact
City & Guilds of London Institute to sell its awarding and training businesses to PeopleCert, refocusing its mission on charitable impact through The City & Guilds Foundation.
The City & Guilds of London Institute (CGLI), one of the UK’s oldest and best-known vocational education charities, has announced plans to sell its awarding and skills training businesses to PeopleCert, the global certification provider. The move will enable City & Guilds to focus its future efforts on social investment and charitable impact through its foundation arm.
The transaction will transfer CGLI’s commercial operations, including City & Guilds Training, Gen2, Intertrain, ILM and The Oxford Group, to PeopleCert. The sale is designed to strengthen the charity’s long-term financial sustainability while providing the commercial businesses with the investment and global infrastructure needed for growth.
Under the agreement, PeopleCert will also acquire City & Guilds’ London headquarters at Giltspur House, its training and assessment facilities in Cumbria, and minority shareholdings in early-stage companies. The deal adds around £160 million in annual revenue to PeopleCert’s portfolio, positioning the combined group with total revenues of approximately £300 million. The acquisition will be financed through a mix of €150 million in funding and existing cash reserves, and is expected to complete by the end of October 2025.
Following completion, CGLI will operate under its philanthropic brand, The City & Guilds Foundation, with a remit to address emerging social and skills challenges. The foundation will continue to confer City & Guilds Fellowships and run the Princess Royal Training Awards, maintaining its role in recognising excellence in learning and development.
Dame Ann Limb, Chair of CGLI, described the move as a new era for the organisation: ‘Almost 150 years ago, the City & Guilds of London Institute broke the mould by serving the skills and employment needs of the Second Industrial Revolution. In the age of the Fourth Industrial Revolution, this transaction secures CGLI’s long-term future while enabling significant investment in the commercial awarding and skills businesses.’
She added that the Trustees had chosen a partner with shared educational values: ‘In PeopleCert, the Trustees have secured an organisation with similar educational values, strong regulatory experience and a proven track record in assessment and technology.’
Byron Nicolaides, CEO and Founder of PeopleCert, said the acquisition would unlock new opportunities for growth and innovation: ‘By investing in City & Guilds’ products, platforms and people, we’ll deliver even greater impact. We look forward to shaping the future together with The City & Guilds Foundation.’
Kirstie Donnelly MBE, CEO of City & Guilds, described the agreement as a defining moment: ‘It enshrines a legacy for the charity with the funding needed to reach more people than ever before. For the commercial businesses, it brings the freedom to compete, the investment to innovate, and the market access to scale in the UK and internationally.’
Once the deal is completed, PeopleCert will assume ownership of City & Guilds’ awarding, assessment and training operations, while continuing to trade under the City & Guilds brand.
Through this restructuring, the City & Guilds of London Institute aims to cement its position as a leading social investor, using its resources and influence to promote long-term systemic change in skills and employment.