DBT's business appointment rules advice, July to September 2025
Published 16 December 2025
The Department for Business and Trade (DBT) issued a decision on one application submitted under the business appointment rules for the period of July to September 2025.
| Full name of applicant | David Watson |
|---|---|
| Title of former Civil Service role | Deputy Director, Communications and Marketing |
| Date left Civil Service | 4 July 2025 |
| New employer | Immediately after leaving DBT, David worked for ‘London and Partners’ for a short period before establishing his own consultancy. |
| New appointment/employment (including when taken up) | London and Partners: 28 July 2025 to 31 October 2025 Consultancy company: 3 November 2025 to present |
| Department’s decision on application (including details of any waiting period or other conditions or restrictions applied) | David must follow these conditions for a period of 2 years from the last day of paid service: – they should not become personally involved in lobbying the UK government directly for the benefit of themselves, their employer, or their client – should they contact any government official, they should identify themselves as a former civil servant – they should not draw on privileged information available to them from their time in Crown service – they should recuse themselves from government procurement exercises |