April 2026 to June 2026 business appointment rules
Updated 1 October 2026
Applies to England
© Crown copyright 2026
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This publication is available at https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/dfe-business-appointment-rules-advice/april-2026-to-june-2026-business-appointment-rules
April to June 2026
This page provides information about outside appointments or employment taken up by former members of the Department for Education.
It covers former staff at senior civil service levels SCS1 and SCS2 and equivalents that fall within the scope of the business appointment rules. It also covers special advisers of equivalent level.
Full name of applicant: Warwick Sharp
Title of former Civil Service role: Director – Strategy and Delivery Directorate
Date left or retired from the Civil Service: 10 May 2026
New employer: GLF Schools
New appointment or employment (including when taken up): CEO, 11 May 2026
Department’s decision on application (including details of any waiting period or other conditions or restrictions applied):
Approved with the following conditions:
- Warwick should not draw on, disclose or use for the benefit of himself or the organisation, any privileged information available to him from his time in Crown service unless it is determined and made available publicly
- Warwick should recuse himself from any specific casework relating to the new employer, should any arise between now and the exit date
- for 2 years from the last day in Crown service, Warwick should not become personally involved in lobbying the UK government or any of its arm’s length bodies on behalf of the new employer, nor should he make use, directly or indirectly, of contacts in the government outside of openly available channels to unfairly advantage the organisation
Full name of applicant: Carolan Goggin
Title of former Civil Service role: Transformation Director
Date left or retired from the Civil Service: 14 June 2026
New employer: Star Academies
New appointment or employment (including when taken up): Chief Operating Officer, June 2026
Department’s decision on application (including details of any waiting period or other conditions or restrictions applied):
Approved with the following conditions:
- Carolan must not draw on, disclose or use for the benefit of the new organisation, any privileged information available to her from her time in Crown service unless it is determined and made available publicly
- for 2 years from the last day in Crown service, Carolan should not become personally involved in lobbying the UK government or any of its arm’s length bodies on behalf of the new employer, nor should she make use, directly or indirectly, of contacts in the government outside of openly available channels to unfairly advantage the organisation
- for 6 months from the last day in crown service, Carolan should not provide advice to the new employer or clients with regard to a bid or contract relating to the work of the department or its arm’s length bodies
Full name of applicant: Ian Coates
Title of former Civil Service role: Regions Group National Director
Date left or retired from the Civil Service: 6 April 2026
New employer: GK Strategy
New appointment or employment (including when taken up): Senior Advisor, 1 May 2026
Department’s decision on application (including details of any waiting period or other conditions or restrictions applied):
Approved with the following conditions:
- Ian must not draw on, disclose or use for the benefit of the new organisation, any privileged information available to him from his time in Crown service unless it is determined and made available publicly
- for 2 years from the last day in Crown service, Ian should not become personally involved in lobbying the UK government or any of its arm’s length bodies on behalf of the new employer, nor should he make use, directly or indirectly, of contacts in the government outside of openly available channels to unfairly advantage the organisation
- for 6 months from the last day in crown service, Ian should not provide advice to the new employer with regard to contracts relating to the work of the department or its arm’s length bodies