Transparency data

Business Appointment Application: Lieutenant General Sir Charles Stickland KCB OBE RM, former Chief of Joint Operations, Ministry of Defence. Paid appointment with Databricks Ltd.

Published 24 March 2026

Lieutenant General Sir Charles Stickland KCB OBE RM approached the department under the government’s Business Appointments Rules for former Crown Servants (the Rules) seeking advice on taking up an appointment with Databricks Ltd.

The purpose of the Rules is to protect the integrity of the government. The department has considered the risks associated with the actions and decisions made during Sir Charles’s time in office, alongside the information and influence he may offer Databricks Ltd. The material information taken into consideration by the department is set out below.

The department’s advice is not an endorsement of the appointment – it imposes a number of conditions to mitigate the potential risks to the government associated with the appointment under the Rules.

Former Crown servants are expected to uphold the highest standards of propriety and act in accordance with the seven Principles of Public Life and it is their personal responsibility to manage the propriety of any appointment.

The department’s consideration of the risks presented

Sir Charles has confirmed that in his most recent role he had no official involvement with Databricks Ltd, and as Databricks Ltd have no direct contracts with MOD, the MOD assessed that the risk of perception of reward is low.

Although Databricks Ltd currently has no contractual relationship with Defence, there remains a risk that Sir Charles may have, or be perceived to have, access to privileged information on defence matters.

There is a risk that the influence and contacts within government that Sir Charles will have as a result of his seniority might be seen as providing an unfair advantage to the company. He confirmed his role is not expected to have any contact with the UK government or the MOD.

The department’s advice

Though Sir Charles is unlikely to have any contact or dealings with the former department or government in general, suitable restrictions need to be put in place to mitigate the risk of perception that Databricks Ltd could gain undue advantage through use of his contacts as well as to mitigate the risk that the appointment would give them undue influence with the MOD or UK Government over competitors.

In setting these conditions the department has taken account of previous ACOBA advice on senior defence leavers taking up roles with investment firms.

The conditions below make it clear Sir Charles must not make use of his access to privileged information, contacts or influence gained from his time in Crown service to provide advice to Databricks Ltd, including in relation to bids and contracts with the UK MOD, or to seek to influence the UK MOD, NATO, or other governments on Databricks Ltd’s behalf.

The department advises, under the Government’s Business Appointment Rules, that Sir Charles’s role with Databricks Ltd should be subject to the following conditions.

For two years from his last day in Crown Service:

• He should not draw on (disclose or use for the benefit of himself or his prospective client or employer or their subsidiaries, partners or clients) any information available to him from his time in Crown Service which could reasonably be perceived to give them an unfair advantage over any competitors they may have.

• He should not make use, directly or indirectly, of his Government and/or Crown Service contacts, or contacts developed during Crown Service in other Governments or organisations, to influence policy or secure funding or business from the UK government or other governments or governmental organisations on behalf of himself or his prospective client or employer or their subsidiaries partners or clients. This does not preclude routine contact on matters aligned with Government policy.

• He should not provide advice to any company or organisation on the terms of, or with regards to the subject matter of, a bid or contract relating directly to the work of the MOD or its agencies.

• He should not become personally involved in lobbying contacts he has developed during his time in office in external organisations (including other governments) for the purpose of securing business for Databricks Ltd.

• He should not advise Databricks Ltd on the UK defence sector.

For 12 months from his last day in Crown Service:

• He should not be involved in any selling or business development for Databricks Ltd.

The advice and the conditions under the government’s Business Appointment Rules relate to Sir Charles’s previous role in government only; they are separate from rules administered by other bodies such as the Office of the Registrar of Consultant Lobbyists. It is an applicant’s personal responsibility to understand any other rules and regulations they may be subject to in parallel with the department’s advice.

By ‘privileged information’ we mean official information to which a Crown servant has had access as a consequence of his or her office or employment and which has not been made publicly available. Applicants are also reminded that they may be subject to other duties of confidentiality, e.g., under the Official Secrets Act.

The Business Appointment Rules explain that the restriction on lobbying means that the former Crown servant ‘should not engage in communication with Government (Ministers, civil servants, including special advisers, and other relevant officials/public office holders) – wherever it takes place – with a view to influencing a Government decision, policy or contract award/grant in relation to their own interests or the interests of the organisation by which they are employed, or to whom they are contracted or with which they hold office’.

Annex A – Material Information

The role

The MOD has no direct contracts with Databricks Ltd and open source analysis has shown no evidence of Databricks Ltd shareholding in companies in UK MOD supply chains.

Sir Charles has stated “My potential role in Databricks is to help this start up scale. I’ll offer advice on leadership and organisational structures, help them with strategy, their business campaign and the development of delivery plans. There are two short term focus areas a critical national infrastructure project in Qatar and helping the Ukrainians”

Sir Charles has confirmed the role is not expected to involve any contact with or lobbying the UK government.

Dealings in office

The department has no contractual relationship with Databricks Ltd.

Sir Charles has confirmed that he did not have any official contact with them while in office and that he did not have involvement in any decisions, policy, or regulation that affected Databricks Ltd.