Decision

Summary of business appointments applications - Sir Peter Ricketts

Updated 5 August 2016

Sir Peter left his role as Ambassador to France and Monaco in January 2016.

1. Strategic Adviser, Lockheed Martin

Sir Peter Ricketts sought advice on accepting an appointment as a Strategic Adviser to Lockheed Martin UK (LM UK).

The Committee noted that this role would involve: providing advice to the Chairman and Executive Team of LM UK, through attendance at board meetings and on an informal basis; providing challenge to the executive team; and helping shape the future strategy of the business.

When considering this application the Committee noted that Sir Peter did not have any contractual dealings with LM UK, or its competitors, and was not responsible for anyone who did during his last two years of service. They also took into account the views of the Foreign Office, Cabinet Office and Ministry of Defence, who had no concerns with him taking up this role.

However, the Committee noted that Sir Peter had been National Security Adviser from 2010 to 2012, and during that time had been involved in advising on UK policy in areas of interest to LM UK. The Committee therefore concluded that a waiting period between leaving Crown service and taking up the appointment with LM UK would be appropriate.

The Foreign Secretary accepted the Committee’s advice that there was no reason why Sir Peter should not take up this appointment subject to the following conditions:

• A waiting period of six months from his last day of Crown service;
• He should not draw on (disclose or use for the benefit of himself or the organisation to which this advice refers) any privileged information available to him from his time in Crown service;
• For two years from his last day in service, he should not become personally involved in lobbying the UK Government on behalf of Lockheed Martin UK, its parent company, subsidiaries or clients; and
• For six months from his last day in post he should not return to France or Monaco for business purposes, give advice on matters relating to France and Monaco or have dealings with companies there.

The letter containing the final advice was sent in February 2016 and the appointment was taken up in August 2016.

2. Non Executive Director, Engie

Sir Peter Ricketts sought advice on accepting a role as a Non Executive Director of Engie, a global energy producer with its headquarters in France.

The Committee noted that Sir Peter would be one of the eight independent members on Engie’s board. They took into account that he had met with representatives of Engie, as well as other energy companies, while Ambassador in France. However, they noted that these meetings were as part of the process of keeping in contact with the heads of all major French investors in the UK, and were reported to other UK Government Departments, to inform their decision making. The Committee also took into account that the Foreign Office had no concerns about Sir Peter taking up this post.

The Committee noted that both the automatic three month waiting period for Permanent Secretary equivalents and the six month ban on taking up business interests relating to an Ambassador’s country of last posting will have elapsed before Sir Peter’s proposed start date of 1 August.

The Foreign Secretary accepted the Committee’s advice that there is no reason why Sir Peter should not take up this role, subject to the following conditions:

• He should not draw on (disclose or use for the benefit of himself or the organisation to which this advice refers) any privileged information available to him from his time in Crown service; and
• For two years from his last day in service, he should not become personally involved in lobbying the UK Government on behalf of Engie, its subsidiaries or clients.

The letter containing the final advice was sent in April 2016 and the appointment was announced in May 2016 (to be taken up in August).