KKR to Acquire Majority Position in ERM

Long-term Investment Focused on Growing the World’s Largest Pure-play Sustainability Consultancy

LONDON--(BUSINESS WIRE)--KKR, a leading global investment firm, today announced that it has signed an agreement to acquire a majority position in ERM, the world’s largest pure-play sustainability consultancy. KKR will acquire its position in the company from OMERS Private Equity and Alberta Investment Management Corporation (AIMCo), with ERM’s management team and Partners remaining as minority investors. Financial terms of the transaction were not disclosed.

Over the last 50 years, ERM has built deep and broad technical expertise in environmental health, safety, risk and social matters with a first-class team of more than 5,500 purpose-driven consultants, including 580 partners, across 150 offices in over 40 countries. The Company supports its clients in every part of their organizations, from boots to boardroom, with a focus on operationalizing sustainability and implementing environmental, social and governance (ESG) best practices. ERM helps its clients shape their ESG strategies, as well as identify and address their key sustainability issues. Additionally, ERM partners with the world’s leading organizations to advance thought leadership in sustainability through its SustainAbility Institute.

Keryn James, ERM Chief Executive Officer, said: “At ERM, we are committed to working alongside every one of the world’s leading organizations to achieve their sustainability goals. This long-term partnership with KKR will allow us to expand and accelerate our client impact, and bring new capabilities and technologies to the business of sustainability.”

Mattia Caprioli, Tim Franks and Ken Mehlman, Partners at KKR, Franziska Kayser, Managing Director at KKR, and Rami Bibi, Director at KKR, said: “True expertise in sustainability and environmental matters is more important than ever. We are proud to invest in an organization like ERM and its partners, as they continue to help organizations implement ESG management best practices across their operations.”

As part of KKR’s investment, ERM Partners will continue to be shareholders in the business. KKR’s investment is being made through its Core Investments strategy, which represents capital targeting longer-term opportunities.

KKR is a long-standing client of ERM’s consulting services.

The transaction is expected to close in the third quarter 2021, subject to regulatory approvals and other customary closing conditions.

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About KKR

KKR is a leading global investment firm that offers alternative asset management and capital markets and insurance solutions. KKR aims to generate attractive investment returns by following a patient and disciplined investment approach, employing world-class people, and supporting growth in its portfolio companies and communities. KKR sponsors investment funds that invest in private equity, credit and real assets and has strategic partners that manage hedge funds. KKR’s insurance subsidiaries offer retirement, life and reinsurance products under the management of The Global Atlantic Financial Group. References to KKR’s investments may include the activities of its sponsored funds and insurance subsidiaries. For additional information about KKR & Co. Inc. (NYSE: KKR), please visit KKR’s website at www.kkr.com and on Twitter @KKR_Co.

About ERM

ERM is the business of sustainability.

As the largest global pure play sustainability consultancy, ERM partners with the world’s leading organizations, creating innovative solutions to sustainability challenges and unlocking commercial opportunities that meet the needs of today while preserving opportunity for future generations.

ERM’s diverse team of over 5,500 world-class experts in over 150 offices in more than 40 countries supports clients across the breadth of their organizations to operationalize sustainability. Through ERM’s deep technical expertise clients are well positioned to address their environmental, health, safety, risk and social issues. ERM calls this capability its “boots to boardroom” approach for its comprehensive service model that allows ERM to develop strategic and technical solutions that advance objectives on the ground or at the executive level.

For more information, please visit www.erm.com.