EC Harris to Merge With ARCADIS,
creating Leading Global Programme and Project Management
Consultancy
17th October,
2011
EC Harris, the leading international built asset consultancy today
announced that it has signed a merger agreement with ARCADIS, the
global professional services company with a leading position in the
infrastructure, water, environmental and buildings markets
headquartered in Amsterdam, the Netherlands.
Through this merger, the combined company will
grow to almost 19,000 professionals and €2.3 billion revenues and
have the scale and expertise to deliver even better outcomes for
its clients across the globe. ARCADIS and EC Harris will together
become a top five global leader in strategic built asset advisory
and project delivery services, with a combined total of close to
6,000 staff in this area and particular strengths in Europe, the US
and Brazil. EC Harris’s well established and rapidly expanding
operations in Asia and the Middle East will also provide ARCADIS
with strong footholds in these markets. Furthermore, the deal
brings ARCADIS into the top five consultants in the UK, allowing it
to expand its relationships with multinational clients both inside
and outside the country.
Under the terms of the deal, ARCADIS will take
full ownership EC Harris LLP in return for 3million shares and an
undisclosed cash sum. The merger is contingent on EC Harris partner
approval and related closing requirements. It is anticipated that
completion will occur in November 2011.
EC Harris will continue to operate as a
partnership, with a company-wide remit within ARCADIS, taking up a
leadership role in the global Buildings business line and driving
the development of the Programme and Project Management services.
EC Harris will bring their built asset consultancy approach to the
wider ARCADIS business, taking a leading role in the UK, Middle
East and Asia.
The EC Harris leadership team will remain in
place, with Philip Youell continuing as Chief Executive and joining
the ARCADIS Senior Management Committee. EC Harris’s current
Chairman, Richard Clare, will step into a wider strategic client
development role in ARCADIS whilst remaining on the EC Harris Board
in an advisory capacity.
Philip Youell, Chief Executive of EC
Harris said: “This is a unique deal that will
accelerate our vision and plans for growth and will enable us to
deliver our clients’ goals as well as our own. Whilst we have been
successful in winning some very large programmes of work and have
many more in the pipeline, the demand from our clients is such that
we recognized that we needed to grow and develop internationally,
at a much faster rate than we are currently doing. We have
received a number of approaches from large international companies
in the past, but ARCADIS is the only one that has been right
culturally and strategically for EC Harris, it is an exceptional
fit. ARCADIS genuinely shares a client-first philosophy and a clear
vision of the style of business we need to be in order to meet
changing client needs. We now have the strength and intention to
invest and further develop a leading global built asset consultancy
position.”
ARCADIS CEO Harrie Noy about the
merger: “This merger is a major step forward in
realizing our strategic ambitions. With EC Harris we get a leading
position in project management and related services while their
built asset consultancy approach perfectly fits our goal of
expanding our services at the high end of the value chain. With the
expansion of our footprint in the Middle East and Asia we can
capitalize on the growth opportunities in these markets. Our
strengthened position in the UK market will allow us to provide a
wider portfolio of services to the clients of our combined firms.
We welcome the strength of the EC Harris brand and the leadership
they bring to ARCADIS and are excited about the synergy
opportunities.”
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For further press information contact:
EC Harris
Andy Rowlands, +44 (0) 20 7833 6662/ +44 (0) 7810 850 476 or
andy.rowlands@echarris.com
ARCADIS
Joost Slooten, +31-20-2011083, or outside office hours at
+31-6-27061880 or joost.slooten@arcadis.com
About ARCADIS
ARCADIS is
an international company providing consultancy, design, engineering
and management services in infrastructure, water, environment and
buildings. We enhance mobility, sustainability and quality of life
by creating balance in the built and natural environment. ARCADIS
develops, designs, implements, maintains and operates projects for
companies and governments. With 15,000 people and EUR 2.0 billion
in revenues, the company has an extensive international network
supported by strong local market positions. ARCADIS supports
UN-HABITAT with knowledge and expertise to improve the quality
of life in rapidly growing cities around the world. Please visit:
http://www.arcadis.com/
About EC Harris
EC
Harris is an international Built Asset Consultancy, advising
clients in the planning and execution of strategies that deliver
the best results from money spent on their built assets. The
firm has 48 offices in 28 countries employing over 3,000
people worldwide. EC Harris revenue in 2010/11 was £254m. For
further information visit http://www.echarris.com/