Consulting M&A advises E4Tech on sale to ERM

Energy consultancy E4Tech has become part of ERM, as the latter continues its global expansion campaign. Professionals from Consulting M&A advised on the deal.

E4tech is a UK based consulting firm helping public and private clients transition to a new generation of technologies, identifying business opportunities amid the decarbonisation of the economy. Since 1997, it has supported clients in analysing, investing in and deploying cutting-edge low-carbon technologies, sometimes for the first time.

At the start of June 2021, it was confirmed that E4Tech would become part of ERM. A multinational consultancy headquartered in London, ERM has more than 5,500 employees working from 160 offices in over 40 countries, and focuses primarily on sustainability advisory work to support clients with their green ambitions.

While the size of ERM enabled it to use an in-house deal to manage the deal from its side, E4Tech drafted in the expertise of Consulting M&A. Founded in 2019, the London based company enable owners of consulting and IT services business to grow valuable and sellable businesses.

Bruce Ramsay, Managing Partner of Consulting M&A said, “It was a pleasure to work with them and see through the realisation of value from the years in effort invested into the company.”

Over the past decade, ERM has been expanding at pace, accelerated by a buy-and-build strategy that saw over 20 acquisitions join its ranks since 2010, including First Option at the start of 2021 and Sustainalizein April. The firm also received a long-term investment from KKR, one of the globe’s largest private equity groups, recently, enabling it to further build on its earlier momentum with further purchases.

As such, while the move enabled ERM to continue its international expansion, it also provided a major opportunity for E4Tech. Looking ahead, the firm hopes the move will allow for its skills in low-carbon technology to be brought to bear on the challenges faced by ERM’s growing client base – which already includes some of the world’s leading organisations.

Ramsay added, “We have known E4Tech for many years. Their three founders have been building their expertise and connections in the sustainable energy ‘space’ such that when the market grew and acquisition interest arrived they had the attributes to turn that interest into a completed transaction.”