Tom Reichert joins ERM Group as Global CEO

Global sustainability consultancy ERM has named Tom Reichert as its Group CEO. Taking on the role from the start of February, Reichart arrives with more than three decades of experience as a digital and sustainability leader in the consulting and industry.

The last year saw major changes for the world’s largest pure play sustainability consultancy. ERM accelerated a major expansion campaign, after winning the backing from investment fund KKR in May, before the company completed the purchase of Stratos, Element Energy, RCG, and E4Tech in the last six months alone. Meanwhile, as the firm readied to build on this momentum in 2022, CEO Keryn James announced her departure from the firm.

The company veteran spent nearly 30 years with ERM, five of which were as CEO – but James stepped down in December. Since then, David McArthur has served as interim CEO of ERM Group. Reichert will take over as full-time CEO from the start of February.

McArthur, who will return to his role as Chief Operating Officer, noted, “I am delighted to welcome Tom to ERM and am looking forward to working closely with him as we continue to grow and transform our business in a dynamic and rapidly changing marketplace. Tom’s blend of leadership experience across digital transformation, change management and C-suite advisory will be hugely valuable and is what made him the stand-out choice for this role. His appointment will help us continue on our upward path of growth and client excellence.”

Following an extensive global search process, Reichert joins from global strategy consulting giant Boston Consulting Group (BCG). At that firm he was most recently Global Leader of DigitalBCG, Chair of the company’s Practice Areas and a member of the Executive Committee. Prior to his time with BCG, he also worked in the finance sector across Australasia and in Germany.

Reichert commented, “As businesses continue to grapple with the challenge of delivering against sustainability objectives that require fundamental transformation of both strategy and operations, ERM’s value proposition of strategic insight combined with technical excellence is what organisations need now more than ever. I’m looking forward to working with the team to evolve and accelerate the impact we have.”

ERM currently boasts a diverse global team of more than 6,000 purpose-driven consultants. Reichert will now look to help them build on ERM’s 50-year track record in the sustainability consulting market. According to Tim Franks, who chairs ERM’s board, his arrival brings an “exceptional consulting track record, coupled with the leading expertise ERM has been building within the business, creates a highly two compelling proposition for clients.”

Franks added, “The appointment of Tom as ERM’s new CEO marks the next chapter in the firm’s remarkable journey of growth. Sustainability is playing an increasingly important role in dealing with some of the major challenges the world is facing today, and ERM is in a critical position to help shape this… The Board welcomes Tom to the firm and is excited about the future that he will help develop for ERM and its clients.”