Consulting org Korn Ferry has agreed to acquire UK-headquartered AMS for about £850 million (roughly $1.1 billion), a deal that pulls one of the largest recruitment process outsourcing (RPO) providers into the firm’s portfolio.
AMS strengths
Korn Ferry announced the agreement on June 29. Once it closes—expected in the company’s second fiscal quarter of FY2027 pending regulatory clearance—the combined firm will have more than 16,000 employees and will place a candidate roughly every 90 seconds, according to the company.
The release indicated that AMS brings about $650 million in annual fee revenue, operations across 120 countries and a service mix spanning RPO, early careers and campus recruiting, contingent workforce solutions and skills creation. According to the announcement, AMS’s long-term agreements add more than $1.5 billion in estimated fees remaining under existing contracts.
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‘Very happy clients’
Industry analyst Josh Bersin told HR Executive that the demand picture remains strong even as AI tools proliferate across sourcing and screening. “AMS is a very well-run, successful talent acquisition outsourcing and advisory company, with $1.5 billion in backlog and very happy clients.”
For talent acquisition leaders weighing build-versus-buy decisions, the deal suggests continued consolidation among the firms that manage hiring at scale.
“Despite the growth in AI, there remains a massive demand for recruitment outsourcing and services, plus AMS One is one of the only integrated platforms to manage a heterogeneous recruiting stack,” Bersin said. “I think Korn Ferry has acquired a very valuable company and now, coupled with [its own] consulting and executive search, the company has the potential to grow in many new markets.”
Korn Ferry expects the deal to boost its earnings per share within the first full year after integration costs, according to the release. Founder Rosaleen Blair will continue as chair, and AMS CEO Gordon Stuart will stay on through the transition.
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