Korn Ferry to Acquire AMS in $1.1 Billion Talent Solutions Deal
June 30, 2026 – Korn Ferry (NYSE:KFY) has entered into a definitive agreement with OMERS Private Equity to acquire U.K.-headquartered AMS. The transaction will combine Korn Ferry’s expertise across search, talent & organizational solutions, and workforce solutions with AMS’s expertise in recruitment process outsourcing (RPO), early careers and campus recruiting, contingent workforce solutions, consulting, and skills creation.
The combination will bring together two highly complementary organizations across geographies and industries with a shared commitment to drive business performance. Following completion, the collective firm will have more than 16,000 colleagues.
“By bringing AMS into the Korn Ferry family, we are expanding our ability to help clients solve their most critical organizational challenges,” said Gary D. Burnison, CEO, Korn Ferry. “Despite all of the technological innovations of yesterday, today and tomorrow, the real driver of organizational success is people. And with our AMS colleagues we will be stronger together than apart. Over almost 20 years I have watched AMS grow and evolve, with deep admiration and respect. I am convinced that the culture and values of both companies are completely aligned. And it all starts with people. This is indeed a significant milestone for Korn Ferry and I am excited about the future that we will shape together.”
“At AMS we connect organizations with the people who advance their vision and deliver their purpose—powering industries, achieving results and shaping futures,” said Rosaleen Blair, founder and chair of AMS. “In Korn Ferry we have a like-minded partner that shares the same beliefs and embraces the same values.” Following the consummation of the transaction, Ms. Blair will continue in a chair role.
“Combining AMS with Korn Ferry will create new opportunities for our clients, our teams, and accelerate our ability to shape the future of work,” said Gordon Stuart, CEO of AMS.
“AMS has made incredible progress over the course of our ownership,” said Michael Block, head of private capital, OMERS. “We have supported the company as it has expanded its capabilities, strengthened its client relationships and focused on the people and organizations it serves. Korn Ferry is a strong strategic fit for AMS as it enters its next chapter.”
Founded by Ms. Blair in 1996, AMS serves many of the world’s leading organizations across financial services, technology, healthcare, life sciences, consumer, industrial, and public sector markets. Its operations span more than 120 countries, including a well-established presence throughout Europe and Asia.
Ms. Blair is a passionate entrepreneur and business leader. She created AMS in 1996 with the ambition of transforming the way that blue-chip multinationals attract, engage and retain top talent. She served as CEO for 23 years, leading the business through significant geographic and revenue growth, four private equity relationships and a global economic crisis. In 2019, she moved up to the role of Chair of AMS, a position she continues to hold today.
Terms of the Deal
Under the terms of the acquisition agreement, Korn Ferry has agreed to acquire AMS for an aggregate purchase price of approximately £850 million (approximately $1.1 billion), consisting of approximately £659 million (approximately $881 million) in cash and approximately £191 million (approximately $255 million) in Korn Ferry common stock.
Related: M&A Becomes a Capability-Driven Acquisition Strategy
Korn Ferry expects to fund the cash portion of the transaction consideration with approximately $300 million of cash on hand and the remaining approximately $581 million of cash consideration with borrowings under Korn Ferry’s existing revolver. Additionally, Korn Ferry will issue approximately 3.6 million shares2, subject to a 15 percent collar at the closing.
On a current annual run-rate basis, AMS is generating approximately $650 million of fee revenue and $100 million of adjusted EBITDA. Assuming no adverse change in the economic environment, Korn Ferry estimates that the run-rate Adjusted EBITDA3 contribution within a year following the closing of the acquisition will be approximately $140 million.
Hunt Scanlon Ventures 2026 Q1 M&A Report
Hunt Scanlon Ventures has just released its latest Q1 M&A Report, offering an in-depth look at the forces reshaping the global human capital sector in 2026. Download the free PDF to explore the latest M&A activity, emerging investment themes, and strategic trends driving executive search, leadership advisory, and talent intelligence markets.
Whether you’re evaluating a potential acquisition, preparing your firm for a strategic capital event, or tracking broader market activity across the talent ecosystem, this report delivers timely market intelligence and actionable insights into one of the fastest-evolving segments of professional services. Click here to download the report!
The consummation of the transaction is subject to receipt of regulatory clearances and is expected to close in Korn Ferry’s 2nd fiscal quarter of FY’27. The transaction is expected to be immediately accretive to earnings per share in the first full year after adjusting for restructuring and integration and transaction costs.
AMS’s long-term contracts will add more than $1.5 billion in estimated fees remaining under existing contracts, providing greater revenue visibility and enhancing the company’s ability to provide scalable, data-driven talent strategies across geographies and industries.
Korn Ferry is a Los Angeles-headquartered executive recruiter and leadership consultant and the largest globally and in the Americas. The firm’s 8,600 colleagues serve clients in more than 50 countries.
Related: Why M&A Success Is Ultimately a Talent Challenge
Contributed by Scott A. Scanlon, Editor-in-Chief; Dale M. Zupsansky, Executive Editor – Hunt Scanlon Media
