Corbett Keeling is delighted to announce the successful sale of The Fifth Business, a fast growing change management consultancy, to ERM, the leading global provider of sustainability advisory services. Having approached a wide variety of UK and international trade and financial buyers, we advised the company’s three principal shareholders on securing the optimal combination of maximised cash value, highest certainty that the transaction would complete (and the agreed earn-out would be received) and the best chemistry and fit with the buyer.

The Fifth Business was founded in 1993 in Scotland and has grown to become a leading integrated change management, communications, learning and design consultancy to FTSE100 and Fortune 500 companies. With over 90 staff in 4 offices in Europe and North America, the firm has a strong focus on the Energy sector, as well as advising companies in the Media, Automotive, Pharma, Construction and Engineering industries. ERM is the leading global provider of sustainability advisory services, including environmental, health, safety, risk and social consulting services. The firm has 160 offices in 40+ countries and over 5,000 employees. ERM helps clients in a wide range of sectors including Oil & Gas, Energy, Power, Chemicals, Manufacturing, Mining and High Tech to understand and manage global sustainability.