RPS Group plc
FormerlyRural Planning Services
TypePublic limited company
LSE: RPS
IndustryEnvironmental consulting, Upstream Oil and Gas and Renewable Energy consulting
Founded1970
HeadquartersAbingdon-on-Thames, England
Key people
Ken Lever (Chairman)
John Douglas (CEO)
RevenueIncrease £560.4 million (2021)[1]
Increase £28.3 million (2021)[1]
Increase £5.9 million (2021)[1]
Number of employees
5,000 (2022)[2]
Websitewww.rpsgroup.com

RPS Group plc (LSE: RPS) is a global professional services firm of consultants and service providers, headquartered in Abingdon-on-Thames, England. It is listed on the London Stock Exchange until it was acquired by Tetra Tech in January 2023.

History

RPS was founded in 1970, as Rural Planning Services,[3] with founder Michael Boddington as its first chief executive.[4] It was first listed on the London Stock Exchange in 1987.[3]

In the late 20th century, the company expanded under the leadership of a later chief executive, Alan Hearne, and in 2001 he received the Financial Times / London Stock Exchange Entrepreneur of the Year award and company was nominated in the top four for PLC of the Year in the same awards.[5]

In August 2022, WSP Global made a takeover offer to purchase RPS Group for £591 million.[6][7][8] In September 2022, RPS received a counter takeover offer from Tetra Tech for £636 million[9] with WSP opting not to increase its bid.[10] RPS' shareholders voted to accept the Tetra Tech offer in November 2022[11] and it was approved by the court in January 2023.[12]

References

  1. 1 2 3 "Results for the Year Ended 31 December 2021" (PDF). RPS Group. Retrieved 9 August 2022.
  2. ↑ "This is our story". RPS Group. Retrieved 9 August 2022.
  3. 1 2 Corporate factsheet RPS Group
  4. ↑ Hearne A.S. (1977) The Impact of Major New Roads on Agriculture: Economic and Procedural Aspects, PhD Thesis at the University of Aston in Birmingham, see acknowledgements and Ch8, p 191, Introduction, 1.1: A S Hearne is the CEO of RPS Group plc; Edwards, Angela & Alan Rogers (1974) Agricultural Resources: An Introduction to the Farming Industry of the United Kingdom, London, Faber and Faber, see list of Contributors and Ch 11 pp245-268 and Ch12 pp 269-292; Economic Forestry Group (November 1973) Newsletter Forestry House, Great Milton, Oxford OX9 7PG
  5. ↑ "Into the big time". New Cilvil Engineer. 1 March 2003. Retrieved 9 November 2022.
  6. ↑ Prior, Grant (9 August 2022). "WSP to buy consultant RPS Group for £591m". Construction Enquirer. Retrieved 9 August 2022.
  7. ↑ "RPS board backs WSP takeover offer". The Construction Index. 9 August 2022. Retrieved 9 August 2022.
  8. ↑ WSP agrees deals to buy out RPS New Civil Engineer 9 August 2022
  9. ↑ Prior, Grant (26 September 2022). "US consultant trumps WSP bid for RPS Group". Construction Enquirer. Retrieved 26 September 2022.
  10. ↑ Prior, Grant (11 October 2022). "WSP declines to enter bidding war for RPS Group". Construction Enquirer. Retrieved 11 October 2022.
  11. ↑ Results of Court Meeting and General Meeting RPS Group 3 November 2022
  12. ↑ "RPS Group Says High Court Of Justice In England And Wales Has Sanctioned Scheme Pursuant To Acquisition". Reuters. 19 January 2023. Retrieved 20 January 2023.
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