Mercer has acquired UK-based executive remuneration specialist organisation, Kepler Associates.
Kepler, which has more than 20 employees, advises around 16% of FTSE 350 remuneration committees, as well as a growing number of firms overseas.
The acquisition is aimed at strengthening Mercer’s capabilities in executive reward.
Kepler’s founder, Gordon Clark will become UK head of executive reward and will be a Mercer partner, as will co-founders Peter Smith and Jenny Martin.
The Kepler team will join Mercer’s UK talent business, led by Mark Quinn.
Terms of the transaction were not disclosed.
Ilya Bonic, president of the talent business at Mercer, said: “Our intention is to build Mercer’s executive rewards capabilities globally and this marks a great step forward in the growth of our talent business.
“In the UK, the majority of Kepler appointments are to board-level remuneration committees while Mercer’s strength is management and employee reward consulting and information services.
“This acquisition enables us to combine Kepler’s skills in executive reward with Mercer’s capabilities in the UK and globally.”
Gordon Clark, founder and managing partner of Kepler, added: “We are delighted to be joining a global organisation like Mercer.
“While we, at Kepler, will bring proven experience in executive reward to Mercer’s suite of services, our clients, in turn, will benefit from Mercer’s global reward consulting capabilities, including international and below-board pay data, insights into HR best practice and access to the huge range of talent, benefits, health, pension and information services provided by Mercer.
“Kepler will now go to market as ‘Kepler, a brand of Mercer’ highlighting that for our [employer] clients and employees it is business as usual. Our [employer] clients will continue to be supported by the same team providing the same service but with enhanced capabilities.”
