RPS Group

This article is about the British company. For other groups named RPS, see RPS (disambiguation).

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

RPS Group Limited

Formerly	Rural Planning Services
Company type	Limited company
Industry	Environmental consulting, Upstream Oil and Gas and Renewable Energy consulting
Founded	1970
Headquarters	Abingdon-on-Thames, England
Key people	Ken Lever (Chairman) John Douglas (CEO)
Revenue	£560.4 million (2021)[1]
Operating income	£28.3 million (2021)[1]
Net income	£5.9 million (2021)[1]
Number of employees	5,000 (2022)[2]
Parent	Tetra Tech, Inc.
Website	www.rpsgroup.com

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 2014 RPS Group acquired CgMs Consulting, a consultant company speicalising in obtaining significant planning permission in green belt areas.^[6]

In August 2022, WSP Global made a takeover offer to purchase RPS Group for £591 million.^[7][8][9] In September 2022, RPS received a counter takeover offer from Tetra Tech for £636 million^[10] with WSP opting not to increase its bid.^[11] RPS' shareholders voted to accept the Tetra Tech offer in November 2022^[12] and it was approved by the court in January 2023.^[13]