ICF plans to acquire UK consulting company

ICF International announced Jan. 30 plans to buy GHK Holdings Limited in an all-cash deal expected to close by the end of the first quarter of 2012.

While financial details of the pending deal were not disclosed, the transaction is expected to be earnings neutral to ICF in 2012, the ICF announcement said.

London-based GHK offers consulting in the areas of environment, employment, health, education and training, transportation, social policy, business and economic development, and international development issues.

ICF officials said they believe the acquisition is a good fit because GHK can help strengthen its presence in Europe as well as in high-growth Asian markets.

“We have already won one project together and are proposing jointly on others,” said ICF International Chairman and CEO Sudhakar Kesavan in the statement. “We are confident that we will be able to work in concert to significantly expand ICF’s Asia and Europe advisory and implementation business,” he added.

After the transaction is completed, ICF’s Executive Vice President Jeanne Townend will move to London to supervise the integration.

Just last month, ICF purchased Ironworks Consulting for approximately $100 million.

ICF International, of Fairfax, Va., ranks No. 64 on Washington Technology’s 2011 Top 100 list of the largest federal government contractors.