GERMANY – Mercer Human Resource Consulting GmbH is set to acquire KPMG Deutsche-Treuhand-Gesellschaft’s actuarial services division, adding 70 of KPMG’s pensions consultants to Mercer’s and significantly bolstering its German presence.

Financial terms were not disclosed, and the transaction is subject to customary approvals including that of the German Cartel Office and other conditions.

When completed, Mercer will have 180 employees in Cologne, Duesseldorf, Frankfurt, Hamburg, Hanover, Munich and Stuttgart.

Commented Edouard Merette, Mercer’s executive vice president for European operations: “By adding KPMG’s pension experts to Mercer’s existing talent base in Germany, we are well positioned to help domestic employers, German-headquartered multinationals, and global organizations with operations in Germany.”

"In the pension arena, our ability to help our clients address complex retirement plan design, financing and funding issues will be outstanding in Germany - a key market for a global consulting firm like Mercer,” Merette continued.

When the acquisition is completed, the three most senior actuaries from KPMG, Raimund Rhiel, Helmut Rehpenn, and Walter Schmidtchen, will join Mercer’s German leadership group. Rhiel, presently the head of KPMG’s actuarial services division, will become the firm’s chief actuary and head of the retirement practice. Current members of Mercer’s German leadership team are Marco Arteaga, Vitus Knaus, Achim Lueder, and Ulf Tworeck.

Mercer Human Resource Consulting, part of Marsh & McLennan Co., offers expertise in actuarial services, compensation, employee benefits, communication, human capital strategy, benefit program administration, and investment consulting, and has more than 13,000 employees worldwide.