CHICAGO, Nov. 2 /PRNewswire/ -- Global management consulting firm A.T. Kearney today announced that the firm's officers have reached anon-binding agreement to purchase A.T. Kearney from EDS, its parent company. Upon closing, the officers would become partners in a newly independent A.T. Kearney. The transaction is targeted to close by the end of this year, pending customary closing conditions. Financial details of the agreement were not disclosed. As part of the proposed transaction, A.T. Kearney and EDS would enter into a services and marketing agreement. Under the agreement, A.T. Kearney would continue to provide management consulting services to EDS and to EDS clients. The two companies also would pursue select joint go-to-market opportunities. "Partner ownership is the model we believe works best in today's management consulting environment," said Henner Klein, A.T. Kearney CEO. "For clients, this means a more focused A.T. Kearney, with partners and staff whose interests are aligned with client success. For partners and staff, it means greater control of our own destiny, with increased incentives for performance and growth." Partners in the newly independent A.T. Kearney would own 100 percent of the voting equity of the firm. A.T. Kearney principals also would have the option of investing in non-voting equity shares. "This transaction would mark the beginning of an exciting new chapter in A.T. Kearney's long history," Klein said. "As an independent firm, we expect to tap the entrepreneurial spirit of partners and staff, and renew our dedication to creating value and results for clients. We've already seen the powerful impact of sharper client focus on our business performance in recent weeks." "When your principal strategic assets are your people, partnership is the better model," said Ashish Nanda, associate professor at Harvard Business School. "Partnership has the advantage of binding together capable professionals into a shared organization, in which they each have a financial stake, which in turn delivers genuine commitment to produce results." A.T. Kearney has approximately 200 partners and about 1,600 consultants serving clients worldwide. Founded in Chicago 79 years ago, A.T. Kearney was acquired by EDS in 1995. A.T. Kearney Executive Search and A.T. Kearney's Maintenance, Repair and Operations Management Group (MRO) would not be included in the transaction. EDS and the leaders of these units are actively exploring strategic options for them, in order to enhance value for EDS, these units and their clients. About A.T. Kearney A.T. Kearney is one of the world's largest management consulting firms. With a global presence that includes offices in 34 countries, A.T. Kearney provides consulting services in the areas of strategic operations management, transformation and organization, and technology strategy to leading private and public sector clients around the world. Over the past three years, A.T. Kearney has provided management consulting services to 69 companies out of the Fortune 100 in North America and to 73 of the Fortune Global 100 worldwide. For more information, visit http://www.atkearney.com/. CONTACT: Paul Raab - A.T. Kearney (+1) 312-223-6512 Mobile: (+1) 312-925-1738 Douglas MacDonald - A.T. Kearney (+1) 312-223-6892 DATASOURCE: A.T. Kearney CONTACT: Paul Raab, +1-312-223-6512, Mobile: +1-312-925-1738, , or Douglas MacDonald, +1-312-223-6892, , both of A.T. Kearney Web site: http://www.atkearney.com/

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