On June 30, 2025, ERM — the world’s largest specialist sustainability consultancy — quietly reshaped its leadership with the immediate appointment of Andy Boland as Chief Financial Officer. The announcement, posted at 6:45 PM UTC on ERM’s corporate newsroom, didn’t make global headlines. But for the $1.2 billion sustainability industry, it was a seismic shift. Boland, a British finance veteran with decades of experience leading both private equity-backed firms and publicly traded giants, steps into a role that could define ERM’s next chapter — one where profitability and planetary impact are no longer competing goals, but twin engines.
From Minicabs to Climate Strategy
How do you go from running a London minicab empire to steering the finances of a global sustainability powerhouse? Andy Boland’s career reads like a masterclass in adapting leadership across wildly different sectors. Before joining ERM, he was CFO of Giacom, a UK-based technology services firm. Before that, he led the Addison Lee Group as CEO — the company that turned black cabs into a tech-driven logistics network. And before Addison Lee? He was CFO at the AA, the UK’s largest motoring organization, where he managed billions in assets and complex insurance liabilities. His track record? Turning around legacy businesses under pressure — not just cutting costs, but rebuilding them for the future.His resignation from INTY HOLDINGS in May 2025 wasn’t a retirement. It was a pivot. And ERM knew it.
Why ERM Chose Him — And Why It Matters
ERM isn’t hiring a number-cruncher. It’s hiring a strategist. With over 8,000 sustainability experts across 40 countries, ERM operates like a global infrastructure — not just advising clients, but building their decarbonization roadmaps. The firm helped SSE and Equinor secure UK planning consent for a first-of-its-kind hydrogen project. It advised Innovate UK and DESNZ on scaling low-carbon innovation. And its 2025 Sustainability Report showed how offshore wind in Akita Prefecture could generate 356 billion JPY in economic value — over $2.3 billion — and create 34,000 jobs.That’s the scale Boland now oversees. And he’s not just managing budgets — he’s funding transformation.
"ERM is the market leader in sustainability consulting," Boland said in his official statement. "I'm energized by the opportunity to join the firm at this important stage of its growth journey. I'm looking forward to working with this talented team to ensure ERM can continue to maximize its impact and deliver long-term value to clients."
Group CEO Tom Reichert echoed that sentiment: "Andy’s career has been marked by a commitment to excellence which has enabled him to achieve outstanding results. His expertise in navigating market complexities and harnessing innovation will be invaluable as ERM continues to focus on helping clients integrate sustainability throughout their organizations to enhance resilience and deliver commercial benefits."
The Bigger Picture: A Sector in Transition
The timing isn’t accidental. Just 13 days before Boland’s appointment, ERM released the Council for Sustainability Transformation report — a call to arms for corporations to reset their sustainability strategies. Too many companies, the report argued, treat ESG as a PR exercise. ERM wants to change that. Boland’s role? To ensure the financial architecture behind those changes is robust, scalable, and investor-ready.He’ll also oversee ERM’s recent acquisitions — including the NewFields Environmental Division — and its strategic alliances, like the joint venture with Ka∙kin Group and its partnership with Salesforce as a global Net Zero Cloud Advisory partner. These aren’t side projects. They’re core to ERM’s future.
And here’s the twist: ERM doesn’t just serve Fortune 500s. It works with governments, startups, and municipalities — from rural UK towns to Japan’s offshore wind corridors. Boland’s experience with the AA — a household name with deep public trust — gives him rare insight into balancing institutional credibility with commercial agility.
What’s Next for ERM?
Boland’s first 100 days will be critical. He inherits a company that generated over $1.2 billion in revenue last year, but one that’s also facing growing pressure from investors to prove ROI on sustainability investments. Will he push for higher margins? Or double down on mission-driven growth?One clue: ERM’s mission statement — "Sustainability is our business" — isn’t a slogan. It’s a contract. And Boland, more than any CFO before him, understands that contracts are only as strong as the balance sheet behind them.
He’ll need to navigate the tension between short-term investor expectations and long-term planetary needs. That’s not easy. But it’s exactly why ERM hired him.
Behind the Scenes: The Global Machine
ERM’s operations span from New York to Singapore, with regional hubs like ERM Northeast managing local compliance while feeding data into global strategy. Boland will oversee a finance team that handles 40 different currencies, dozens of tax regimes, and complex cross-border partnerships.His predecessor? The role was left vacant after the previous CFO stepped down in early 2025. No official reason was given. But insiders say the shift was planned — part of a broader leadership refresh aimed at preparing ERM for its next phase: becoming not just a consultant, but a co-investor in the green economy.
That’s the real story here. ERM isn’t just selling advice anymore. It’s building systems that turn sustainability into revenue. And Andy Boland? He’s the guy who knows how to make those systems pay.
Frequently Asked Questions
How does Andy Boland’s background prepare him for ERM’s unique business model?
Boland’s experience spans regulated industries (AA), tech-driven logistics (Addison Lee), and B2B services (Giacom) — all of which require balancing operational complexity with client outcomes. Unlike traditional CFOs focused solely on cost control, he’s built businesses where customer trust and long-term value drive profitability — exactly what ERM’s sustainability consulting model demands. His tenure at the AA, for instance, involved managing insurance liabilities tied to climate risks — a direct parallel to advising clients on carbon transition risks today.
Why is ERM’s CFO role different from typical corporate CFO positions?
Most CFOs track profit margins. ERM’s CFO tracks impact metrics — like tons of CO2 reduced, jobs created through green infrastructure, or capital mobilized for clean tech. Boland will need to report not just financial performance, but environmental ROI. His challenge? Proving that sustainability investments aren’t expenses — they’re assets that attract clients, talent, and long-term value. That requires a new kind of financial language — one he’s already started speaking in his prior roles.
What’s the significance of ERM’s recent acquisitions and partnerships?
The acquisition of NewFields and the joint venture with Ka∙kin Group signal ERM’s shift from advisory to implementation. These aren’t just service expansions — they’re vertical integrations. Boland will now manage not just consulting fees, but equity stakes, shared revenue streams, and integrated technology platforms like Salesforce’s Net Zero Cloud. That means his role now includes M&A integration, joint venture accounting, and tech-enabled service delivery — a far cry from traditional consultancy finance.
How does Boland’s appointment relate to ERM’s Council for Sustainability Transformation report?
The June 17 report called out corporate sustainability as "performative" — a PR tactic lacking financial discipline. Boland’s hiring is ERM’s direct response: we’ll fix this by putting finance leaders at the center of the solution. He’ll ensure ERM’s client strategies aren’t just aspirational — they’re fundable, measurable, and tied to actual P&L outcomes. In short, he’s being brought in to turn sustainability from a buzzword into a balance sheet line item — and make it profitable.
What impact could this have on the broader sustainability consulting industry?
If Boland succeeds, he’ll set a new benchmark: sustainability firms will need CFOs who understand both carbon accounting and capital markets. Competitors like McKinsey’s sustainability arm or Deloitte’s ESG division may soon follow suit, hiring leaders with Boland’s hybrid background. This isn’t just a personnel change — it’s a signal that the industry is maturing. The era of "greenwashing" consultants is ending. The era of finance-driven climate action has begun.
Where is ERM headquartered, and how does that affect Boland’s role?
While ERM doesn’t publicly list a single headquarters, its operational nerve centers are in London, New York, and Singapore — reflecting its global footprint. Boland, based in the UK, will need to manage time zones, regulatory differences, and cultural nuances across 40 countries. His previous roles at the AA and Addison Lee — both UK-based but globally scaled — give him a proven framework for leading decentralized finance teams. That’s critical: ERM’s strength lies in local expertise, but its value comes from global coordination. Boland’s job is to make that work financially.
