UNITED STATES

SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION

WASHINGTON, D.C. 20549

FORM 8-K

CURRENT REPORT

Pursuant to Section 13 or 15(d)

of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934

Date of Report (Date of earliest event reported): November 24, 2013

QUINTILES TRANSNATIONAL HOLDINGS INC.

(Exact name of registrant as specified in its charter)

Registrant’s telephone number, including area code: (919) 998-2000

Not Applicable

(Former name or former address, if changed since last report.)

Check the appropriate box below if the Form 8-K filing is intended to simultaneously satisfy the filing obligation of the registrant under any of the following provisions:

On November 24, 2013, the Compensation and Talent Development Committee (the “Committee”) of the Board of Directors of Quintiles Transnational Holdings Inc. (the “Company”) determined that it is appropriate to award restricted stock units as a form of compensation, and the Committee adopted the form of award agreement awarding restricted stock units (the “Form”) under the Company’s 2013 Stock Incentive Plan (the “Plan”). The Form is attached hereto as Exhibit 10.1 and incorporated herein by reference.

Consistent with the above determination, on November 24, 2013, the Committee approved grants of restricted stock units to certain executive officers, including 11,599 restricted stock units to Kevin K. Gordon, the Company’s Executive Vice President and Chief Financial Officer, under the Plan. The award to Mr. Gordon was made in recognition of his leadership and contributions to the Company. The restricted stock units will settle in shares of the Company’s common stock within 45 days of the applicable vesting date. Provided that Mr. Gordon continues to render services to the Company through the applicable vesting date, one-third of the restricted stock units will vest on November 24, 2016, the third anniversary of the date of grant, and the remaining two-thirds of the restricted stock units will vest on November 24, 2017, the fourth anniversary of the date of grant.

The foregoing description of the restricted stock unit award to Mr. Gordon is qualified in its entirety by reference to the complete terms and conditions of the Form, as well as the terms and conditions of the Plan, which was attached as Exhibit 10.22 to the Company’s Registration Statement on Form S-1/A filed on April 19, 2013 and is incorporated herein by reference.

(d) Exhibits.

See the Exhibit Index attached hereto.

SIGNATURE

Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, the registrant has duly caused this report to be signed on its behalf by the undersigned hereunto duly authorized.

EXHIBIT INDEX