News releases 2010
Macquarie AirFinance appoints Harry Forsythe as Head of Marketing
DUBLIN, December 6, 2010 – Macquarie AirFinance, a global aircraft leasing company based in Dublin, Ireland, announced today that Harry Forsythe will be its new Executive Vice President, Marketing. Mr. Forsythe is currently based in Singapore and he will relocate to the company’s San Francisco office to take up his new position reporting to the CEO.
John Willingham, Chief Executive Officer of Macquarie AirFinance, commented: "We are delighted that Harry is stepping up to this important role. His extensive experience in the industry makes him ideally suited to lead our marketing, customer relations and origination activities."
Harry Forsythe started his aviation career with Shorts (now Bombardier) and Saab Aircraft and has been in the aircraft leasing business since 1989, when he established the AWAS office in Hong Kong where he was based until 1999. He had further periods with AWAS in Sydney and Seattle, finally as VP Marketing, until his departure from the USA in September 2006. His association with Macquarie AirFinance began in March 2007 and he has been based in Singapore as VP Marketing, Asia Pacific since October 2009.
About Macquarie AirFinance
Macquarie AirFinance is a global aircraft leasing company providing aircraft and capital to the world’s commercial airlines, and advisory and management services to aircraft owners. Established in 2006 and headquartered in Dublin, Ireland, the company currently owns or manages 152 jet aircraft leased to 74 operators in 39 countries, across 6 continents.
For further information, please contact:
Paula Chirhart
Corporate Communications
Macquarie Group
Tel: +1 (212) 231 1310
Download PDF Press Release (PDF 82KB)
Macquarie AirFinance closes acquisition of two 2006-vintage A320s from airberlin
DUBLIN, October 4, 2010 – Macquarie AirFinance, a global aircraft leasing company based in Dublin, Ireland, announced that it has purchased two 2006-vintage A320s from airberlin. The aircraft will be on long-term leaseback to airberlin and sub-leased to NIKI in Austria.
John Willingham, Chief Executive Officer of Macquarie AirFinance, commented: "This is an attractive acquisition for us as it furthers our strategy of building a portfolio of popular, modern narrowbodies with leases to reputable customers. airberlin is a long established and valued customer of ours and we are excited
now to partner with NIKI."
Ulf Hüttmeyer, CFO of Air Berlin PLC stated: "We are pleased to have closed this valuable transaction with Macquarie AirFinance. We hope to build on the strategic relationship between our two companies in the future."
About Macquarie AirFinance
Macquarie AirFinance is a global aircraft leasing company providing aircraft and capital to the world’s commercial airlines, and advisory and management services to aircraft owners. Established in 2006 and headquartered in Dublin, Ireland, Macquarie AirFinance launched its presence in the industry through the acquisition of a majority of the aircraft leasing assets of GATX Corporation. The
company currently owns or manages 147 jet aircraft leased to 76 operators in 36 countries, across 6 continents.
The serial numbers of the aircraft referenced in this release are 2749 and 2867.
About airberlin
The airberlin group is Germany’s second largest airline. The company has more than 8,700 employees. In 2009 alone the airberlin group received more than 10 awards for service and quality. The current fleet, with NIKI, encompasses 167 aircraft with an average age of five years. Consequently the airberlin group has one of the youngest fleets in Europe. The airline’s modern aircraft are extremely fuel-efficient and so provide a lasting contribution to the reduction of aviation emissions. airberlin is one of the major airlines in Europe and currently flies to 168 destinations in 40 countries (inc. NIKI). In 2009 the airline carried around 28 million
passengers. airberlin has joined the global aviation alliance oneworld®. Full membership is planned for the start of 2012. From November 2010 airberlin will be operating codeshare flights with American Airlines and Finnair.
For further information, please contact:
Paula Chirhart
Corporate Communications
Macquarie Group
Tel: +1 (212) 231 1310
Download PDF Press Release (PDF 61KB)
Macquarie AirFinance closes acquisition of three portfolio aircraft from International Lease Finance Corporation
DUBLIN, August 16, 2010 – Macquarie AirFinance, a global aircraft leasing company based in Dublin, Ireland, announced that it has purchased an A320-200, an A321-200 and a 737-800 from International Lease Finance Corporation (ILFC). The aircraft are on lease to SATA, Novair and Travel Service respectively.
John Willingham, Chief Executive Officer of Macquarie AirFinance, commented: "We are delighted to acquire these three aircraft from the ILFC portfolio. These are part of the commitment to six aircraft that we announced in April of this year. The aircraft are currently on long-term leases to SATA, Novair and Travel Service, all well-established, successful airlines whom we are excited to count amongst our customers.”
“This is a successful agreement that works for both sides. Our efforts in working with Macquarie in this transaction coupled with the success of our recently announced secured and unsecured borrowings demonstrate ILFC’s ability to access multiple sources of liquidity,” added Phil Scruggs, Global Head of Marketing of International Lease Finance Corporation.
About Macquarie AirFinance
Macquarie AirFinance is a global aircraft leasing company providing aircraft and capital to the world’s commercial airlines, and advisory and management services to aircraft owners. Established in 2006 and headquartered in Dublin, Ireland, the company currently owns or manages 124 jet aircraft leased to 61 operators in 30 countries, across 6 continents. Macquarie Bank recently announced a purchase of 53 aircraft from ILFC, of which Macquarie AirFinance will purchase 6 and act as servicer for 47.”
The serial numbers of the aircraft referenced in this release are MSN 2425, 2216 and 30719.
Download PDF Press Release (PDF 82KB)
Macquarie AirFinance closes acquisition of two Embraer 190 AR aircraft from Jetscape
DUBLIN - 28 June 2010
Macquarie AirFinance, a global aircraft leasing company based in Dublin, Ireland, announced that it has purchased two Embraer 190 AR aircraft from Jetscape, Inc. The aircraft were originally delivered in 2009 and are powered by General Electric 34-10E7 engines. Both aircraft are subject to long-term leases to Azul Linhas Aéreas Brasileiras, S.A.
John Willingham, Chief Executive Officer of Macquarie AirFinance, commented: "We are delighted to acquire these two aircraft and to welcome Azul as a customer. Since its launch in 2008, Azul has demonstrated the strength of its business model and we are pleased to have this opportunity to participate in the airline’s growth. This is our first investment in the Embraer 190 family, an aircraft type that has developed a strong and diverse global customer base."
Added John Evans, Chief Executive Officer of Jetscape: "We are pleased to have completed this transaction with Macquarie AirFinance, demonstrating our shared belief in Azul and in the growing market for Embraer’s E-Jet family among financiers, aircraft lessors and airline operators."
About Macquarie AirFinance
Macquarie AirFinance is a global aircraft leasing company providing aircraft and capital to the world’s commercial airlines, and advisory and management services to aircraft owners. Established in 2006 and headquartered in Dublin, Ireland, the company currently owns or manages 120 jet aircraft leased to 57 operators in 29 countries, across 6 continents. Macquarie Bank recently announced a purchase of 53 aircraft from ILFC, of which Macquarie AirFinance will purchase 6 and act as servicer for 47.
The serial numbers of the aircraft referenced in this release are 19000241 and 19000242.
Download PDF Press Release (PDF 66KB)
Macquarie to acquire a portfolio of aircraft from AIG's International Lease Finance Corp.
14 April 2010
Macquarie Group Limited (ASX: MQG, ADR: MQBKY) today announced that Macquarie Bank Limited (MBL) has entered into an agreement to acquire an aircraft operating lease portfolio from International Lease Finance Corporation (ILFC), a subsidiary of American International Group, Inc. (AIG).
Of the 53 aircraft that MBL has agreed to acquire from ILFC, MBL will acquire 47 aircraft for $US1,671 million (net of current cash deposits and subject to adjustments). The purchase will be funded from existing cash reserves. In connection with the transaction, MBL will transfer to Macquarie AirFinance Limited (MAF), a global aircraft leasing company of which Macquarie owns 37.5%, MBL’s right to purchase six of the 53 aircraft directly from ILFC on similar terms to MBL.
The portfolio of 47 aircraft comprises young, modern aircraft on lease to 35 airlines in 27 countries. The weighted average age of the fleet is less than 4 years and the average remaining lease term is more than 5 years. Boeing 737 Next Generation and Airbus A320 Family aircraft make up more than 70% of the portfolio. The remainder of the portfolio are in-production widebody aircraft, well suited to the operating lease market. Macquarie considers the credit quality of the lessees to be above average for an aircraft operating lease portfolio.
The acquisition builds on Macquarie’s existing leasing business in the aircraft sector and Macquarie’s substantial experience in the leasing of assets through its Corporate and Asset Finance division (CAF) which has loans and leases under management of $A13.8 billion, as at 31 December 2009 across a range of industry sectors.
Macquarie Group Chief Financial Officer, Greg Ward, said: “This transaction leverages Macquarie’s existing expertise in asset leasing, demonstrates the strength of our aircraft management capabilities and diversifies the client base of our aircraft fleet.”
Macquarie’s existing aircraft leasing business include:
- Macquarie Asset Leasing Trust, a wholly owned aircraft leasing vehicle established in 2005 which owns nine aircraft on lease to a major Australian airline; and
- MAF, a global aircraft leasing company which in 2006 purchased GATX Air, the aircraft leasing business of the GATX Corporation, and which prior to this transaction owns or manages 124 jet aircraft leased to 57 operators in 30 countries, across 6 continents.
Transaction terms and timing
MBL has agreed to acquire 53 aircraft from ILFC, but will transfer the purchase rights on six of these aircraft to MAF. The purchase price gross of current cash deposits (subject to adjustments) for the 53 aircraft under the agreement is $US1,987 million.
Completion of the transaction is expected to occur over the remainder of calendar 2010, subject to customary closing conditions. The impact on Macquarie’s regulatory capital surplus as a result of the transaction is not expected to be material.
About Macquarie
Macquarie Group (Macquarie) is a global provider of banking, financial, advisory, investment and funds management services. Macquarie’s main business focus is making returns by providing a diversified range of services to clients. Macquarie acts on behalf of institutional, corporate and retail clients and counterparties around the world. Macquarie Group Limited is listed in Australia (ASX:MQG; ADR:MQBKY) and is regulated by APRA, the Australian banking regulator, as the owner of Macquarie Bank Limited, an authorised deposit taker. Founded in 1969, Macquarie employs approximately 14,400 people in more than 70 office locations in 28 countries. Including the recent acquisition of Delaware Investments, Macquarie had assets under management of $A342 billion at 31 December 2009.
Investor enquiries:
Stuart Green
Investor Relations
Macquarie Group
Tel: (612) 8232 8845
Email: stuart.green@macquarie.com
Paula Chirhart
Corporate Communications
Macquarie Group
Tel: +1 (212) 231 1310
Email: paula.hannaford@macquarie.com