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Air Charter Service

Deal Announcement: Corbett Keeling advised Air Charter Service Ltd on a management buy-out

Corbett Keeling is delighted to announce that Air Charter Service Ltd (“ACS”), a global provider of executive jet, commercial jet and cargo aircraft chartering services, has completed a successful share buy-back.  Corbett Keeling originally advised Chris and Tina Leach, founders and owners of ACS, on the sale of a minority stake in their business to Alcuin Capital in 2016 and are now delighted to have been able to help them and their management arrange an exit for Alcuin, in a second transaction, some six years later.

About the deal:
Funding for the transaction was negotiated with multiple sources and, despite headwinds arising from a challenging economic landscape post-Covid, Corbett Keeling worked with the key stakeholders to structure a lending package that best suited the interests of ACS, ultimately arranging a multi-tranche solution with two lenders.

About Air Charter Service:
ACS is a global provider of executive jet, commercial jet and cargo aircraft chartering services. Founded by Chris Leach in 1990, it has grown to operate from multiple offices across six continents. Since its inception, the company has gone from strength to strength and now provides a full suite of services covering private, group and cargo charter, as well as a range of specialist chartering solutions.

What the deal participants said

“Know your objectives and get a guide through the process, a straight guide like Jim.  Trying to do a sale process on your own is just reckless. Honestly, they’ve [Corbett Keeling] done it a thousand times. You absolutely have to have someone inside the process like Jim.  To this day my judgement was the right thing... to trust Jim.”
Chris Leach, Founder, Air Charter Service

“Chris and Tina Leach have built a very successful business and it has been an absolute pleasure to work with Chris on this second transaction. At Corbett Keeling, we love to work with our past clients and feel privileged to have helped Chris sell his business twice. We are excited to see what’s in store for the future of Air Charter Service”
Jim Keeling, Chairman and Chief Executive, Corbett Keeling

See what our clients say about us

It’s not a process that we could have done on our own and certainly the final outcome we would never have achieved if we hadn’t had [Corbett Keeling] on board.

Karen RaquetFounder

I am delighted that our paths crossed which has resulted in concrete futures for all my family and the remaining companies in the Group. Your dedication in seeking out our requirements was resolute. I would have no hesitation in recommending the sincere professionalism of Corbett Keeling. Many thanks from the Nicol/Antczak Families.

Maurice NicolFounder

It was a pleasure dealing with Jim Keeling and his team throughout the process. We wanted to find the right partners and to do the right deal for us - Corbett Keeling delivered just that.

Chris LeachChairman and Founder

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