Wafra Closes Acquisition of Aquila Air Capital

NEW YORK--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Aquila Air Capital (“Aquila”), a leading engine lessor, announced today that Wafra Inc. (“Wafra”), a New York-based, global alternative asset manager, completed the acquisition of its platform from Warburg Pincus.

Wafra entered into a definitive agreement to acquire a controlling interest in Aquila on October 18, 2024. Since then, Wafra has received all customary regulatory approvals to complete the transaction.

"We are pleased to announce the successful closing of our platform’s acquisition by Wafra,” commented Al Wood, Chief Executive Officer of Aquila Air Capital. “This investment is a significant endorsement of our team’s hard work and the value our platform brings to the market. Our team is thrilled about the future growth prospects the partnership with Wafra will provide, enabling us to accelerate our expansion, introduce new offerings, and broaden our global customer base."

“We are excited to close our acquisition of Aquila Air Capital and launch the next phase of its growth in partnership with Al and the entire Aquila team,” said Edward Tsai, Managing Director, Wafra. “The demand fundamentals for Aquila’s business in particular, and aviation equipment finance more broadly, are strong. Aquila is well positioned to continue successfully serving its global customer base.”

ATLAS SP Partners, the warehouse finance and securitized products business majority owned by Apollo funds, provided a credit facility to support the acquisition of Aquila and fund its future growth.

Evercore served as Aquila’s financial advisor, and Kirkland & Ellis LLP provided legal counsel. Sidley Austin LLP served as legal counsel to Wafra.

About Wafra

Wafra is a global alternative investment manager with approximately $28 billion of assets under management across a range of alternative assets, including real assets, real estate, and strategic partnerships. By providing flexible and accretive capital solutions and focusing on long-term partnerships, Wafra aligns and partners with high quality asset owners, companies, and management teams. Headquartered in New York, Wafra has additional offices in London and Bermuda. www.wafra.com

About Aquila Air Capital

Founded in 2021, Aquila Air Capital (“Aquila”) is a specialty finance platform focused on providing aviation asset financing, as well as purchasing and leasing aircraft and engines. Led by a management team with decades of experience in the aerospace and aviation industries, Aquila is a trusted partner to all players in the value chain, from buyers and sellers of assets to operators in need of creative and timely solutions for their critical business needs. www.AquilaAirCapital.com