Sir Stelios and family to remain easyJet shareholders after £5.7bn Apollo deal

Business economyTop News Sir Stelios and family to remain easyJet shareholders after £5.7bn Apollo deal Sir Stelios Easyjet 1024x683 Relevant News Sir Stelios and family to remain easyJet shareholders after £5.7bn Apollo deal 8 August 2026 Ten-year-old Cypriot pianist wins Grand Prix in London 8 August 2026 Two men arrested in Ayia Napa after police find 300 laughing gas capsules 8 August 2026 Charalambos Zakos 8 August 2026 FacebookXWhatsAppEmailPrintViber Sir Stelios Haji-Ioannou and his family will remain shareholders in easyJet following its £5.7 billion acquisition by Apollo, the entrepreneur said in a written statement, while expressing support for the airline’s board over the deal. The family also intends to retain its stake after easyJet leaves the London Stock Exchange. “My family and I intend to maintain our position as significant long-term shareholders of easyJet, supporting the next chapter of the company’s journey,” Sir Stelios said. He also described Apollo’s decision to invest in the growth of easyJet, the leading member of the easy family of brands, as a strong endorsement of the value of the easy brand and the strength of easyGroup Ltd’s business model. Apollo, one of the world’s largest investment groups, has agreed to acquire easyJet for £5.7 billion, or around $7.7 billion. From easyJet to the easy family of brands Sir Stelios founded easyJet in 1994 at the age of 27, marking the beginning of what later became the “easy family of brands”. In 2000, he took easyJet plc public on the London Stock Exchange, providing the airline with additional funding that helped support its further expansion. The carrier now has a fleet of 356 aircraft, compared with 19 at the time. Sir Stelios has previously said he decided to retain ownership of the easyJet trademark through his private company, easyGroup Ltd, which has generated significant income for the family over the years. The £5.7 billion value of the acquisition and Apollo’s entry into easyJet underline the value being placed on the airline and its prospects for further growth. Philanthropy remains part of the picture Alongside his business activities, Sir Stelios is also known for his philanthropic work. In his statement on the easyJet deal, he said ownership of the “easy family of brands” had created a steady stream of income over the past 26 years, which he can use to fund the Stelios Philanthropic Foundation. How the Apollo deal was secured The agreement followed a competitive bidding process that also involved US investment firm Castlelake. Apollo had submitted an informal £5.7 billion proposal, which easyJet had already assessed as offering a “better outcome” for shareholders than Castlelake’s offer of just over £5 billion. Under UK takeover rules, both bidders had until Friday to submit revised offers. However, Castlelake announced on Thursday that, after careful consideration, it would not submit an improved bid, effectively clearing the way for Apollo. Shortly afterwards, the boards of easyJet and Apollo announced that they had reached agreement on the terms of the proposed all-cash acquisition, valuing easyJet at £5.7 billion, or about $7.7 billion. Who is Apollo? Apollo is a US investment firm active in areas including private equity and financing. Founded in 1990, it now manages more than $1 trillion in assets. Its investment in easyJet is not its first involvement in aviation. The group has experience in the sector through direct investments as well as aircraft financing and leasing. An Apollo-led investment group previously acquired air cargo company Atlas Air, while Apollo has also invested in Aeroméxico and, in the past, Sun Country Airlines. Through PK AirFinance and its wider Skylign platform, it is also involved in aircraft financing and leasing. In 2026, Apollo took part in the acquisition of Air Lease Corporation, one of the world’s largest aircraft leasing companies. Subscribe to our Newsletter Latest News Ten-year-old Cypriot pianist wins Grand Prix in London Two men arrested in Ayia Napa after police find 300 laughing gas capsules Monk faces attempted murder investigation after monastery attack in Paphos Motorcycle rallies mark 30 years since the killings of Isaak and Solomou €5.3m Pattichion Park overhaul completed after months of controversy New Colombia president pledges robust fight against crime, fiscal austerity in maiden speech Erhürman’s room for manoeuvre stops where Ankara’s interests begin Follow en.philenews on Google News and be the first to know all the news about Cyprus and the world.