8 May 2012, Hong Kong – China Aircraft Leasing Holdings Limited (“CALC” or “The Company”) and China Aerospace Investment Holdings Limited (航天投资控股有限公司 or “CAIH”) have completed an equity subscription of CALC shares as CALC introduces CAIH as a strategic investor to help advance CALC’s development.
Dr. Poon Ho Man, Chief Executive Officer of CALC, said: “We are pleased to establish a strategic partnership with CAIH and are looking forward to enhancing competiveness and influence of Chinese leasing companies in the international market through this partnership. The investment by CAIH will help enriching CALC’s shareholder structure, better leverage the company’s dominant position as the country’s largest independent aircraft leasing company, and meet the ever-changing needs of clients in China’s booming aircraft leasing market.”
CAIH acquired an 8.05% interest in CALC through its wholly-owned subsidiary. CALC has developed a proactive strategy for high growth and plans to expand its fleet to 100 aircraft over the next three years. As a strategic investor of CALC, CAIH is able to provide strong support for its future development and expansion. CALC, a young and rapidly growing Chinese company, is committed to becoming a leading leasing company in the Greater China region and to increase the international influence of Chinese leasing companies. The equity investment by CAIH in CALC will further expand the scope of cooperation, and enable exploitation of complementary advantages to achieve a win-win scenario for the partners. This in turn will facilitate the implementation of China’s economic policy to boost the development of Chinese enterprises.
Over the last two years, CALC has introduced China Everbright Limited (“CEL”) as well as CAIH as its strategic investors. These investments have resulted in CALC becoming a leasing company invested by state-owned enterprises, and have laid a solid foundation for the fast expansion of CALC’s fleet, so as to increase its market share and enhance the influence of China’s aircraft leasing industry to the global market. Following the introduction of CAIH as a shareholder, Friedmann Pacific Asset Management Company Limited and CEL hold an approximately 48% and 44% equity interest respectively in CALC.
About China Aircraft Leasing Holdings Limited (“CALC”)
Founded in 2006, China Aircraft Leasing Holdings Limited (“CALC”) is a fast-growing, leading commercial aircraft lessor It’s objective is to provide comprehensive all-round aircraft financing and leasing services as well as fleet management solutions to leading airlines in China, Asia and ultimately throughout the world. CALC aims at delivering the best service to its clients based on its in-depth experience in aircraft leasing and profound understanding of the markets. CALC has currently assets in excess of $700m. With its headquarter in Hong Kong and offices in Beijing, Shenzhen and Shanghai , China, Dublin, Ireland and Toulouse, France, CALC is a global business.
About China Aerospace Investment Holdings Ltd (“CAIH”)
China Aerospace Investment Holdings Ltd (“CAIH”) was established in 2006 and is committed to industry incubation, capital operation, strategic mergers and acquisitions, and investment and financing services. At the end of 2011, CAIH had a total asset value of RMB 5.7 billion, managed capital of RMB 13.3 billion, its major shareholder is China Aerospace Science and Technology Corporation (“CASC”) which is a government-managed large enterprise group. Authorized by China Aerospace Science and Technology Corporation (“CASC”), CAIH is a vehicle for investment management, capital operation and strategic cooperation. CAIH focuses its investments on aerospace-related industries. To date, it holds or participates in 35 projects with a total investment volume of RMB 5.3 billion. In 2010, CAIH launched an equity investment fund with a total investment volume of RMB 5 billion which focuses on aerospace technology investment, and simultaneously established China Aerospace Industry Investment Fund Management Co., Ltd with the controlling interest held by CAIH. In 2011, together with Suzhou High-tech and Zhejiang Xinhu, it initiated the establishment of both the Aerospace Venture Capital Fund and the Aeropspace Internet of Things Fund. In the same year, CAIH established an overseas subsidiary Easy Smart.
