Maples Group Advises Apollo and Brookfield on acquisition of Air Lease Corporation

The Maples Group is pleased to have advised Apollo managed funds (“Apollo”) and Brookfield in connection with Sumitomo Corporation, SMBC Aviation Capital, Apollo and Brookfield’s agreement to acquire Air Lease Corporation (“Air Lease”), a leading aircraft lessor with a portfolio primarily comprising new technology aircraft.

Under the terms of the agreement, Air Lease common stockholders will receive $65.00 per share in cash, representing a total valuation of approximately $7.4 billion, or approximately $28.2 billion including debt obligations to be assumed or refinanced net of cash. Upon closing, Air Lease will be renamed Sumisho Air Lease, a newly established entity. Apollo and Brookfield provided capital to support the transaction.

The multi-jurisdictional team of finance and tax lawyers from the Group’s law firm, Maples and Calder, provided Irish and Cayman Islands legal and tax advice to Apollo and Brookfield. The Dublin based team included Andrew Quinn, Global Head of Tax; Callaghan Kennedy, Finance Partner; Colm Rafferty, Head of Corporate Ireland; and Mary O’Neill, Finance and Aviation Partner. From the firm’s Cayman Islands office, the team included Jonathon Meloy, Cayman Islands Head of Finance and Co-Head of Asset Finance and Anthony Philp, Partner.

This significant transaction, subject to customary closing conditions including approval by Air Lease’s common stockholders and receipt of certain regulatory approvals, is expected to close in the first half of 2026.