Sentient Jet Holdings is separating into two standalone companies with the aircraft management and charter operations, technical services and FBO business units forming one company and the jet membership, retail charter brokerage and fuel management business units forming the second company.
As part of the split, Macquarie Global Opportunities Partners (MGOP) agreed to acquire the jet membership, retail charter brokerage and fuel management businesses, which will retain the Sentient brand name. The transaction is expected to close in late August. Terms were not disclosed.
"Following a period of sustained and remarkable growth across all of our businesses, the board of managers and I concluded that the operating and capital structure of the jet membership, retail charter brokerage and fuel management programs was better suited as a separate, standalone company,” said Sentient Jet Holdings Chair and CEO of Gregory Campbell. “In choosing to sell these three businesses as a package to Macquarie, combined with the recent equity investment from our current investor group, we are ensuring the long-term success of each of our remaining businesses. We look forward to continuing the growth of our industry-leading Aircraft Management and Charter Operations Division as well as our Fixed Base Operations and Technical Services business."
MGOP will establish a new company for the acquired business units which will be led by Steven Hankin, the former CEO of Sentient. "After reviewing a range of strategic alternatives, we are confident that partnering with MGOP and Macquarie is a natural fit,” said Hankin. “With the sponsorship of Macquarie Global Opportunities Partners, this new company will be well capitalized and well positioned to continue building industry-leading jet membership, retail charter brokerage and fuel management programs under the Sentient brand."
Sentient Jet Membership currently has nearly 3,500 active members and continues to be the most flexible approach to private jet travel available in the market today. The Sentient fuel management business is a leading national volume aggregator and full service fuel management program for aircraft owners and operators and the Sentient retail charter brokerage business has rapidly emerged as one of the largest retail charter brokerage programs in the country.
“Each of these business units has a strong track record of profitable growth,” said Michael Cook, senior managing director of MGOP. “We are confident that the experienced management team and employees within these businesses, led by former Sentient CEO Steven Hankin, will be ideally positioned to manage the new company going forward."
Sentient Jet Holdings previously announced the combination of all Aircraft Management and Charter Operations into a single Division with industry veteran Jake Cartwright serving as president and CEO. This division will be rebranded upon closing. When the planned consolidation of operating certificates is completed in November 2008, there will be nearly 300 aircraft under management, more than 200 of which will be available for charter. The two companies will continue to work together in number of areas, including access to charter flights for Sentient Membership and Charter clientele and the Sentient fuel business will provide comprehensive fuel management and purchasing programs for the Aircraft Management Division.
Sentient Jet Holdings is a national provider of private aviation services for clients across the country and includes Sentient Flight Group, Inc., an FAR Part 135 air carrier, Sentient Jet, Inc., which operates the Sentient Jet Membership Program, as well as other operating subsidiaries. Importantly, the core FAR Part 135 Operating Certificate is setting a new standard for charter operations as it is the only Part 135 certificate with an FAA-accepted Safety Management System (SMS) and Air Transport Oversight System (ATOS) incorporated into an advanced manual system, bringing its safety program in line with those required of FAR Part 121 scheduled commercial airlines. Investors include CD Ventures, ABS Capital Partners, AIG, Argosy Capital, Brantley Partners and HSBC.
Macquarie Global Opportunities Partners (MGOP) is an unlisted fund focused on making private equity investments in privileged cash flow businesses globally. Established in 2007, MGOP is managed by a subsidiary of the Macquarie Group (Macquarie). Macquarie is a global provider of banking, financial, advisory, investment and funds management services.