Statement re recommended acquisition - easyJet plc
Summary by AI BETAClose X
NOT FOR RELEASE, PUBLICATION OR DISTRIBUTION, DIRECTLY OR INDIRECTLY (IN WHOLE OR IN PART) IN, INTO OR FROM ANY JURISDICTION WHERE TO DO SO WOULD CONSTITUTE A VIOLATION OF THE RELEVANT LAWS OF SUCH JURISDICTION
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
6 August 2026
STATEMENT RE RECOMMENDED CASH ACQUISITION OF EASYJET PLC
Sir Stelios Haji-Ioannou notes the recent announcement by Apollo Management X, L.P. (together with Apollo Global Management, Inc. and its subsidiaries, "Apollo") regarding its firm intention on behalf of its managed funds to make an offer for easyJet plc ("easyJet").
Sir Stelios Haji-Ioannou and the other members of the Haji-Ioannou family concert party together are the largest shareholders of easyJet and have provided irrevocable undertakings to an affiliate of Apollo to support the transaction and to elect for the unlisted share alternative in respect of their entire* beneficial holdings of easyJet shares.
Sir Stelios Haji-Ioannou commented:
"Having carefully reviewed the proposal by Apollo, my family members and I have decided to support the recommended acquisition announced by the easyJet board.
I embarked on the journey of creating the easy family of brands in 1994 when I was 27 years old, starting with easyJet. In 2000, I floated easyJet plc on the London Stock Exchange in order to fund an expansion of the fleet, which has grown from 19 aircraft to 356 as at 31 March 2026. At that time I took the strategic decision to keep the ownership of the easyJet brand in my own private company, easyGroup Ltd. The ownership of the easy family of brands has generated a steady income stream for me over the last 26 years that I now use to fund my charitable giving via the Stelios Philanthropic Foundation.
I am pleased with Apollo's strategic intentions for the easyJet business, which aim to create more growth. The fact that Apollo, as one of the most well-resourced and experienced institutional investors in the world, has decided to back and grow easyJet, the leading member of the easy family of brands, is testament to the strength of the easy brand and the business model of easyGroup Ltd.
My family and I intend to remain invested as long-term major shareholders of easyJet for the next chapter in the company's journey."
Further information
As previously disclosed, the Haji-Ioannou family concert party consists of easyGroup Holdings Ltd and easyGroup Ltd (holding vehicles for Sir Stelios Haji-Ioannou), Clelia Haji-Ioannou (and her holding vehicle Clelia S.C.P.) and Hodram Inc (a holding vehicle for Polys Haji-Ioannou). In aggregate, the Haji-Ioannou family concert party holds 116,065,871 easyJet shares, representing approximately 15.31% of easyJet's issued share capital.
Sir Stelios and easyGroup® created and now own the easy® family of brands, of which easyJet is the leading brand. Further information regarding the easy family of brands can be found at www.easy.com and www.easyhistory.info.
Further information regarding the Stelios Philanthropic Foundation can be found at www.stelios.org.
* The irrevocable undertakings do not extend to 4,000 easyJet plc shares beneficially owned by easyGroup Holdings Ltd which are held via easyJet American Depositary Shares. The unlisted share alternative offered by Apollo is not available in respect of easyJet American Depositary Shares, which will therefore be sold for cash in the offer.
Enquiries
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Peel Hunt LLP (Financial Adviser to Sir Stelios Haji-Iannou and easyGroup Ltd) |
+44 (0) 20 7418 8900 |
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Michael Nicholson |
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Sam Cann |
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Tavistock (PR Adviser to Sir Stelios Haji-Iannou and easyGroup Ltd) |
+44 (0) 20 7920 3150 |
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Jos Simon |
easygroup@tavistock.co.uk |
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Macfarlanes LLP is acting as legal adviser to Sir Stelios Haji-Ioannou and easyGroup Ltd.
Important information
Peel Hunt LLP ("Peel Hunt"), which is authorised and regulated in the United Kingdom by the FCA, is acting exclusively as financial adviser to Sir Stelios Haji-Iannou and easyGroup Ltd and for no one else in connection with the matters referred to in this announcement and will not be responsible to any person other than Sir Stelios Haji-Iannou or easyGroup Ltd for providing the protections afforded to clients of Peel Hunt, nor for providing advice in relation to the matters referred to herein. Neither Peel Hunt nor any of its affiliates owes or accepts any duty, liability or responsibility whatsoever (whether direct or indirect, whether in contract, in tort, under statute or otherwise) to any person who is not a client of Peel Hunt in connection with the matters referred to in this announcement, or otherwise.
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