Gama Aviation set to acquire Hunt & Palmer
Gama Aviation expects to close a deal to acquire charter brokerage Hunt & Palmer in the coming days.
The acquisition, viewed as a “complementary” merger by both companies, will see Gama Aviation and Hunt & Palmer continue to operate as independent businesses, combining to enhance service for their respective clients where possible, Graham Williamson, MD, Gama Aviation’s Aircraft Management & Charter told CJI.
Clairfield International acted as corporate advisor to Hunt & Palmer. No financial details of the acquisition have been disclosed.
“The Hunt & Palmer brand is amazing, the people are amazing, they’ve got a wonderful team. There are a lot of complementary areas where they’ll bring a lot of value to us because they’re in a different world,” said Williamson.
“We’re not here to merge; we’re here to improve and to enhance. We really think that the Hunt & Palmer brand is really important. We need to keep it. It is business as usual,” he added. Gama’s managed fleet will not be available for charter through Hunt & Palmer. Also, brand and staff will see no changes following the transaction’s completion.
Established in 1986, Hunt & Palmer is a well-respected aircraft charter broking businesses with operations in business aviation, commercial, music touring, through the Premier Aviation brand, and cargo. It has brokers in the UK, USA, Hong Kong and Australia.
Jeremy Palmer, co-founder of Hunt & Palmer said: “When we started Hunt & Palmer in 1986, we didn’t imagine 40 years later it would grow to be one the most respected, award-winning businesses in the sector. It is a testament to the hard work and commitment our staff that an admired entity such as Gama Aviation are keen to add Hunt & Palmer to their stable.”
The acquisition broadens Gama’s portfolio by giving the operator “a wide range of access points in terms of global reach and experience”, said Williamson.
“They’re complementary to what we do,” he reiterated. “As well as business aviation and tours for the music industry Hunt & Palmer also have experience in the cargo and freight world and in the commercial airline world. We are an operator, we’re an airline, we have AOCs, we have CAMO functions, we have 24/7 dispatch. These are all things that would complement not only executive aviation, but equally the other divisions as well.”
Gama Aviation Group CEO Marwan Khalek highlighted the long-standing relationship between the two companies which were both founded in the 1980s (Gama in 1983) and have been doing business since.
Williamson also pointed to this. He said it was a “natural step” for Gama to acquire Hunt & Palmer. “There’s a lot of synergies; it’s in our DNA to invest in people and play the long game. It was a natural fit,” he added.
Judging what success will look like in a year from now, Williamson said it will be decided upon a number of factors.
“Profitability will be one measure, but it’s important to us that we facilitate and support this business,” he explained. “We will look for opportunities to bring together our different areas of expertise. We have a big footprint in the Middle East, which Hunt & Palmer don’t have. So, global expansion in terms of tackling new markets and leveraging our airline and AOCs and technical expertise to support the products and services here.
“Success for me is that both businesses continue to thrive and we see more integration and more opportunities as a result.”
