Clyde & Co has advised Gama Aviation Plc ("Gama Aviation") on the acquisition of a 51% interest held by Jet Set Equity Partners ("Jet Set") in Gama Group MENA ("Gama MENA") in the United Arab Emirates. Following the acquisition, Gama Aviation now owns 100% of Gama MENA.

Gama Aviation is a global business aviation services company listed on the Alternative Investment Markets of the London Stock Exchange. In 2008, Gama Aviation and Jet Set agreed to establish a start-up operation in the Middle East to provide Air and Ground services in the region. Jet Set is a consortium of regional private equity investors. Gama Aviation is now one of the top three global players with a fleet of over 250 aircraft, operating across Europe, the US, the Middle East, Asia and Africa.

Clyde & Co supported Gama Aviation throughout the course of the transaction, assisting with the negotiation, share transfer considerations and implementation of the full acquisition.

    Naji Hawayek, Corporate Partner at Clyde & Co in Dubai comments: "This deal is one of the rare cross-border aviation transactions between Europe and the Middle East. The UAE has gained significant traction in the aviation sector over the years. Its unique location and recent developments make it an outstanding platform for high-end business aviation services, offering exclusive growth opportunities for specialists like Gama MENA. We leveraged our M&A experience and strong knowledge of the local market to advise on and complete this transaction."

The Clyde & Co team was led by Naji Hawayek, who was assisted by Panagiotis Dermatis (Associate - Corporate) and Marwa El Gazzar (FDI Specialist – Corporate).

Clyde & Co has the largest corporate legal practice in the Middle East with 20 partners and over 70 experienced lawyers who have forged a reputation as a go-to firm for M&A and JV transactions. Clyde & Co has assisted clients in realising their investments, gaining access to new markets through organic growth/strategic acquisitions and in achieving their corporate objectives for more than 25 years in its key focus sectors of insurance, education, energy, healthcare and defence & security.

Clyde & Co also has a pre-eminent and long-standing reputation in the aviation sector. Its specialist aviation finance team in the Middle East is led by Michael Nelson and acts for airlines, lessors, financial institutions, investors and other market participants on transactions involving both business and commercial aircraft.