Sky-high deal draws global and boutique
DLA Piper and Norton White have advised on Bristow Helicopters’ acquisition of a major aviation operator.
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Firms: DLA Piper (Bristow Group, Inc. and subsidiary Bristow Helicopters Australia Pty Ltd); Norton White (Airnorth).
Value: Undisclosed
Area: M&A
Key players: The DLA team was led by corporate partner Lyndon Masters (pictured), with assistance from fellow partners Allan Drake-Brockman, Martin McEniery and Jim Holding. Special counsel Andrew Crean, special counsel Mark Baker-Jones and senior associate Fabrice Lincoln also worked on the deal.
Sydney firm Norton White advised Airnorth.
Deal significance: Bristow began operations in Australia in 1967 and is now the country’s largest provider of helicopter services to the oil and gas industry.
Bristow’s majority interest in Airnorth will provide Bristow Helicopters Australia with the ability to offer fixed-wing services to existing and new clients of its Australian and south east Asian operations.
The company began offering similar services in the UK last year following its acquisition of a 60 per cent interest in the privately-owned Eastern Airways International Limited.
DLA’s UK offices advised Bristow on the Eastern Airlines deal.