"Following careful consideration of Apollo's proposal, my family and I have decided to support the proposed acquisition, as announced by the Board of Directors of easyJet. At the same time, we will remain shareholders in the private company that will result following easyJet's delisting from the London Stock Exchange.
The journey of the easy family of brands began in 1994, when, at the age of 27, I founded easyJet, the first brand in the easy family. In 2000, I listed easyJet plc on the London Stock Exchange to secure the funding required to expand the company's fleet, which has grown from 19 aircraft at the time to approximately 356 today. During the same period, I made the strategic decision to retain ownership of the easyJet trademark through my private company, easyGroup Ltd. Ownership of the easy family of brands has provided me with a steady stream of income over the past 26 years, which I am now able to use to support the charitable work of the Stelios Philanthropic Foundation.
I welcome Apollo's strategic vision for easyJet, which is aimed at creating new growth opportunities for the company. The fact that Apollo, one of the world's leading and most experienced institutional investors, has chosen to support and invest in the growth of easyJet, the flagship member of the easy family of brands, provides strong validation of the value of the easy brand and the strength of easyGroup Ltd's business model.
My family and I intend to remain significant long-term shareholders in easyJet, supporting the next chapter in the company's journey."
