New consortium invests in Russian Helicopters

Russian Helicopters Ka-62

A newly-formed consortium of leading Middle Eastern funds has finalised a deal to acquire minority stake in Russian Helicopters.

Russian Direct Investment Fund (RDIF) formed the consortium and plans to acquire a 12% stake in the helicopter design and manufacturing company.

The sale of the 12% stake will come alongside an investment of $300 million and a subsequent increase to $600 million.

Kirill Dmitriev, CEO of RDIF, said: “Russian Helicopters has established itself as one of the world’s leading helicopter manufacturers with a growing presence in key emerging markets. The RDIF consortium’s investment in Russian Helicopters will enable the company to continue its expansion into new markets, particularly in the Middle East, thanks to the participation of our partners from the region. Russian Helicopters is an attractive long-term investment opportunity with significant growth potential.”

The investment will be “necessary” for the implementation of Russian Helicopter’s company strategy. The strategy includes the development of new helicopters, financing possible M&A activities and implementing a new investment program.

Andrey Boginsky, CEO of Russian Helicopters, said: “Russian Helicopters aims to strengthen its position as a leader in the global helicopter market through the continued development of new products, the provision of a leading after-sales service and a focus on expanding operations into new emerging markets. The consortium of investors, led by RDIF, will allow us to accelerate the implementation of our growth strategy.”