SIRIUS Aviation Capital secures ITOCHU Corporation as strategic shareholder amid surging demand for mid-life aircraft

ABU DHABI / TOKYO, 23 June 2026 – SIRIUS Aviation Capital Holdings (SIRIUS), a dedicated aviation investment manager headquartered in Abu Dhabi Global Market (ADGM), today announced that ITOCHU Corporation (ITOCHU) has taken a strategic shareholding in the business. ITOCHU joins existing shareholder Abu Dhabi Catalyst Partners (ADCP), the Abu Dhabi-based strategic investment platform jointly owned by Mubadala Capital and Alpha Wave Global.

The investment comes against a backdrop of structural change in the global aviation market. New aircraft deliveries have slowed significantly in recent years, while next-generation single-aisle aircraft engines require more frequent, expensive maintenance events than projected. The result has been sustained demand for capacity that mid-life aircraft are well placed to meet. Mid-life aircraft represent approximately 42% of the global commercial fleet by unit count — the largest single segment, ahead of newer-generation aircraft at 30% and the remainder of the fleet at 28%.

SIRIUS was built around this opportunity, providing end-to-end investment management services across aircraft acquisition, lease management and remarketing, and has transacted over US$1.2bn of aviation assets on behalf of its capital partners since its launch in 2019.

ITOCHU’s investment reflects the strength of that platform and the scale of the opportunity it is pursuing. ITOCHU manages a portfolio of over 90 aircraft and engines globally and has been active in the aviation sector for decades, bringing deep industry relationships and access to Asian markets. The partnership, alongside the continued support of ADCP, deepens SIRIUS’s reach and capital base as it pursues further growth.

Edward Coughlan, Chairman and CEO of SIRIUS, said: “The ITOCHU investment will enhance our capabilities and offerings, delivering increased value to our capital partners and airline customers worldwide. SIRIUS’s DNA lies in mid-life aircraft, which offer risk-adjusted returns to investors and continue to serve as the backbone and workhorse of commercial air travel.”

Yu Takahashi, General Manager in Aerospace Department of ITOCHU, added: “We have known the Sirius team for many years and are pleased to formalise our partnership through this investment. Together with the team at Abu Dhabi Catalyst Partners, we will support Sirius’s next phase of growth, drawing on ITOCHU’s deep network and decades of experience across the global aviation sector.”