Asia's ASA Group and L'VOYAGE agree merger
Tuesday 29th May 2018
• Creates ALLAVITA to combine expertise in air charter and ground services
• Responds to demands from new generation of travellers
Asia's leading business aviation specialists, the ASA Group and L'VOYAGE, announced today at EBACE, they are to merge their operations, capitalizing on the region's double-digit growth for private jet charter and on-the-ground services.
They will combine under a new brand - ALLAVITA - meaning 'towards a good life', reflecting that private jet usage in the region is shifting with more high net worth, younger individuals chartering for leisure - than ever before.
ALLAVITA Holdings Ltd will hold interests in ASA's ground handling supervision, security, protection and luxury concierge services, plus L'VOYAGE's expertise in travel curation and private jet charter activity. L'VOYAGE will take over all charter and luxury services activity, with ASA focusing on handling, permits and security.
The combined business will merge staff from both companies and continue to have its HQ in Hong Kong, plus offices in China, Thailand, Singapore, Malaysia, Indonesia and The Philippines.
Since 1999 ASA, founded by chairman Simon Wagstaff, has focused on FBO and charter service, security knowledge, travel risk management, including journey planning and lifestyle service. With the latter. ASA has enjoyed a long and close association with Remote Lands, Inc in New York and Simon is a small minority shareholder in the business.
L'VOYAGE's strength is its ability to have direct access to ultra HNWI across the region and tailor charter and lifestyle solutions to their needs. During the four and a half years of its existence it has built up a strong and loyal international client base.
Simon will oversee all operational expertise as chairman of ALLAVITA, ASA Group and L'VOYAGE, supported by his long serving senior management colleague Julie Ambrose, who becomes Chief Operating Officer. L'VOYAGE founder, Diana Chou, will continue to be chairman of her DGA Group, overseeing the business' unique bespoke customer relationships and data technology of her aviation portfolio.
"Over the next six months we are looking forward to consolidating our sales and on-the-ground operations to offer our clients a wider range of services in Greater China and South East Asia," added Simon Wagstaff.
Asia's business aircraft fleet is expected to grow further by a compound annual growth rate of 13% in Greater China, 12% in South Asia and 6% in Asia Pacific up to 2027, according to a recent study by the European Business Aviation Association (EBAA).
A wide concern however, is that the expansion of specialised aviation talent is not keeping up. "Enticing new talent is the biggest challenge we face in Asia. Combining our skillsets, and encouraging more young people into the sector is one of our key objectives within this partnership," said Diana Chou.
Business aviation travel in Asia is still dominated by the luxury travel demands of its billionaires, she noted. In 2017, billionaires in Asia outnumbered their US counterparts for the first time. A joint report by UBS Group AG and PwC estimates that on average, a new billionaire is created in Asia every two days. The total number of Asian billionaires rose by almost a quarter to 637 in 2017, compared with 563 in the US, with China being the lead source of new billionaires. (source)
"South Asia and Greater China are expected to lead global growth with 5.7% and 4.6% CAGR over the next 20 years, respectively, so Asia's business aviation sector needs to catch up compared with other markets. Switzerland for example, has at least three registered business jets per billionaire, compared with less than one jet per billionaire in China currently. ALLAVITA is our response to this exciting development and enticing the new super class travellers," Diana added.
About ASA Group
The ASA Group caters to the travel and security needs of international dignitaries and celebrities, including Royalty, Heads of State and senior government members. Its service capabilities include private jet FBO and charter services, security services, travel risk management, journey management planning, lifestyle services and travel experiences. These often involve challenging situations and multi-location projects. ASA enjoys a very high proportion of repeat business through satisfied clients.
ASA provides expert ground and flight support services to passengers and crews of VIP aircraft at over 1,000 airports in Asia, proactively managing every aspect of the journey. ASA coordinates all third-party services including: CIQ, VOA, flight plan and weather brief delivery, fuel, catering, hangar arrangements, cleaning, aircraft security, line maintenance facilitation, crew and passengers' transportation and hotel reservations. The company also offers expertise in obtaining over-flight and landing permits, slots as well as parking for non-scheduled, diplomatic and medevac flights.
ASA's luxury team offers clients luxury lifestyle experiences and VIP concierge services throughout Asia. Through ASA's network of partners, the company can arrange access to exclusive events or difficult-to-reach places providing the highest level of personalized service.
In addition, ASA provides corporate security consulting, technical surveys and investigations to numerous blue-chip companies, having operated throughout the Asian, Central Asian & Middle Eastern regions and elsewhere, including Saudi Arabia, Iraq, Libya, Kuwait, Bahrain and Egypt, Russia, Uzbekistan, Kazakhstan, Tajikistan and Azerbaijan.
The ASA Group has also consulted to several UK and USA-based oil and drilling companies operating in the Asian region and elsewhere, including Bangladesh, Pakistan, India, Malaysia, Indonesia, the Philippines, Egypt and Turkey.
About L'VOYAGE
L'VOYAGE is a bespoke private jet chartering company based in Hong Kong with a long heritage in serving discerning corporate travelers and jet-setters. Part of a specialist business aviation group that launched in 1999, L'VOYAGE offers unrivalled access to aircraft options and landing destinations, coupled with highly personalised hospitality. L'VOYAGE is also the first Wyvern approved broker in Asia and was named Best Charter Broker by industry peers at the Asian Business Aviation Association IoA 2017 aviation awards.
Who's who at ALLITAVIA
Diana CHOU, Chairman, DGA Group
Diana Chou is founder and chairman of Dragon General Aviation Group which comprises three aviation companies - L'VOYAGE, Aerochine Aviation and Aero Infinity.
Diana became the first woman to sell private jets in Asia, entering the Asian general aviation industry in 1999 as the official sales representative for Bombardier Business Aircraft. She later expanded her expertise into helicopters to represent Textron Bell Helicopter.
Diana's three operational companies are now under the Dragon General Aviation Group (DGA), the only company in Asia Pacific to offer a spectrum of solutions supporting general aviation in the region. DGA holds interests in L'VOYAGE, a Hong Kong-based private jet charter company; Aerochine, the official Greater China representative and Customer Service Facility for Bell Helicopter; and Aero Infinity, an aviation financing and consulting company, based in South East Asia. Together, the Group covers the full range of general aviation aircraft, from jets to turboprops and helicopters, and operates through seven offices in Hong Kong, Beijing, Shanghai, Shenzhen, Ningbo, Zhenjiang and Singapore.
Diana is a founding member and has been honoured as a Member Board of Governors of Asian Business Aviation Association (AsBAA) and was awarded 'Businesswoman Leader of the Year' by AsBAA in 2015. Her companies consistently receive awards and accolades including 'Best Charter Broker 2017.' In 2010 and 2012, Diana was named "Women Entrepreneur of the Year" by the All China Women's Federation.
Holding numerous advisory roles in Asia's business and aviation sectors, Diana Chou is a strong advocate for better aviation standards to develop talent in the fast-developing general aviation industry in Asia.
Diana holds senior positions at the following Associations: Member Board of Governors, AsBAA; Director of etc, director of The Pacific Basin Economic Council, council member of The Better HK Foundation, board member of The General Association of Zhejiang Entrepreneurs, vice chairman of HK & Mainland International Investment Society and CPPCC member of Ningbo CPPCC. She is also a board member of Kuo Hsueh-Hu Foundation.
Simon P. Wagstaff, Chairman
Simon P Wagstaff started his aviation career after retiring from the British army in 1993 where he was latterly Senior Bomb Disposal Officer. He joined Guardforce Group in Hong Kong as Manager - Corporate Security, a responsibility that involved carrying out detailed security audits and technical surveys on all Guardforce's security operations in Hong Kong, Macau, Taiwan, Singapore, Thailand and the Philippines.
He went on to launch a new aviation security & manpower business for ICTS Asia Pacific, owned by the Guardforce Group, as Managing Director in the Philippines, managing all security services in Manila Airport for both United and Northwest Airlines.
This extensive experience stood him in good stead when he launched The ASA Group in 1999, a business which now has offices in Hong Kong, Thailand, Malaysia, Singapore, Philippines and Indonesia and operations in over 20 countries.
With over 42 years in the military, security, and aviation arena, the last 29 years of which have been in Asia, Simon is one of very few people with such a broad range, and depth, of experience in the Asia Pacific Region.
Frequently traveling the world on business development and consulting projects, Simon also sits on the following boards of directors; PT ASA Indonesia as President Director, ASA (Thailand) LTD as Managing Director, ASA Malaysia Sdn Bhd as Director, ASA South China Ltd as Director, ASA Singapore PTE LTD as Director, Amersfort Holdings (BVI) Ltd as Director, Spearpoint Group Singapore PTE as Director and Remote Lands Inc. New York as Advisory Director and shareholder.
The ASA Group, of which he is CEO and Chairman, provides unique travel and security services to support numerous economic sectors and some of the world's most famous individuals with clients ranging from energy, banking, insurance, gaming, technology, manufacturing, retail and travel to high-profile executives, entertainers, sports stars, heads of state, dignitaries and diplomats. Its comprehensive travel and event management services can be customized to meet their needs for safe, enjoyable and productive trips, with these personalized services maintaining the highest standards. ASA is ISBAH, ISBAO and TRACE certified, as well as being members of NBAA, EBAA, AsBAA and ASIS. ASA is also Wyvern and Argus registered, internationally recognized as the gold standard for charter brokers.
Julie Ambrose, COO
Julie Ambrose has been with The ASA Group for the last eight years, most recently serving as Director of Aviation. She will be the COO of the new ALLITAVIA. Her role covers overseeing all flight operations and services throughout 15 countries that The ASA Group provides services to, as well as overseeing global charter flight operations.
Prior to joining The ASA Group, Julie worked in both commercial and general aviation sectors. Joining the aviation sector over 20 years ago she has had roles ranging from flight coordinator, FBO CSR Manager, aircraft sales, corporate & commercial flight attendant, airline CSR & ground operations. Her last role was as West Coast Representative of Air Routing International / Rockwell Collins, before moving to Bangkok in 2010 to join The ASA Group.
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