Bristow Nears $105 Million Berry Aviation Deal to Expand Government Services

Q: With a key executive retiring, who will steer Bristow's $105 million government services expansion to success?

Bristow has not yet named the person who will lead the expansion after Alan Corbett retires, so for now the effort is being steered by current management, led by CEO Chris Bradshaw, while Corbett remains in place through the transition. Corbett, Bristow’s chief operating officer for government services, is set to retire at the end of 2026. He has been a central figure in building the unit, helping secure major long-term contracts including the UK search-and-rescue program, the Irish Coast Guard contract, and the Netherlands and Dutch Caribbean Coast Guard work. Bristow has said he will stay on until a successor is appointed and support a structured handover. That means the immediate answer is a combination of continuity and search: Corbett is still overseeing the business in the near term, Bradshaw is driving the broader strategy, and Bristow has launched a global executive search to find the next government services leader. The Berry Aviation deal fits directly into that strategy. Bristow is buying the company for $105 million in cash to deepen its government services footprint and add more recurring revenue tied to multi-year contracts. The company appears financially able to absorb the acquisition, with nearly $394 million in liquidity as of March 31, and its government services segment is already growing, with quarterly revenue rising to about $108 million. So, until a successor is named, Bradshaw and Corbett are the executives most responsible for steering the expansion.

1 articles · Updated · Bloomberg · Jun 23

$105 million in cash would give Bristow Group control of privately held Berry Aviation, with people familiar saying the companies are finalizing the acquisition.
Berry is being sold by private equity firm Acorn Capital Management, and the deal would deepen Bristow’s push into government services.
Recurring revenue is a key target for Bristow, with the acquisition expected to strengthen steadier income streams beyond its existing aviation services business.