Virgin Australia's executive leading IPO plans resigns

(Reuters) - Bain Capital-owned Virgin Australia's Chief Development Officer David Marr, who was assigned to lead the airline's plans for an eventual initial public offering (IPO), has stepped down from his role, a spokesperson said on Tuesday.

The company's Chief Financial Officer Race Strauss will now assume management of the IPO, the spokesperson said in an emailed response to Reuters.

"A significant amount of this work is now complete and while we are committed to an IPO as soon as practicable, the timing of an actual listing is dependent on capital markets conditions."

U.S. private equity firm Bain did not immediately reply to a Reuters request for comment on the announcement.

Marr, who is also a former CFO of the airline, had moved into the newly-created role of chief development officer in March. He will remain available to Virgin in an advisory capacity through the IPO process.

Last week, Reuters reported citing sources that Bain Capital had postponed IPO plans for the airline to next year.

Bain was targeting an A$1 billion ($635.70 million) listing of Virgin on the Australian Securities Exchange in November, Reuters reported in May, citing a source with direct knowledge of the matter.

Virgin Australia recorded a profit for the first time in 11 years for fiscal 2023, buoyed by a strong recovery in travel demand following the COVID-19 pandemic.

($1 = 1.5731 Australian dollars)

(Reporting by Poonam Behura in Bengaluru; Editing by Janane Venkatraman and Rashmi Aich)

By Poonam Behura