Optus CEO Kelly Bayer Rosmarin has announced her resignation. Bayer Rosmarin said her departure was in the best interest of the company's future.

In the wake of Bayer Rosmarin's departure, Optus has appointed CFO Michael Venter as interim CEO while the search for a new CEO begins. This move ensures continuity in leadership and strategic direction as the company navigates this transition.

"We recognise the need for Optus to regain customer trust and confidence as the team works through the impact and consequences of the recent outage and continues to improve. Optus' priority is about setting on a path of renewal for the benefit of the community and customers," Singtel Group CEO Yuen Kuan Moon said.

In a statement, Bayer Rosmarin said: 'On Friday I had the opportunity to appear before the Senate to expand on the cause of the network outage and how Optus recovered and responded. I was also able to communicate Optus' commitment to restore trust and continue to serve customers. Having now had time for some personal reflection, I have come to the decision that my resignation is in the best interest of Optus moving forward.'

Her leadership during the pandemic was acknowledged by Moon, who thanked Bayer Rosmarin. He noted the importance of network resiliency and security, expressing confidence in the Optus team's ability to regain customer trust and confidence.

"Optus appointed Kelly at the beginning of the pandemic, and we acknowledge her leadership, commitment and hard work throughout what has been a challenging period and thank her for her dedication and service to Optus," Moon said. "Kelly has always led with integrity and had all stakeholders' best interests at heart. We understand her decision and wish her the very best in her future endeavours."

Adding to the executive shuffle, Peter Kaliaropoulos, a veteran global telecommunications executive and former Optus Business Managing Director, will join Optus as Chief Operating Officer on 22 November 2023. Kaliaropoulos' extensive experience in the telecommunications sector is expected to bring a fresh perspective and strategic insight to the company's operations.