Newspaper the Australian Financial Review has speculated that Virgin Australia (ASX:VAH) chairman Neil Chatfield is in line to lead the country's largest privately-owned fruit and vegetable company.

Neil Chatfield

The story reported Chatfield would likely help the Costa Group in its plans to list on the Australian Stock Exchange (ASX).

Costa has appointed UBS and Goldman Sachs to investigate potential options for its family owners - who currently hold 50% of the company with the other half owned by U.S. private equity group Paine & Partners - too offload their stake.

The story reported sources close to the company said Chatfield would likely succeed founder Frank Costa, who is set to take a step back under the new ownership.

Chatfield is already a director at the Costa Group and has been on the Virgin board since 2006, but in October last year the executive announced he would be standing down from his chairman role with the airline.

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