Jim O'Sullivan steps up as Edinburgh Airport chief flies the coop

However, Brown, 42, denied uncertainty over BAA's impending forced sale of either Edinburgh or Glasgow airport was a factor in his decision to quit.

He insisted he had always wanted to work in Australia, and running Cairns and Mackay airports in north Queensland was a "once in a lifetime offer". His sister lives in Cairns.

Brown will be succeeded next month by Jim O'Sullivan, BAA's technical standards and assurance director, and a former Concorde general manager for British Airways.

Brown, who was previously managing director of Aberdeen Airport, has overseen Edinburgh returning to passenger growth after dips during the recession. Its 9.1 million annual passenger total has grown by 5.4 per cent over the past year.

This has been assisted by continued expansion by no-frills airlines Ryanair, which has 37 routes at Edinburgh, and EasyJet, Scotland's biggest carrier.

However, airport owner BAA has still to decide which of its two main Scottish airports to sell under a long-standing ruling by the Competition Commission, which it may yet further contest. Aviation experts believe uncertainty remains because BAA may ultimately decide to sell Edinburgh if it cannot get a good price for Glasgow before the final deadline it is given.

That would place a question mark over the future of the head of the airport which is sold, who is likely to be replaced by the new owners.

Brown's predecessor, Gordon Dewar, left last August to run Bahrain airport. He in turn took over from David Johnston in 2009, who was promoted to become BAA's group procurement director.

Johnston followed Richard Jeffrey, who left in 2007 and subsequently became chief executive of Edinburgh tram developers Tie, before resigning in May.

Brown said: "Only a once in a lifetime offer could take me away from Edinburgh Airport.

"Working in Australia has been a lifelong dream of mine and it's made extra special by the fact that I have family in Cairns."