MUMBAI: Veteran media executive Tony D?Silva has decided to hang up his boots as the CEO of Sun Group, the Chennai-based media-to-aviation conglomerate, sources close to the development told Indiantelevision.

 D?Silva, who joined Sun Group as the COO of its direct-to-home (DTH) business Sun Direct in September 2007, is planning to relocate to Mumbai to explore opportunities in the distribution space, adds the source.

His last day at Sun Group is 31 July.

Efforts to reach Sun Group CMD Kalanithi Maran for a confirmation proved futile at the time of filing this report.

In April 2010, D?Silva was elevated to the position of Group CEO overseeing the entire business portfolio of Sun Group, which includes television network, radio channels, print products, DTH biz Sun Direct and airline business SpiceJet, in which Kalanithi Maran owns 16 per cent stake.

Prior to Sun Direct, D?Silva was heading Star India?s distribution business. An old hand in distribution, he has also worked with Zee Telefilms and Modi Entertainment Network.

He was the CEO of Modi Entertainment Network before taking over as Zee Network?s head of international operations. He has also worked with tobacco major Godfrey Phillips and consumer product giant Rickett & Coleman in the past.