Colourful internet identity Kim Dotcom is forging ahead with plans to launch his new Mega file storage website on the Australian or New Zealand stock markets.
The German-born internet entrepreneur, who faces possible extradition to the US on copyright infringement charges, has advertised for a chief financial officer to oversee an initial public offering in about 18 months.
"Due to some aggressive growth plans, we require a full-time CFO capable of taking the company from just after initial setup, through rapid growth and to IPO within the next 18 months," the job advertisement said.
It does not state if the stock market launch would take place in Australia or New Zealand but asks for candidates with experience raising capital in either countries and says the position would be based in Auckland.
Dotcom, a New Zealand resident, has previously said the Kiwi or Australian stock exchanges would be logical choices for any Mega float.It comes as the US government continues efforts to extradite Dotcom and three co-accused men in relation to copyright infringement, money laundering and racketeering charges.
An extradition hearing, which has been delayed several times, is scheduled to get underway in Auckland District Court in August and last about four weeks.
The charges relate to Dotcom's former file sharing site Megaupload, which allowed users to store access files anonymously but which has led to accusations of piracy - which Dotcom strenuously denies.
Dotcom launched Megaupload's successor, Mega, two months ago. The cloud-based filed storage site allows users to store and access encrypted files anonymously.
Dotcom signalled during the launch that he intended to take the site public and hoped to hire a "few hundred" employees in New Zealand.
Dotcom appointed former InternetNZ head Vikram Kumar as Mega's chief executive in February.
