Bombardier executive chairman steps down after pay controversy

REUTERS - Canadian plane and train maker Bombardier Inc said Executive Chairman Pierre Beaudoin would step down, following shareholder outcry over controversial executive pay hikes, and reported a smaller-than-expected adjusted net loss.

Beaudoin - a former chief executive and a scion of Bombardier's founding family, which controls the company through its dual-class share structure - will continue to serve as non-executive chairman.

The Canada Pension Plan Investment Board (CPPIB), the country's largest pension fund manager, withheld its vote for the re-election of Beaudoin at Bombardier's annual meeting on Thursday.

The Ontario Teachers' Pension Plan (OTPP) also withheld its vote on his re-election on Tuesday, echoing similar moves by Quebec and British Columbia funds.

Beaudoin agreed to forgo the pay hike and other executives agreed to defer.

Strength in the company's train-making unit helped the company report a smaller-than-expected adjusted net loss.

Adjusted earnings before interest and taxes in the company's transportation, or rail, business jumped to $134 million in the first quarter from $23 million, a year earlier.

The company's order intake in the business rose 83.3 percent to $2.2 billion in the three months ended March 31.

Adjusted net loss attributable to Bombardier shareholders was $1 million, smaller than analysts' estimate for a loss of $22.8 million, according to Thomson Reuters I/B/E/S.

On a per share adjusted basis, the company broke even. Analysts on average had estimated a 1 cent loss.

Montreal-headquartered Bombardier reported an 8.6 percent fall in revenue to $3.58 billion, missing estimates of $3.84 billion.

(Reporting by Arathy S Nair in Bengaluru; Editing by Shounak Dasgupta)