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A senior NSW government executive has defended the state's UK trade office as "exceeding targets" at an inquiry scrutinising controversial appointments to lucrative overseas trade posts.
Investment NSW managing director Kylie Bell on Friday appeared at the parliamentary probe that was created after former deputy premier John Barilaro was appointed in June to a $500,000-a-year US trade commissioner role.
Mr Barilaro resigned from the job two weeks later, citing intense media scrutiny amid criticism over the appointment's propriety.
The scope of the upper house probe was later expanded to look at all appointments to overseas trade roles and has recently focused on the NSW Agent-General to London Stephen Cartwright.
Mr Cartwright's appointment is being examined after it emerged he sought a salary of $800,000 - almost double the initial offering - and landed the role despite ranking below other candidates.
Ms Bell on Friday defended the UK office's performance, saying this year it had supported 175 Australian businesses and led to $2 million in export contracts.
"At the moment the team is well exceeding their targets," she told the inquiry.
Quizzed over whether senior trade roles were ministerial or public sector appointments, Ms Bell said "these are senior public servant roles".
She said Mr Cartwright reported to her, not the relevant minister, and noted there had been no discussions around converting them to ministerial appointments.
The inquiry has been told that after tense and protracted contract negotiations, Mr Cartwright eventually accepted a base salary of $487,000 with $113,000 in perks, earning more than the state's five other trade commissioners.
A month after he arrived in London, the state also agreed to pay his rent, expected to cost taxpayers about $105,000.
Soon after, Mr Cartwright began emailing Investment NSW CEO Amy Brown requesting financial help for his children's school fees, the inquiry has heard.
Ms Bell, who first appeared before the committee in August, was on the selection panel in charge of hiring Mr Barilaro for the New York role, after he left politics in October 2021.
Mr Barilaro has consistently denied any wrongdoing, but has previously told the inquiry that he regrets applying for the role.
