A recruiter and a selection panel member involved in the hiring for a coveted New York trade role will face an inquiry into former NSW deputy premier John Barilaro’s appointment.

The inquiry has been expanding its scope to other overseas positions and has so far placed a particular focus on London agent-general Stephen Cartwright.

Mr Cartwright was late to the recruitment process and appointed after another candidate all but secured the position, the inquiry has heard.

Investment NSW chief executive Amy Brown previously testified that Mr Cartwright threatened to go over her head to the minister or premier as he sought a salary package close to $800,000, which she could not legally give him anyway.

In text messages released to the inquiry from September, then-treasurer Dominic Perrottet told Mr Cartwright he was “going to be a great asset for the state over (in London)”.

It was in response to Mr Cartwright wishing Mr Perrottet happy birthday at 1am.

“Looking forward to finally being announced as AG to London on 1 October and to getting over there to champion the cause for NSW,” Mr Cartwright wrote in the early morning text.

Twelve days later he texted again to congratulate Mr Perrottet on becoming premier after the resignation of Gladys Berejiklian.

Premier Perrottet endorsed Mr Cartwright as the candidate in July last year, which asked to urgently as “negotiations with the candidate have been protracted”, according to a treasury brief.

Premier Perrottet was asked in parliament earlier this month whether he still had confidence in the agent-general following reports he racked up $113,000 in expenses.

He responded that Trade Minister Alister Henskens would look into the matter.

NGS Global managing partner Marianne Broadbent will appear when the inquiry resumes on Thursday afternoon.

Dr Broadbent will be grilled about what she meant when she emailed a NSW Treasury human resources employee in April last year to inform them “we would need to massage the candidate brief for Stephen”.

A media release in June from then trade minister Stuart Ayres announcing Mr Barilaro’s appointment said the recruitment firm had conducted a highly competitive and rigorous global talent search.

Mr Ayres resigned from cabinet and as deputy Liberal leader following a draft report by former Public Service commissioner Graeme Head, which found he was not at arm’s length.

The full report, released on Tuesday, prompted Premier Perrottet to announce bans on ministers taking up public sector jobs related to their portfolios for 18 months after they leave office.

The ministerial code of conduct will also be amended to prevent ministers seeking to influence departmental secretaries.

NGS Global ranked Mr Barilaro below a Hong Kong-based executive but the report was revised, ranking the former Nationals leader higher.

Ms Brown told the inquiry the firm was asked to redo it because it did not reflect the opinion of the hiring panel.

The panel decided the Hong Kong-based woman would not be suitable because she had not lived in NSW for more than a decade.

Warwick Smith, a member of the selection panel for the Americas trade role and the London agent-general, will also appear at the inquiry.

– AAP