Peter Hartley, who left Salmat in 2011, has been appointed Queensland general manager after spending the past six months contracting to SEMA.

The Sydney-based business process outsourcing company fell into administration in May 2012. It was rescued in a management buyout in June and returned to profit in September.

Hartley said he had been impressed by the turnaround: "I am delighted to be joining SEMA to continue to build on the great work that the team have done over the past year."

Hartley worked at Salmat from 2000-2011 and then became a director of Brisbane web design agency Orange Digital.

[Feature: SEMA's saviour speaks out]

SEMA managing director John Stewart said the recruitment of someone with Hartley's expertise vindicated the hard work that had been done since the management buyout.

"In effecting a turnaround in SEMA's performance, the building of our management skills and experience has been as important as rebuilding our operational expertise," said Stewart.

"His expertise will help ensure we continue to meet the challenges presented by an ever-evolving marketplace."

Chief marketing officer Brian Smith said Hartley had recognised the "depth and capability" of the new SEMA.

"He'll have a broad senior management responsibility. His first responsibility is around growing the Queensland business, but he'll also play a role in bringing his broader skills to make contributions to the strategy of SEMA moving forward," Smith told ProPrint.

[Related: Ups and downs of SEMA]

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