Global Victoria CEO Gonul Serbest nabs plum overseas posting

A public servant who boasted about the success of the botched Hotel Quarantine program — which led to 801 deaths — has scored a plum new gig.

A senior public servant who boasted about the success of the government’s bungled Hotel Quarantine program has been rewarded with a lucrative overseas posting.

Global Victoria CEO Gonul Serbest was central to a damning leaked video that celebrated the success of the quarantine system which led to the death of 801 Victorians.

Ms Serbest described the program as an “extremely rewarding project it had been to work on” and said she had “been thinking about this as one massive inbound super trade mission”.

Global Victoria chief executive Gonul Serbest was central to a damning leaked video celebrating the success of the quarantine system, which led to the death of 801 Victorians.

On Friday Treasurer Tim Pallas announced Ms Serbest had been appointed Victoria’s new Commissioner for Europe.

She will be responsible for a new Paris office which will open next month.

Mr Pallas said the additional European presence would drive new opportunities and raise the profile of Victorian businesses.

Sectors including life sciences, technology, renewable energy and defence would be particular targets, he said.

Victorian Treasurer Tim Pallas. Picture: NCA NewsWire / David Geraghty

“Our new office in Paris will increase Victoria’s presence in the vital European market, creating more opportunities for businesses and growing Victorian jobs,” Mr Pallas said.

“Victorian businesses are leaders in manufacturing and innovation, and our trade and investment network is helping to get their products in front of overseas buyers and investors.”

Mr Pallas said the office would also be working to attract new investment from Europe back into Victoria.

Invest Victoria chief Danni Jarrett will take over as the head of Global Victoria.

The new Paris presence will take the state’s Trade and Investment network to 24 offices around the globe.