Oakton loses Victorian chief

ASX-listed IT services firm Oakton has nabbed a former IBM Global Services executive to replace its departing Victoria general manager, former Hewlett-Packard executive, Chirstine Scammell.

Oakton chief Neil Wilson told ZDNet.com.au that Scammell had tendered her resignation and was due to finish up soon. She had joined Oakton in April 2008 from Hewlett-Packard.

Scammell had been hired just after the appointment of former chief operating officer Steve Parker, also from Hewlett-Packard. Parker's role was made redundant earlier this year.

"She's resigned which was disappointing," Wilson said. However, he said he had turned the bad news into an opportunity by hiring someone of high calibre to lead Victoria which accounts for 40 per cent of the company's business.

The company had carried out an extensive search for a replacement and had decided on Mark Fretz, who will move to Oakton from IBM Global Business Services. He starts in January.

"We've done very well to secure Mark," Wilson said. "He has global experience and outsourcing experience."

Wilson acknowledged that there was a small contingent of employees which would look upon Scammell's departure with distrust, but he said those employees were a minority. He saw Fretz's appointment as a positive.

Wilson said he had spent a lot of time recently talking to employees.