Gina Coladangelo works for the company her husband Oliver Tress (pictured together several years ago) founded – while also being Mr Hancock’s closest aid
The woman Matt Hancock has been allegedly having an affair with is a millionaire communications director of fashion firm Oliver Bonas.
Gina Coladangelo works for the company her husband Oliver Tress founded – while also being Mr Hancock’s closest aide.
The mother of three, 43, is a major shareholder – as well as director – of the lobbying firm Luther Pendragon.
Her appointment to the Department of Health in March 2020 by Mr Hancock sparked uproar due to her outside interests.
She has been spotted leaving Downing Street with the Health Secretary on a number of occasions.
A source told the Sunday Times last year: ‘Before Matt does anything big, he’ll speak to Gina. She knows everything.’
She was an unpaid adviser for Mr Hancock but claims of ‘chumocracy’ emerged in November when it was revealed she was attending confidential meetings.
Mrs Coladangelo was made a non-executive director at the Department for Health in September.
She shows off the role on her LinkedIn page and has to ‘oversee and monitor performance’.
She says: ‘I have over twenty years’ experience in business management and marketing and communications, with a focus on retail, healthcare, the third sector and energy.
Mrs Coladangelo shows off the role on her LinkedIn page and has to ‘oversee and monitor performance’
‘Marketing expertise across media relations, consumer campaigns, social media, digital strategy, strategic collaborations, internal communications, issues management and public affairs.’
But her new role was not made public despite her getting access to £15,000 from the taxpayer.
Mr Hancock and Mrs Coladangelo, who it was revealed last night have allegedly been having an affair, first met at Oxford University while working on student radio together.
She studied politics, philosophy and economics (PPE) at Oxford between 1995 and 1998, the same as Mr Hancock.
Despite them knowing each other and apparently rekindling relations in later life, Mr Hancock married Martha Millar in 2006.
While working as Head of Marketing at Oliver Bonas, Mrs Coladangelo contributed to a post on International Women’s Day.
She wrote: ‘You don’t have to do what everyone else is doing. Decide what you want and don’t want – and stick to it. It is up to you to live a life you love.’
Mrs Coladangelo has access to the Houses of Parliament due to gaining a pass in April and is also said to be bound by the Official Secrets Act.
The pass reportedly has her husband’s surname on it, but she does not use it for her work.
House of Lords peer Lord Bethell sponsored her for the pass.
Away from work, Mrs Coladangelo has two children – Talia and Bruno.
In 2012 she told the Daily Mail how she had returned to work while being a mother.
She paid for a live-in nanny at their home in south-west London and worked flexible hours.
Mrs Coladangelo said: ‘I don’t worry about my children being closer to their nanny, because I spend as much time as I can with them.
‘I would never dream of telling other mothers what to do with their lives. Every woman has to make her own choice.
‘But I feel very fortunate in my education and believe those years shouldn’t be wasted. I want to work to give something back.’