Oliver Tress is a British entrepreneur best known as the founder, owner and managing director of Oliver Bonas, one of the UK’s most recognisable lifestyle retail brands. What began as a small London shop in the early 1990s developed into a successful business with more than 90 stores across the United Kingdom and the Republic of Ireland. His career has been shaped by travel, creativity, retail instinct and a willingness to build his company gradually rather than chase rapid expansion. More than three decades after opening his first shop, he remains closely involved in the business and continues to influence its products, design direction and long-term strategy.
His professional achievements have made him a respected figure in British retail, while his marriage to Gina Coladangelo brought greater attention to his personal life. The couple were together for many years and have three children. Their relationship ended in 2021, and Tress has since kept his private life largely away from public attention. Today, he remains focused on Oliver Bonas and continues to play an active role in the company he created.
Oliver Tress Age and Early Life
Oliver James Mark Tress was born in May 1967, making him 59 years old in 2026. Companies House records confirm his birth month and year, British nationality and country of residence as England. His age is also supported by a birthday celebration held at Fulham Palace in London in 2017, where photographer Owen Billcliffe covered a joint 40th and 50th birthday party for Gina Coladangelo and Oliver. Tress had turned 50 in May that year, while Coladangelo, who was born in August 1977, was preparing to celebrate her 40th birthday.
Tress was born in Henley-on-Thames, Oxfordshire, and grew up in a family with strong international connections. His father worked in banking, while his mother concentrated on family life. His childhood included periods spent in different countries, giving him early exposure to cultures, products and styles outside Britain. His family lived in parts of America, Asia and Africa, experiences that later influenced his interest in design and retail. His parents were living in Hong Kong while he was at university, and visits there became important to the early development of his business career because he began bringing back items that were not commonly available in British shops.
Oliver Tress Education and Durham University
Oliver Tress attended Marlborough College before continuing his education at Durham University, where he studied from 1986 to 1989. His subject was Anthropology, which matched his interest in people, culture and different ways of life. His years at Durham were important not only academically but also commercially because they introduced him to the basic ideas that would later become Oliver Bonas.
During visits to Hong Kong, Tress noticed bags, watches, jewellery and other accessories that he believed would appeal to customers in Britain. He started bringing some of these products home and selling them to friends and other customers. What began as a small activity gave him practical experience in buying, pricing and understanding customer taste. Rather than leaving university with a detailed plan to create a national retail chain, he developed his business gradually through direct experience.
Oliver Tress Career and the Creation of Oliver Bonas
After completing university, Tress continued buying and selling products at markets, fairs and other temporary retail locations. He soon realised that there was enough demand to support a permanent shop. In 1993, he opened the first Oliver Bonas store on Fulham Road in London, reportedly using approximately £3,000 of his own savings to start the business. The shop offered an unusual combination of gifts, jewellery, fashion accessories and homeware, helping it stand apart from many traditional high-street retailers.
The first store performed well and gave Tress the confidence to continue developing the idea. He has spoken about the excitement of taking approximately £1,000 on the shop’s first Saturday, an early sign that customers were responding positively to his selection of products. Over time, Oliver Bonas moved from selling mainly imported goods to creating a stronger in-house design identity, eventually expanding into clothing, jewellery, furniture, gifts, accessories and homeware.
How Oliver Tress Chose the Oliver Bonas Name
The name Oliver Bonas has a personal connection to Tress’s early life. “Oliver” came from his own first name, while “Bonas” came from Anna Bonas, who was his girlfriend when the business was being developed. The company name therefore combines his own identity with that of an important person from the early stage of his career.
Anna Bonas should not be confused with Gina Coladangelo, whom Tress later married. Anna belonged to an earlier period of his life and became permanently connected to the brand through its name. The company continued using Oliver Bonas as it expanded, and the name eventually became widely recognised across British retail.
Oliver Bonas Growth and Business Success
Oliver Bonas expanded steadily over the following decades, opening shops across Britain and later moving into the Republic of Ireland. By the mid-2020s, the company had grown to more than 90 stores and employed a substantial workforce. Its product range also developed considerably, with the business becoming particularly known for colourful fashion, jewellery, gifts, home accessories and furniture.
Financial results show how large the business has become. For the year ending in 2024, Oliver Bonas increased revenue from approximately £135.7 million to £150.2 million, while pre-tax profit stood at approximately £7.8 million. During the same period, seven new shops were opened and seven existing stores moved into larger premises. These figures demonstrate that Oliver Bonas continues to invest in physical retail while also operating a major online business.
Oliver Tress Ownership of Oliver Bonas
Companies House identifies Tress as the controlling shareholder of Oliver Bonas Limited. He owns more than 50% but less than 75% of the company’s shares and controls the same level of voting rights. This gives him majority ownership and significant control over the company he founded.
He has also served as an active director of Oliver Bonas Limited since 12 August 1999. Timothy Richard Naunton Hollidge is the other active person with significant control, holding more than 25% but no more than 50% of the shares and voting rights. Tress also served as a director of Oliver Bonas (Property) Limited from March 2014, although that company has since been dissolved.
Oliver Tress Wife and Marriage to Gina Coladangelo
Oliver Tress married Gina Coladangelo in 2009. Coladangelo built a career in communications and public relations and later became widely known because of her relationship with former UK Health Secretary Matt Hancock. Tress and Coladangelo were together for many years, built a family and were seen attending social and family occasions as a couple.
Their relationship ended in 2021, after Coladangelo’s relationship with Hancock became widely known. Later coverage has described Tress as her former husband, ex-husband or estranged husband. A clear legal date confirming when a divorce became final has not been widely established, so it is more accurate to describe Coladangelo as his former wife without giving an exact divorce date.
Oliver Tress Children
Tress and Gina Coladangelo have three children together: Talia, Bruno and Layla. A Financial Times interview published in 2015 named all three children and described Talia as six, Bruno as four and Layla as two at that time. Their complete dates of birth have not been widely shared, so exact current ages should not be presented without stronger confirmation.
Tress has generally kept his children away from unnecessary media exposure, even during periods when his family life attracted considerable attention. Although his relationship with Coladangelo became the subject of national coverage in 2021, he has remained private when it comes to his children and family responsibilities.
Oliver Tress New Partner
As of 2026, no new partner has been publicly confirmed for Oliver Tress. There is no dependable confirmation naming a current girlfriend, second wife or long-term romantic partner following the end of his marriage to Gina Coladangelo. Tress has continued attending professional events, giving interviews and taking part in discussions about business and leadership, but he has not publicly introduced a new partner.
Oliver Tress Net Worth
Tress has previously been estimated to have a net worth of approximately £12 million, although this figure comes from older media estimates and should not be treated as an exact measure of his present wealth. His personal finances are private, and no verified current figure covering his cash, investments, property, liabilities and other assets has been disclosed.
His most important business asset is his controlling stake in Oliver Bonas. However, the company’s annual revenue cannot be treated as his personal wealth. Oliver Bonas may generate more than £150 million in yearly sales, but that money must cover salaries, stock, property costs, tax, logistics, expansion and many other business expenses. It is therefore better to describe Tress as a successful retail entrepreneur with a valuable majority interest in Oliver Bonas rather than present an old wealth estimate as a confirmed figure.
Oliver Tress Now in 2026
Oliver Tress remains actively involved in Oliver Bonas in 2026. His professional background identifies him as the owner of the company, while official company material has also described him as Founder and Managing Director. He is not simply a shareholder who has stepped away from daily operations, as recent coverage has shown that he continues to participate in creative and product decisions.
His involvement includes reviewing and approving new designs, helping maintain the character of the brand and contributing to wider discussions about business, leadership and education. He has also spoken about being diagnosed with ADHD, giving greater insight into his personal working style and the challenges he has experienced during his career.
Oliver Tress and His Lasting Retail Legacy
Oliver Tress has spent more than three decades building Oliver Bonas from a single London shop into a major British lifestyle retailer. His journey began with products brought back from Hong Kong and developed through markets, independent retail and gradual expansion. Today, the business has more than 90 stores, annual revenue exceeding £150 million and a strong identity across fashion, homeware, jewellery and gifts.
At 59, Tress remains the controlling owner and an active leader of the company. He is the former husband of Gina Coladangelo, father of three children and a businessman whose wealth is closely connected to the success of Oliver Bonas. Despite personal attention surrounding his family life, his lasting public identity remains centred on the retail company he founded in 1993.
Also Read
