Anji Hunter

Angela Margaret Jane "Anji" Hunter (born 1955) is an English public relations advisor. She is noted for her close partnership with former Prime Minister Tony Blair.

Anji Hunter
Hunter in June 2013
Born	Angela Margaret Jane Hunter 1955 (age 68–69) Kuala Lumpur, Federation of Malaya
Nationality	English
Alma mater	Brighton Polytechnic
Occupation	Public relations advisor
Employer(s)	Tony Blair BP
Spouses	Nick Cornwall ​ ​ (m. 1980, divorced)​ Adam Boulton ​ (m. 2006)​

Early life

Hunter was born in Kuala Lumpur, Federation of Malaya, then under control of the British Empire. Her father was a rubber plantation manager. She was educated at St Leonards School in St Andrews, Scotland,^[1] and St. Clare's, Oxford, a school whose sixth form she attended. She first met Tony Blair while still in Scotland, at the age of 15.^[2]

Hunter gained a first in history and English in 1988 from the Brighton Polytechnic.

Career

After graduating, Hunter began working for Tony Blair, now an MP, as his political assistant.^[1] She became Director of Government Relations for Blair's government in 1997,^[1] and was described as "the most influential non-elected person in Downing Street".

In 2001 she left Downing Street to become Director of Communications at the oil and gas company BP in 2002.^[3] In 2009 she was appointed Director of External Affairs for Anglo American plc.^{[citation needed]} She is a board member of the Snowdon Trust, founded by the Earl of Snowdon, which provides grants and scholarships for students with disabilities.^[4]

In 2013 Hunter joined the international public relations and marketing consultancy Edelman to advise clients on corporate reputation, crisis management and public affairs, as well as helping promote senior women in business.^[5][6]

Personal life

Hunter married the landscape gardener Nick Cornwall in 1980.^[1] The couple had two children. In 2002 The Daily Telegraph published a report about a relationship between Hunter and the political editor of Sky News Adam Boulton, while she was still working at Downing Street. Cornwall and Hunter divorced following the revelation.^[7][8] Hunter married Boulton in 2006.^[9]

References

1. "Blair's closest aide resigns". BBC News Online. 8 November 2001. Retrieved 25 July 2010.
2. Julia Langdon "Profile: Anji Hunter, Blair's Other Woman", The Observer, 1 April 2001
3. "Anji Hunter quits No 10". The Daily Telegraph. 9 November 2001. Archived from the original on 4 September 2010. Retrieved 25 July 2010.
4. "Our board". The Snowdon Trust. Archived from the original on 1 March 2013. Retrieved 27 January 2017.
5. Mattinson, Alec (25 July 2013). "Tony Blair's former comms chief Anji Hunter to join Edelman". PR Week. Retrieved 16 February 2019.
6. "Anji Hunter: In some ways I'm sorry because we women made it look like it was all easy - and it really isn't". Evening Standard. London. 13 December 2013. Retrieved 16 February 2019.
7. Martin, Nicole (15 July 2002). "Woman who chose Blair's ties leaves family for Sky man". Daily Telegraph. Retrieved 16 February 2019.
8. Trelford, Donald (17 July 2002). "Downing Street's heavy breathers". Evening Standard. London. Retrieved 16 February 2019.
9. Chittenden, Maurice; Elliott, John (23 July 2006). "Adam and Anji's power wedding". London: The Sunday Times. Retrieved 7 May 2011.^{[dead link‍]}