Transport for Greater Manchester awarded a seven‑year, £5.4 million contract to electric‑vehicle charger company Be.EV in 2019, and the firm’s senior executive team now includes Marie‑France Van Heel, the mayor’s wife. Van Heel, a former brand consultant turned chief customer officer, has risen to the board of the company that benefits from the publlic‑sector deal, prompting calls for greater transparency.

Van Heel’s rapid rise at Be.EV after the £5.4 million contract

According to the source, Van Heel left her own marketing agency in July 2023 to become Be.EV’s chief marketing officer, was promoted to chief customer officer in July 2024, and joined the board of directors in September 2024. Her progression coincides with the firm’s expanding role in Manchester’s public charging network, a fact that fuels the perception of a conflict of interest.

Ownership stakes: 252 shares in Iduna Infrastructure and a long‑term incentive plan

Companies House filings show Van Heel holds 252 shares in Iduna Infrastructure, the parent of Be.EV, and the Daily Mail reports she is a beneficiary of a long‑term incentive plan that ties her personal wealth to the firm’s growth. This financial link is especially salient as the UK government pushes for a ban on new petrol cars by 2030, creating a booming market for charging infrastructure.

Mayor Burnham’s safeguards and past defence of his wife

Burnham has declared his wife’s role in his register of mayoral interests and says he stepped back from any decisions involving Be.EV, noting he does not sit on the TfGM Executive Board that awarded the contract. He previously defended Van Heel during earlier controversies, arguing she had no direct financial relationship with the parent company when the 2019 contract was awarded through a competitive procurement process.

Public perception and political timing as Burnham eyes national office

The controversy has intensified as Burnham re‑enters national politics, with opponents seizing on the appearance of nepotism. while there is no evidence of illegal conduct, the timing of Van Heel’s board appointment—just months before the mayor’s national campaign—raises questions about the optics of public contracting intersecting with private gain.

Unanswered: How will future TfGM contracts be overseen?

The source does not detail any independent review of the original procurement or whether new safeguards will be introduced for future contracts. It also remains unclear whether Van Heel’s board role will be subject to any recusal requirements under local government rules.