Rumors are circulating about a potential romantic relationship between Commonwealth Bank CEO Matt Comyn and News24 journalist Laura Jayes. The speculation follows Comyn's separation from his wife, Lucy-Ellen Comyn, and his recent sale of approximately $8.4 million worth of Commonwealth Bank shares.
A spokesperson for the bank confirmed that Matt and Lucy-Ellen Comyn have been separated for "some time." The separation occurred after a significant renovation project on their Sydney mansion, which reportedly cost $1 million and took three years to complete, spanning from 2022 into 2025.
Comyn reportedly sold his shares in two transactions. The first sale involved 30,006 shares at $168.18 each, totaling about $5 million. The second sale comprised 20,091 shares at $168.80 each, amounting to approximately $3.4 million. The Commonwealth Bank declined to comment on whether these sales were intended to provide funds related to the marital breakdown.
This is not the first time Comyn has sold a substantial amount of shares; he previously sold shares worth $5.4 million in 2022, the same month he filed the development application for his mansion renovation. The couple purchased the property for $3.3 million before Comyn's promotion to CEO, and its value has reportedly tripled since the renovations, potentially exceeding $10 million.
Reports suggest Comyn has been seen with Laura Jayes on two occasions, once during a holiday in December and again in Bondi. Jayes also has experience with property renovations and personal relationship changes; in 2023, she and her then-husband, former Channel Seven journalist Alex Hart, sold their Bondi home for $3 million after canceling their own renovation plans and ending their marriage.
Comyn, a father of three, and Jayes, a mother of two, have not commented on the rumors. Lucy-Ellen Comyn established a sole trader business in September, and the couple still co-own the eastern suburbs property.