The Countess, (real name to be decided), married into an aristocratic family of fortune shortly after Twin X. Before her rise to wealth, she was one of the scientists working for the Delphys Society. After the death of her husband, she bought Hotel Providence, and began heavily sponsoring NERV, a defense research group whose goals and actual research were heavily guarded from public eye.
She is heavily involved with NERV, and her opinion is taken into consideration in many decisions. She is also the one that scouted the Pilots for NERV.
More info to come. Probably.