You may be familiar with Sarah Rafferty as the incorruptible, sharp and witty Donna Paulsen of Suits, but her husband of more than 20 years is a quietly successful man in the business world. Santtu Seppälä is an investment banker, hedge fund manager and financial strategist and entrepreneur of Finnish-American origin, who is active in investment banking, clean energy and the hedge funds sector. This article delves into the details of his life, career trajectory, family, and net worth in 2026.
Santtu Seppälä’s Quick Facts
| Detail | Information |
| Full Name | Aleksanteri Olli-Pekka Seppälä |
| Known As | Santtu Seppälä |
| Date of Birth | December 6, 1974 |
| Age (2026) | 51 years old |
| Birthplace | Illinois, USA |
| Nationality | American (Finnish heritage) |
| Education | Yale University (BA) and Wharton School / University of Pennsylvania (MBA) |
| Profession | Businessman, investor, board member and financial strategist |
| Current Role | Investor, Board Member & Chief Strategy Officer at Staxxon |
| Previous Role | Angeleno Group (2021-2024) VP of Strategy & Business Development |
| Wife | Sarah Rafferty (married June 23, 2001) |
| Children | Oona Gray Seppälä (b. 2007), Iris Friday Seppälä (b. 2012) |
| Net Worth | ~$10 million (2026 estimate) |
| Social Media | Largely absent |
Early Life and Multicultural Upbringing
Santtu Seppälä was born in Illinois, USA, on 6th December 1974 to Finnish parents. Antti V. Seppälä was his father, an independent consultant for the pharmaceuticals industry in Lake Forest, Illinois.
Santtu grew up in several countries, such as Finland, Sweden, Denmark, France and Germany. You learn that way, and that’s a skill you don’t get at business school – to read between the lines of others cultures, fit in and think globally. It is a characteristic which has definitely influenced his investing and strategy.
He was born in Finland, his original name, Aleksanteri Olli-Pekka Seppälä, is deeply rooted in the Finns. The nickname “Santtu” is a common Finnish short form of Aleksanteri, the Finnish equivalent of Alexander.
Education: Yale and Wharton
Santtu went to Yale from 1989 to 1993, majoring in ethics, politics and economics. He is also a graduate of the Wharton School of the University of Pennsylvania (1996-1998).
The pairing of a philosophy-oriented undergraduate degree with one of the world’s most revered business MBAs are significant. It implies a person who considers market dynamics rather than merely trading the markets. Yale’s ethics, politics and economics are not the first fields that spring to mind for a Wall Street career. It demonstrates a sense of curiosity and business savvy.
Career: Salomon Brothers to Clean Energy
Santtu’s career is like a carefully plotted path through the most challenging aspects of global finance.
Early Days
He began his career at Salomon Brothers in the top-ranked Debt Capital Markets, Global and Yankee Bond underwriting group. He then joined Lazard Asset Management as an equity research analyst, laying the groundwork for his future analytical work.
Managing Great Capital at Cantillon
Santtu has been a Portfolio Manager at Cantillon Capital Management in New York where he raised $350 million for the Cantillon Health Fund and managed a P&L investment book in excess of $1 billion. These are not insignificant figures. This is a large book, but, in healthcare, no less, it demands a lot of knowledge of the sector and nerves that most people simply don’t possess.
Founding Kiitos Capital Management
Santtu later started his career at Kiitos Capital Management as the Chief Investment Officer of a global long-short equity fund with a focus on opportunities in the healthcare, environment and agriculture sectors. Kiitos is Finnish for “thank you” – a small gesture in an unfriendly business.
Clean Energy Pivot — Angeleno Group
In March 2021, he joined Angeleno Group as Vice President of Strategy and Business Development. Angeleno Group is a private equity firm based in Los Angeles specializing in clean energy and climate solutions. There he worked on the next-generation clean energy agenda, in the areas of renewables, energy storage, and resource efficiency. He served in Angeleno Group as its president from March 2021 to December 2024.
Currently at Staxxon
Santtu is an investor, board member and Chief Strategy Officer at Staxxon out of LA, as of 2026. Staxxon is a company developing collapsible shipping container technology – a logistical innovation looking to eliminate the dead-weight cost of moving empty containers around the world. It’s an unsung issue with potentially big financial and environmental benefits, and it’s a type of job he’s more of a fan of.
Sarah Rafferty — His Wife
The majority of the people who search for Santtu Seppälä are looking for his wife. That’s just the facts of life and he appears perfectly comfortable.
Santtu and Sarah Rafferty met when they were both students at Yale University. They dated for many years before getting married on June 23, 2001 at St. Mary’s Catholic Church in Greenwich, Connecticut.
In 2007 they had their first daughter, Oona Gray, and in January 2012 their second daughter, Iris Friday.
Sarah Rafferty made her name as Donna Paulsen on the legal drama Suits, which has garnered an unbelievable second life on Netflix. She is also famous for her regular appearances in the tv show “Grey’s Anatomy”. As of 2025, Santtu and Sarah are married for more than 24 years and their family life is not much known to the public.
In 2024, one of the few glimpses into their relationship was when Sarah posted a wedding photo on Instagram to celebrate their anniversary, accompanied by the caption, “Two decades in, still mugging.”
The couple appeared at the Royal wedding of Prince Harry and Meghan Markle in 2018 at Windsor Castle. Sarah had been friends with Markle for many years before the Suits and she and Markle were snapped off together at St George’s Chapel.
Earnings and Net Worth
Santtu Seppälä’s net worth at the time of this writing is approximately $10 million, which has been accumulated from his work in the financial industry and his strategic positions in his businesses.
Over the years he has received his income from a variety of sources:
- The investment management fees and performance bonuses at Cantillon and Kiitos.
- He has a strong track record of founding and leading Kiitos Capital Management, where he served as the CIO.
- Senior executives’ compensation at Angeleno Group.
- Board involvement and equity stakes at Staxxon.
It should be noted that these estimates are from third parties and do not represent Santtu’s own officially, as he is quite private. There is ample precedent for the $10 million number, and in general, it matches somewhere close to 30 years of senior finance jobs.
Why Santtu Doesn’t Use Social Media
This is a question that is asked a lot, and it’s likely simpler than it sounds. He is a private individual in a challenging career. Finance people don’t do their job by attracting attention to themselves, they do their job by getting results. He doesn’t have a public Instagram, no active account on Twitter and doesn’t post much of personal information. It’s quite unusual, especially in an era where even the CEOs and the fund managers are building up their own brand.
Final Thoughts
What makes Santtu Seppälä interesting is that he hasn’t attempted to be. So, after spending decades in investment banking, fund management and clean energy strategy, he was able to make a real career, despite being the taciturn side of a celebrity couple.
His Finnish-American dualism manifests in a logical manner; discipline and directness from a Nordic background, combined with adaptability from a background of having lived in five countries prior to walking into a bank for the first time. Given his history, it’s no surprise that he’ll do what he’s always done when the next chapter of his life presents itself – quietly, with his head down, without asking a lot of questions.
FAQs
Who is Santtu Seppälä?
Santtu Seppälä is an entrepreneur, investor and financial strategist, born in Finland and now living in Los Angeles, USA. Primarily known in the business world for his work in investment management and clean energy strategy, he is also known for his role as the husband of actress Sarah Rafferty.
What is Santtu Seppälä’s real name?
He was actually born as Aleksanteri Olli-Pekka Seppälä. The common Finnish nickname for Aleksanteri, the Finnish name for Alexander, is “Santtu”.
What does Santtu Seppälä do?
Notably, he is an investor, board member and Chief Strategy Officer with Staxxon, a logistics technology firm, to date 2026. Prior to this, he was VP of Strategy and Business Development for Angeleno Group, a clean energy private equity firm, from 2021-2024.
How did Santtu Seppälä and Sarah Rafferty meet?
They met in the early 90’s while attending Yale University and dated for a few years before marrying on June 23, 2001, in St. Mary’s Catholic Church in Greenwich, Connecticut.
How many children do Santtu Seppälä and Sarah Rafferty have?
They have 2 daughters. Oona Gray Seppälä was born in October 2007 and Iris Friday Seppälä was born in January 2012.
What is Santtu Seppälä’s net worth in 2026?
With a career that has taken him from portfolio management to founding of funds and executive strategy positions, he is estimated to have a net worth of approximately $10 million. This is a third party calculation as Santtu has never made his financial affairs public.
Why is Santtu Seppälä so private?
Throughout his career he has been very low profile. He does work in institutional finance and strategy, where personal judgment is the norm and frequently desired. He does not have active social media accounts to share with the public.
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