Reese Witherspoon is embracing new beginnings, both personally and professionally. Nearly a year after her divorce from Jim Toth, the Oscar winner has quietly entered a new chapter with financier Oliver Haarmann. From romantic yacht getaways to low-key dinners in New York, their relationship has steadily grown. As per photos published by People, things are heating up between the new couple.
Fans want to know more about the man by her side, so here are five things to know about Oliver Haarmann.
1. He’s a High-Powered Financier
Oliver Haarmann has built an impressive career in the finance industry. According to his LinkedIn profile, he’s a graduate of Brown University and Harvard Business School. He began his career at investment firm KKR before co-founding Searchlight Capital Partners in 2010. According to the firm’s website, he continues to serve as a partner, overseeing global investment activity.
In December 2021, Oliver Haarmann appeared on the LSE Focal Point podcast, offering advice for students entering the business world. “As students, especially at places like LSE or Harvard Business School, we tend to be very analytical,” he said. “We have strong math and problem-solving skills, and that’s what universities focus on developing, along with communication. But the issue is, those skills often train you to think about why something won’t work. The real challenge is shifting your mindset to ask, ‘Why could this work, and how do we make it happen?’”
2. He Owns a Stake in the New York Islanders
In 2023, Sportico reported that Haarmann was in talks to buy a 10% stake in the NHL team, the New York Islanders. Months later, The New York Post confirmed the deal had gone through, making Haarmann one of the team’s minority owners.
3. He Co-Founded a Global Health Charity
Haarmann also has a philanthropic side. Along with Gaonkar and Gates Foundation alum Sema Sgaier, he co-founded the Surgo Foundation, which focuses on data-driven solutions in global health. As Gaonkar told W magazine in 2017, “If you don’t actually listen to people and find out what they really care about, you’re not helping anyone.”
4. He Was Previously Married & Has Two Kids
(Photo by Kevin Dietsch/Getty Images)Like Witherspoon, Haarmann was previously married. He shares two children with his ex-wife Mala Gaonkar, a hedge fund founder and fellow Harvard graduate. Gaonkar launched SurgoCap Partners in 2022 and has worked in both finance and creative spaces, including co-writing a theater piece with musician David Byrne.
5. He & Witherspoon Have Been Linked Since 2024
Haarmann and Witherspoon were first spotted dining together in New York City in July 2024. At the time, a source told People he was “taking things slow” but enjoying their time together.
In the months that followed, the two spent more time together, including Witherspoon flying between Nashville & NYC to see him. In July 2025, they were photographed kissing and hugging on a yacht in Saint-Tropez, marking her first public romance since her 2023 divorce from Jim Toth.
“He’s spending time with her kids, too,” a source told People in September 2024. “Reese loves that he’s a businessman and not into Hollywood.”
(Photo by Kevork Djansezian/Getty Images)Witherspoon and Jim Toth finalized their divorce in August 2023, five months after announcing their split following nearly 12 years of marriage. The two share one son, Tennessee, now 11. She also has two children — a daughter, Ava, 24, and a son, Deacon, 20 — with her first husband, actor Ryan Phillippe.
In a 2023 interview with Harper’s BAZAAR, Witherspoon reflected on how sharing her life on her terms has helped her stay grounded through personal changes.
She said: “To be able to talk to people directly about what’s going on in my life… it feels much more authentic to be able to say things in my voice,” she said. “And not let somebody else control what’s happening.”
For now, the couple continues to enjoy their time together, and where things go next remains to be seen.
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Reese Witherspoon’s New Man: 5 Things to Know About Oliver Haarmann