Musician and filmmaker David Byrne recently made a major announcement by confirming his decision to marry his longtime girlfriend, Mala Gaonkar, this week, find out more about his to be wife
The Talking Heads frontman recently made the announcement on Instagram and also shared details about the playlist he curated for the celebration.
Who is Mala Gaonkar, to be wife of David Byrne: Bio, age, boyfriend, education, kids and net worth
David Byrne and Mala Gaonkar attend the 95th Annual Academy Awards on March 12, 2023 in Hollywood, California pic.twitter.com/2SPMSgPtrj
— celeb source (@celebfashionnnn) March 12, 2023
Taylor Swift: engaged
David Byrne: hold my bike pic.twitter.com/rIh1PDFFJI
— bulbous salutation (@freydator13) September 1, 2025
The marriage will mark a new chapter for both age 73 Byrne and Gaonkar, who are both at the highest levels in their own professions.
David Byrne set to marry longtime partner Mala Gaonkar
David Byrne, on September 1, 2025, revealed through an Instagram story that he and Gaonkar would tie the knot this week. He explained in the announcement that he would prepare an instrumental playlist for the wedding dinner, adding how lyrics can sometimes distract guests. Byrne also described the music as “buoyant instrumentals that will create a hopeful and joyous atmosphere… and that folks can also ignore at the same time.” David made the announcement following years of speculation and previously referred to Gaonkar as his fiancée during an interview with The Sunday Times.
Mala Gaonkar biography and age
Mala Gaonkar is a renowned businesswoman and philanthropist who was born in the US and raised in Bengaluru, India with her currently based in New York. Over the years, she has lived and worked across continents, and she is currently 55 years old. Aside from her professional achievements, Gaonkar is also renowned for her support of scientific research and social causes.
Gaonkar was formerly married to businessman Oliver Haarmann and they have two sons. Oliver is a business partner in private equity and the two lived in London during their marriage.
Education
Mala Gaonkar attended Harvard University, where she completed her undergraduate degree in 1991, and then earned her MBA from Harvard Business School.
Mala received both her AB in economics, magna cum laude, and her MBA from Harvard and received both a Harvard College scholarship and a Ford Foundation grant for her thesis research.
Profession and career
Over the years, Mala Gaonkar has spent nearly 25 years at Lone Pine Capital LLC, where she is the current Managing Director. Back in 2022, Mala launched her own firm called SurgoCap Partners, where she currently serves as chairwoman. Under her leadership, SurgoCap has focused on creating innovative investment strategies and has a strong emphasis on technology and healthcare. Alongside her professional work, Gaonkar has supported various initiatives in public health and global development.
Mala Gaonkar founded SurgoCap Partners in 2022, a New York investment firm focused on disruptive technologies across broad industry categories and in January 2023, SurgoCap Partners launched a hedge fund with an estimated $1.8 billion in assets under management.
The Surgo Foundation was established in 2015 by Mala Gaonkar and Sema Sgaier and Mala co-founded the organisation Surgo Ventures in 2020.
She also writes and her short stories have appeared in Catamaran, Carolina Quarterly, and American Short Fiction.
Earlier, Mala served her fellowship at JP Morgan Partners and worked on investments in telecommunications and media.
Relationship with David Byrne
Mala Gaonkar and David Byrne have been dating each other since 2016 and have kept much of their relationship private. Byrne occasionally speaks about her in interviews with humor and affection. Back in 2024, Mala referred to her as his fiancée while promoting his music and the couple share a bond that blends Byrne’s artistic world with Gaonkar’s business acumen.
Net Worth
Although the exact figures are not available, Mala Gaonkar has amassed significant wealth in terms of hundreds of millions of dollars. Most of her income comes from her decades-long career in hedge funds and investment management.
Her fund has added more than $1.8 billion in assets since launch. Mala’s to be husband David is meanwhile worth $50 million.
ALSO READ: Bodybuilder Jim Arrington: Biography, age, height, weight, wife, diet and workout
