Dame Deborah James' husband's mystery woman unmasked as glam investment banker

Daily Mirror

24-06-2025

Dame Deborah James' widower has found love with a hugely successful Swiss investment banker, with the pair making their relationship official last week
Dame Deborah James' widow has found love with a Swiss investment banker. Sebastian Bowen had stood by the broadcaster and campaigner throughout her courageous fight against bowel cancer. But Dame Deborah, who died in 2022, had made it clear to her husband she wanted him to find love after her death.
Last week, Sebastian was spotted out and about with a mystery woman as they put on a very loved-up display while enjoying the recent heatwave across the UK. He and his new girlfriend headed out in Hammersmith, west London, as they soaked up the sun and enjoyed a romantic lunch overlooking the River Thames.
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Now, it's said that his new girlfriend is a very glamorous Swiss investment banker. Sebastian, 45, and his new girlfriend may have been celebrating her 39th birthday when they were spotted romantically walking alongside the river while wrapping their arms around one another.
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It's reported that Sebastian has found love with Susann Aulbach, who currently works as the head of investor relations at a swanky London insurance firm. Susann, who is said to have grown up in Switzerland and lives in west London, according to the Daily Mail, looked sensational as she rocked a glamorous red dress which cut off above the knee.
Sebastian opted for a more casual look, rocking a blue casual shirt, leaving his top buttons undone, with a pair of chinos and trainers. As the couple went about their day, they looked extremely loved up as they walked hand in hand. But leading body language expert, Judi James, believes that Sebastian and Susann could have been friends before their romance blossomed.
"One of the key words that stands out from their body language together is 'relaxed'," Judi told the Mirror. She went on to add: They appear lacking in any signs of tension or anxiety, suggesting they make each other happy.
"There's no clinging or neediness here: the hand clasp shows the fingers are meshed, but the clasp itself is relaxed and quite loose. Their smiles have an element of coyness, but they are twinned smiles and appear authentic rather than the kind of social, more effortful smiles you often see when people are trying to impress each other on a first date."
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Judi went on to say: "Their body language looks synchronised too, with lots of mirroring to suggest like-minded thinking. This looks like a very even-handed relationship in terms of emotions, intellect and levels of confidence, suggesting a strong friendship that might have been established before anything more romantic."
A source has since said that the pair are "very much in love" and it was "heartening" to see Sebastian, a banker with private equity firm Pomona Capital, looking happy again. Since Dame Deborah's death, he had been on a string of dates but was taking new romances "very slowly" as Deborah was a "tough act to follow".
Prior to her tragic death, the campaigner who raised more than £11million for cancer research branded her husband a "very eligible bachelor" and knew he would have attention from other women following her death. Speaking on the BBC Radio 5 Live show, You, Me And The Big C, she said: "I have given him strict instructions."
Dame Deborah went on to add: "I want him to move on. He's a handsome man, I'm like, 'Don't be taken for a ride, don't marry a bimbo, find someone else who can make you laugh like we did." But she also joked that she had a list of people she didn't want Sebastian to date. "I would do my damned hardest to haunt him," she joked.