Our People
Our experienced teams of skilled professionals are dedicated to delivering on our mission of adding value while cultivating deep and enduring partnerships with our clients.
Our Staff at a Glance
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Ian Ratcliffe
In Memoriam
Sands Capital mourns the loss of Executive Managing Partner Ian Ratcliffe, whose leadership, generosity, and unwavering belief in people helped shape our firm and the many lives he touched.
Ian joined Sands Capital in 2016 following a remarkable career as a life sciences entrepreneur, founder, and chief executive. Deeply passionate about advancing scientific innovations that reach patients and save lives, he played an instrumental role in building the firm’s private life sciences investing capabilities, including the Life Sciences Pulse strategy and our broader venture investing efforts. In 2021, he joined our firm’s Executive Management Team, where he brought the same candor, optimism, and thoughtful leadership that defined every role he held.
While Ian was widely respected throughout the life sciences community, those who knew him best understood that his greatest gift was investing in people. He believed great investment organizations are built by developing great investors. Whether mentoring a young colleague, advising a founder, or working through a complex investment decision, Ian combined rigorous inquiry with optimism. He challenged people to think more clearly, asked hard questions with humility, and somehow made even the most difficult discussions enjoyable.
Ian leaves behind a legacy in the businesses he helped build, the investments he helped shape, and above all the people he taught, mentored, and inspired. His influence will continue to be felt every day through the colleagues he developed, the founders he supported, and the collaborative culture he helped foster at Sands Capital.
of people who cared about the firm and genuinely enjoyed working together, and I knew I wanted to be a part of their team.”
Meet Our Staff
Portfolio Specialist
Director, Sr. Counsel
Morgan Lee joined Sands Capital in 2022 as legal counsel and was later promoted to director, sr. counsel. Discover her perspective on the new hire experience at Sands Capital.
Research Analyst
Sr. Manager, HR Business Partner
Susan H. Saunders joined Sands Capital in 2015 as sr. HR generalist and was later promoted to manager and, subsequently, sr. manager, HR business partner. Learn about her work in talent development and benefits administration and how Sands Capital takes care of its staff members.