Meet The Team
After years on the front lines of private service and family offices, our founder Adriana saw a gap: no recruitment was actually led by people who’d done the work. So she built one — joining forces with other seasoned private service professionals to create Squad, an international recruitment and consulting agency for UHNW households and family offices, run by industry insiders.
Adriana Amselem
FOUNDER & MANAGING DIRECTOR
Adriana founded Squad after over a decade in UHNW private service. She started as a governess in Russia, then moved into Personal Assistant and Estate Manager roles for Family Offices across Europe, and the US.
Her background is in Business and Communications, with further training in Psychology and Judicial Translation — a combination that shows in how she works: anticipating needs, building systems, and earning trust with both principals and staff. She’s equally at home guiding a newly wealthy client through a first hire or helping a long-established estate modernize.
She now leads Squad’s team while staying closely involved in consulting projects and client relationships.
Anya Bailie
Recruitment Consultant
Anya takes care of recruitment for Squad, working fluently across English, Russian and Spanish. She’s the person clients speak to when a search spans several countries and more than one language.
She’s especially precise on the detail work — thorough vetting, careful reading of complex professional histories, and keeping both client and candidate informed at every stage of a placement. When a search comes under pressure, she’s the one who keeps it steady.
She’s currently completing a Master of Laws, alongside an earlier degree in Childhood and Youth Studies. She’s played the violin since the age of three — which tells you most of what you need to know about her patience and her standards.
Maria Alvarez
SENIOR CULINARY CONSULTANT
María is a private chef with over a decade of experience cooking for royal families, A-list celebrities, and top-tier business figures, both on land and aboard superyachts. A graduate of the Basque Culinary Center, she took 2nd place on MasterChef Spain 2024, and her approach combines technical training with a health-focused style.
Beyond private service, María develops bespoke menus for luxury hotels and wellness retreats, and serves as nutrition and culinary consultant for high-performing athletes. She also runs a boutique private chef booking service built around wellness-centric cuisine, using nutrigenetic testing to shape each menu.
At Squad, she leads culinary consulting projects and occasionally cooks for key clients — bringing precision and a close understanding of how food and service work in these households.
Roberto Freire
SENIOR ESTATE & HOSPITALITY CONSULTANt
Roberto brings over two decades of experience across luxury hospitality and private UHNW households. He began his career managing five-star resorts in Europe and the Middle East, building a foundation in service, team leadership, and operations. He later moved into private households, where he has overseen large estates and multi-property compounds across EMEA.
He’s managed private estates with 20+ staff and restructured operations for boutique hotels, and is known for turning underperforming environments into polished, service-led ones. His approach is strategic and collaborative, focused on long-term results.
At Squad, he leads international consulting and training projects, with a close understanding of what five-star service at home actually requires — helping household teams build clear structure and consistent standards.