Running a discreet search for a family office executive
Built on Chapter 8 of How to Start a Family Office by Richard C. Wilson.
A discreet executive search still needs to give candidates enough information to evaluate the role. A billionaire family office can protect personal details while explaining the work and the decision process. If it withholds everything, qualified candidates may have little reason to continue.
Chapter 8 discusses the difficulty of finding talent when offices remain private. I would address that problem through staged disclosure during recruitment. The office should decide what it can share at each stage and who is responsible for answering substantive questions.
Define the role before sharing the family identity
Prepare an accurate description of the responsibilities and reporting relationship. A candidate should understand whether the role centers on investment work or broader office management. Avoid using a senior title to conceal an undefined assignment.
Describe the working conditions relevant to the position. Travel expectations and location requirements can affect suitability without requiring publication of private household details.
Confirm that the role has been approved by the appropriate decision makers. A confidential search becomes confusing when relatives are still debating what the employee will actually do.
Decide what the first conversation can establish
Identify the information a candidate needs to determine basic fit. The office may be able to describe the investment focus and team structure without naming individual relatives.
Keep the initial description truthful. Withholding an identity is different from inventing a story about the organization. Have counsel assess the recruiting approach and any relevant representations.
Give the candidate a reliable contact and a clear account of the search process. Discretion should not leave the candidate unable to verify that a legitimate role exists.
Decide when the candidate needs more detailed information to make an informed decision. Use appropriate confidentiality arrangements with professional advice where needed.
Confirm the candidate's identity and suitability through authorized recruiting procedures before sharing sensitive material. Avoid circulating family records simply because someone has expressed interest.
Share information relevant to the role. A senior investment candidate may need to understand mandate and authority, while private details about unrelated household matters remain unnecessary.
Coordinate everyone involved in the search
Give the recruiter and interviewing team the same approved description. A candidate should not hear conflicting accounts of authority from different family members.
State who may answer questions about compensation or decision rights. Interviewers can describe their work without making commitments the office has not approved.
Keep candidate information within the authorized process. Discretion applies to the applicant as well as the family. An internal referral should not become a reason to discuss the person's interest broadly through professional networks.
As the process advances, arrange appropriate conversations with the people the candidate would work with. They should be able to assess whether the role matches their abilities and expectations.
Explain any limits on information accurately. If a question cannot yet be answered, identify what can be established and when. Avoid using privacy as a general answer to every question about the job.
A candidate considering an offer should understand the operative reporting relationship and the responsibilities being accepted. Have the relevant professionals address employment terms through the proper process.
Close the information loop
If the candidate withdraws or is declined, handle their records and the material shared according to the agreed arrangements and applicable obligations. Explain the next steps through the authorized contact.
If the candidate joins, transfer the relevant recruitment commitments into onboarding. A promise about authority should not disappear when the recruiter hands the employee to the office lead.
Review where candidates repeatedly ask the same unanswered question. That pattern may indicate a weak role description. Correcting it can improve the search without disclosing more family information than the process requires.
Questions and answers
Must the family name appear in the public job description? The recruiting approach should be truthful and professionally assessed. Appropriate details can be shared in stages.
Can privacy justify leaving the role undefined? Candidates still need an accurate understanding of the responsibilities and terms they are being asked to accept.
Related
This page is general information, not legal advice. Family governance documents and dispute processes should be reviewed by a qualified attorney.