Building a Family Office: Where to Start

Building a Family Office: Where to Start

By Cheryl Grimaldi, Founder, Anton Everest

Family offices are growing at a rapid pace—both in number and in complexity.

At Anton Everest Executive Search, we work with family offices at every stage of maturity—from first-time builds to highly sophisticated, multi-generational structures.

And while every family office is unique in its goals, governance, and investment strategy, the early stages tend to hinge on a few critical decisions.

How you build the foundation determines everything that follows.

Start With Structure, Not Titles

One of the most common mistakes we see is hiring by title instead of function.

Before hiring, there must be clarity around:

• What decisions will be made internally vs. externally
• The level of complexity across investments, reporting, and operations
• The degree of control and visibility the family wants

Once that is defined, hiring becomes far more intentional.

The Three Core Pillars

In our experience, every successful family office is built around three core pillars:

1. Finance & Accounting

This is the backbone of the operation.

Accuracy, transparency, and reporting discipline are non-negotiable.

The key hire here is typically a Chief Financial Officer (CFO) or equivalent senior financial leader who can:

• Oversee reporting across entities
• Manage cash flow and liquidity
• Coordinate with external advisors (tax, legal, audit)
• Build systems that scale with complexity

This role brings structure and control.

2. Investment Leadership

This pillar drives strategy and growth.

Depending on the size and sophistication of the office, this may be a Chief Investment Officer (CIO) or a senior investment lead.

This individual is responsible for:

• Defining and executing the investment strategy
• Managing portfolios across asset classes
• Evaluating risk and opportunity
• Aligning investments with the family’s long-term objectives

This role requires both technical expertise and alignment with the family’s philosophy.

3. Operations & Support

This is often underestimated—but it is what allows everything else to function.

Operations in a family office environment require a unique combination of discretion, organization, and adaptability.

Key hires may include:

• Chief of Staff
• Head of Operations
• Senior Executive Assistant

These individuals:

• Manage day-to-day execution
• Coordinate across advisors and stakeholders
• Ensure the principal’s time and priorities are protected
• Bring cohesion to what can otherwise become fragmented

Without this pillar, even the strongest investment and finance strategies struggle to execute.

Hire for Alignment, Not Just Experience

Technical skill matters.

But in a family office, alignment matters more.

These environments are:

• High trust
• High discretion
• Highly personal

The wrong hire—even if technically strong—can create friction quickly.

The right hire becomes a long-term partner.

Sequence Matters

Not every role needs to be hired at once.

But the order matters.

In early-stage builds, we often see:

1. Financial leadership (to establish structure)
2. Investment leadership (to drive strategy)
3. Operational support (to enable scale and efficiency)

That sequence can shift depending on the family—but clarity around priorities is essential.

Final Thought

Building a family office is not just about assembling a team.

It’s about designing a system that reflects the family’s values, goals, and long-term vision.

The early hires set the tone.

They shape decision-making.
They define culture.
They determine how effectively the office can evolve over time.

Anton Everest Executive Search

Strategic hiring for family offices at every stage of growth

If you want one strong optional add-on, I’d suggest a closing line like:

“If you are building or evolving a family office, we welcome the opportunity to be a resource.”

It keeps it elegant—but quietly opens the door to business.

Cheryl Grimaldi, CPC

President/Founder

Anton Everest 
Cell 970.390.0773
www.antoneverest.com
cgrimaldi@antoneverest.com