Rebuilding Momentum in Barcelona: From International Hospitality to Strategic Leadership in one of the Top Family Offices in Spain

The family office was restructuring its hotel asset division and needed a Controlling & Administration Manager capable of building financial processes from scratch, reporting directly to the CEO, combining strong controlling expertise with hands-on knowledge of hotel operations.

What began as a career advisory conversation years earlier in ESADE’s Executive MBA program evolved into an ideal match, proving that United Search’s long-term relationships often lead to the most meaningful placements.

A major Catalan family office was entering a new phase of structuring and growth. One of its divisions, dedicated to managing and developing hotel assets, needed to professionalize its financial governance while preparing for future investments.

They were looking for a Controlling & Administration Manager, the very first financial lead for this branch, reporting directly to the CEO and operating without a dedicated team.

The role required a rare balance:

• Strong financial controlling expertise, capable of designing performance frameworks from scratch

• Solid operational knowledge of hotel management and its specific KPIs

• The ability to combine strategic vision with a highly hands-on execution mindset

Beyond mapping hospitality finance leaders, we looked into our long-standing relationships. Three years earlier, we had met Raquel S. through ESADE’s Executive MBA career advisory program. At the time, she was based in Brazil, transitioning from restaurant group leadership into hotel asset management.

Since then, her journey had evolved. After successfully moving into hospitality asset management in Brazil, unforeseen personal circumstances brought her back to Barcelona after nearly two decades abroad.

Reintegrating into the local market was not straightforward, but we had maintained a relationship built on trust and continuity. When this mandate emerged, her name came naturally to mind.

The turning point was not about credentials, which Raquel undoubtedly had. It was about alignment at a pivotal moment for both the candidate and the company.

The idea of joining a compact structure, building financial processes from the ground up, shaping hotel performance strategy, and operating without layers of hierarchy resonated deeply with her entrepreneurial mindset.

For the family office, she represented exactly the hybrid they needed: someone equally comfortable discussing RevPAR and cash-flow forecasting, someone who understood ownership dynamics, yet was ready to roll up her sleeves.

What could have felt like a risk—returning to Spain after 20 years abroad—became her differentiating strength: international maturity paired with renewed local commitment.

Raquel stepped into the role and quickly established herself as a strategic yet operational pillar of the division. She structured financial reporting, implemented performance tracking processes, and became a trusted partner to the CEO in evaluating future investments.

For the organization, this hire accelerated the professionalization of its hotel portfolio and reinforced its transformation.

For Raquel, the move marked a powerful reinvention: from expatriate executive to strategic leader within one of Catalonia’s most established family ecosystems.