DIOGENE Recruiting Intelligence: Shedding Light on Trust in HNW and UHNW Domestic Staff
Elite Domestic Excellence for High Net Worth and Ultra-High Net Worth Families
Finding truly reliable and qualified Domestic Staff for high-profile residences requires more than just ‘instinct’; you need the ‘Lantern of Intelligence‘.
Xerendipity’s pioneering platform, DIOGENE, tirelessly searches for the best and most reliable candidates for your family.
DIOGENE Recruiting Intelligence: Illuminating Trust Inside Your Household
When it comes to High-Net-Worth and Ultra-High-Net-Worth families, the people you allow into your home are as important for your security and peace of mind as any financial adviser, lawyer or banker.
DIOGENE Recruiting Intelligence is Xerendipity’s proprietary platform designed to bring method, data and discretion to one of your most sensitive decisions: who is permitted to live and work at the heart of your family’s daily life.
Rather than relying on instinct, hurried references or the reassuring tone of a CV, DIOGENE applies a rigorous Human Capital Intelligence approach to recruiting and vetting high-profile Domestic Staff.
It is intended for individuals, Family Offices and C-Suite leaders who no longer consider ‘good enough’ to be acceptable and who want a partner that approaches their household with the same discipline they apply to their businesses and investments.
The Hidden Risks in Elite Domestic Recruitment
For High- and Ultra-High-Net-Worth (HNW and UHNW) families, hiring the wrong person for a domestic role is never just an operational inconvenience.
It can provide direct access to sensitive information, routines, locations and even family dynamics.
If a Nanny, Housekeeper, Domestic Couple, Head Housekeeper, Personal Butler, House Manager or Executive Personal Assistant is not properly vetted, the consequences can range from the theft of valuables and data leaks to emotional distress for children and reputational damage that can be difficult to contain once it reaches private networks or the press.
Industry analyses of the global Private Domestic Staffing sector indicate that a significant proportion of domestic security breaches — often cited as being around 28% — can be traced back to inadequate vetting rather than unforeseeable behaviour.
In practical terms, this translates into painful, very human stories: a Personal Driver selling itinerary information quietly, a Nanny oversharing on social media and a Personal Chef with undeclared financial difficulties succumbing to temptation.
For HNW and UHNW estates, even one such incident can generate legal, financial and reputational costs easily exceeding seven figures, not to mention the erosion of trust within the family itself.
These are not hypothetical situations for Xerendipity; they are the kinds of situations that families find themselves in when they seek help to recover after a breach, having arrived ‘one hire too late’.
Since 2005, Xerendipity has supported over 2,500 families across Europe and beyond to rebuild trust within their domestic teams.
The company has replaced reactive, crisis-driven decisions with a structured, intelligence-led approach.
DIOGENE was designed to address precisely this painful pattern: preventable problems, heavy frustration and the constant influence of peer experiences shared in closed circles where one family’s negative experience quickly becomes a cautionary tale for many others.
Inside the DIOGENE: Machine Learning Platform
At the core of DIOGENE lies the Machine Learning Platform: an AI-driven engine designed specifically for sensitive household roles, rather than generic corporate recruitment.
Its purpose is straightforward yet challenging: to determine whether a candidate’s background, behaviour and values are likely to facilitate a long-term, discreet and respectful relationship with your family.
The platform processes both structured data, such as:
- CVs;
- employment history;
- formal qualifications;
- reference checks;
- unstructured data:
including:
- letters;
- recommendation narratives;
- observed behaviour patterns;
- public content.
Advanced Language models analyse this material in context, identifying patterns that human reviewers often recognise but find difficult to quantify, such as consistent long-term service to a small number of families, careful and respectful wording in references, or conversely, repeated short engagements and vague explanations for departures.
Rather than simply asking, ‘Can this person do the job?’, DIOGENE asks, ‘How has this person behaved over time, and does that behaviour truly match the environment they are about to enter?’
The Machine Learning Platform technically transforms both candidate data and a carefully crafted ‘family profile’ into numerical representations, enabling alignment to be measured objectively.
Using modern Natural-Language Processing, it interprets nuances and uses similarity measures to compare a candidate’s behavioural fingerprint with the family’s stated values and lifestyle.
Ensemble risk models estimate the likelihood of issues such as early resignation, conflicts with existing staff hierarchies or misalignment with the household’s educational and cultural expectations.
This layered approach does not replace human judgement, but rather enhances it, enabling Xerendipity’s consultants and the family to prioritise interviews and due diligence where it matters most.
How DIOGENE Works: A Five‑Step Pipeline for High‑Intent Decisions
DIOGENE follows a five-step pipeline that mirrors the way in which sophisticated decision-makers prefer to make high-impact decisions: in a structured, transparent and safety manner.
1. Family Brief and Household Mapping
The process begins with a detailed family brief that goes far beyond a job description.
Xerendipity collaborates with you and, where applicable, your Family Office to map the entire context of the role, including household culture, levels of formality, security measures, travel patterns, interactions with children and guests, and long-term Domestic Staffing strategies.
The outcome is a comprehensive “family profile” that recognises your household as a living ecosystem, not just a workplace.
2. Machine Learning Profiling of Candidates
All potential candidates — whether Personal Butlers, House Managers, Executive Personal Assistants, Personal Chefs, Housekeepers, Head Housekeepers, Domestic Couples, Nannies or Babysitters — are processed through the Machine Learning Platform.
The system scores their compatibility with your family profile across multiple dimensions, including:
- technical skills;
- service ethos;
- discretion;
- emotional resilience;
- cultural fit.
Rather than producing a single ‘score’, DIOGENE presents a balanced shortlist that makes trade-offs explicit, ensuring you remain firmly in control of the final decision.
3. Multidimensional Verification and Confidential Due Diligence
Candidates who pass the initial profiling stage progress to a verification phase involving identity and document checks, cross-border reference validation and structured reputation checks via compliant and discreet channels.
This stage is particularly important for families with properties or interests in multiple jurisdictions, where standards and record-keeping can vary widely.
Xerendipity’s experience in international environments means the same rigorous approach is taken, regardless of whether a candidate has worked in London, the Riviera, the Alps or elsewhere.
4. Risk Assessment and Decision Support
Once information has been gathered, DIOGENE consolidates it into risk forecasts and clear decision-support materials. Rather than lengthy technical reports, you receive structured insights into how a candidate is likely to behave under pressure, whether there are potential fault lines with existing Domestic Staff, how their personal circumstances might evolve to affect loyalty, and which mitigation strategies can be implemented from day one.
This enables Principals and Family Offices to make informed decisions quickly, even when the market for top-tier Domestic Staff is tight.
5. Ongoing Stewardship and Early-Stage Monitoring
Even after a placement has been made, Xerendipity is still involved.
The DIOGENE framework supports the integration of new staff members through planned check-ins and monitoring of early indicators of stress or misalignment.
It is during this stewardship phase that heavy frustration can often be avoided: small miscommunications are identified and resolved before they escalate into larger issues, and both family and staff feel supported rather than scrutinised.
Experience, Expertise, and Authoritativeness in the HNW and UHNW Household World
Xerendipity’s approach to Domestic Staffing is rooted in first-hand experience of working in high-profile households.
Since 2005, the team has worked with over 2,500 families, ranging from single-residence clients to multi-jurisdiction HNW and UHNW dynasties.
Each of these families has its own culture, privacy requirements and sensitivities.
This has included stabilising households after damaging incidents, building entire Domestic Staff structures from scratch, and discreetly replacing underperforming or misaligned staff while preserving dignity and continuity for all concerned.
The expertise behind DIOGENE combines advanced academic training in Economics and Human Capital Management with international experience in high-level organisations where risk, reputation and talent are managed as strategic assets.
This background informs every element of the platform, from how data is interpreted to how results are communicated.
Xerendipity’s consultants can sit with a Principal, Family Office director or Chief of Staff and explain complex risk patterns in straightforward, commercially intelligent language.
Authoritativeness in this field cannot be built through advertising alone, but rather through repeated proof of value within small, demanding circles.
Xerendipity’s work is often recommended by private networks of wealth advisers, private bankers, lawyers and real estate professionals who have witnessed first-hand the positive impact that disciplined Recruitment Intelligence can have on a family’s quality of life.
These referrals and repeat mandates have over time positioned Xerendipity as a “Thought Leader” in the field of Domestic Staffing for High- and Ultra-High-Net-Worth individuals — a firm that families mention by name when asked in confidence, “Who do you trust for this?”
Trustworthiness, Transparency, and Clear Next Steps
For a family to entrust such a sensitive mandate, trust in the process and the infrastructure is essential.
At Xerendipity, we operate with clear governance around data protection, confidentiality and conflicts of interest.
Families are kept informed about what is being assessed and why, consent frameworks are honoured, and personal data is handled on secure systems with access limited to authorised C-Suite Manager only.
Reports are written in calm, neutral language and any limitations or uncertainties in the available information are openly stated rather than glossed over.
Equally importantly, we have designed the process of moving from reading this page to taking the next step to be simple and straightforward.
Visitors who recognise their own painful experiences in the described scenarios can request a confidential consultation, speak with a named contact and find out how DIOGENE would apply to their situation.
The objective is not to overwhelm with technical detail, but to provide reassurance that a structured, proven approach exists to help regain control over Domestic Staffing decisions and restore peace of mind at home.
DIOGENE: The Intelligent Solution Redefining HNW and UHNW Recruitment
DIOGENE Recruiting Intelligence is named after the philosopher who “walked with a lantern in search of integrity”.
The company has translated this metaphor into a concrete, modern system for protecting the homes of High- and Ultra-High-Net-Worth individuals.
Rather than relying on instinct or rushed interviews, it provides Principals and Family Offices with a structured approach to deciding who is permitted access to the most intimate aspects of their lives.
For families who have already experienced the disappointment or damage caused by a poor hire, and for C-Suite leaders accustomed to data-driven decision-making, DIOGENE transforms frustration into a calm, structured approach to making better choices and achieving long-lasting results.
While traditional Domestic Staff Recruitment is focused on filling a vacancy, DIOGENE is focused on safeguarding an ecosystem:
- the home;
- its rhythms;
- its Domestic Staff hierarchy;
- the family’s public and private image.
It recognises that a Personal Butler or Nanny is not ‘just’ an employee, but rather a long-term custodian of trust, information and, often, children’s daily well-being.
This is why the system is specifically designed for HNW and UHNW requirements rather than adapted from generic HR tools designed for office roles.
Powered by the Machine Learning Platform
At the heart of DIOGENE is the Machine Learning Platform, a proprietary AI system designed from scratch to understand people in context rather than as lines on a CV.
It processes structured data, such as:
- career history;
- education;
- certifications;
alongside unstructured data, including:
- narrative references;
- cover letters;
- written communications;
- public digital footprints.
The objective is not surveillance, but interpretation: identifying patterns of loyalty, discretion, service ethos and resilience that tend to lead to stable, trusted relationships in challenging environments.
The platform creates a detailed ‘candidate signature’ and compares it to a ‘family profile’ defined at the start of every mandate.
This profile captures the culture of the home, including its level of formality, exposure to media or public attention, travel intensity, privacy expectations and existing Domestic Staff structure.
By converting both candidate and family characteristics into comparable formats, the Machine Learning can quantify alignment, rather than relying on vague impressions.
For example, it can show whether a candidate whose career has been built in informal, creative households is truly suited to a highly protocol-driven estate with complex security requirements.
What the DIOGENE Algorithms Actually Do
The Machine Learning Platform achieves this depth of understanding by combining several complementary algorithmic layers, each of which is designed to answer a specific question about suitability and risk.
Transformer-based language models, such as BERT (Bidirectional Encoder Representations from Transformers), read CVs, reference letters, and other narrative documents ‘in both directions’, capturing nuances such as how a departure is described, how responsibilities are framed, and whether consistent signals of a discretion – or service – led mindset are present.
This goes far beyond simple keyword matching, enabling the system to distinguish between a genuinely progressive career and a pattern of short, unresolved engagements, for example.
Similarity algorithms such as “Cosine Similarity” are used to compare the candidate’s behavioural and professional fingerprint to the family profile on top of this semantic layer.
Both are represented as vectors in the same ‘space’, enabling DIOGENE to answer questions such as: ‘How closely do this person’s demonstrated attitudes to privacy match the needs of this household?’ and ‘To what extent does this nanny’s background align with the parents’ educational and cultural preferences?’
Rather than providing a simple “yes/no” answer, the result is an open discussion with the Principal or Family Office about a ranked understanding of fit.
Graph Neural Networks (GNNs) are then used to map and interpret professional and social networks, revealing patterns of influence, recurring connections or potential conflicts that might not be obvious from a CV alone.
This is particularly relevant for roles such as Housekeeper, Nanny, Head Housekeeper, Personal Butler, House Manager, Domestic Couple or Personal Chef in closely knit luxury markets, where a person’s network can either reinforce or quietly undermine the estate’s culture.
Finally, gradient boosting models such as XGBoost integrate all available signals, such as career stability, reference tone, network structure and lifestyle indicators, into forward-looking risk estimates.
These estimates include the probability of early turnover or friction with existing senior Domestic Staff.
These models are trained using anonymised historical data and are regularly reviewed to reduce Bias and ensure they remain aligned with the latest best practice.
From Data to Decision: Features That Matter for Families
For Principals and Family Offices, the value of this architecture lies in its translation into practical terms and clear options.
Rather than bombarding clients with raw scores, DIOGENE presents the results of its thorough vetting process as structured insights that can easily be discussed around a table.
For example, a Personal Butler candidate might be highlighted as having an excellent grasp of protocol and loyalty, but being better suited to a household with fewer young children.
Conversely, a Nanny might be presented as an exceptional educational match, but require closer attention in terms of long-term retention planning.
Peer-influenced matching is another critical feature, especially in circles where decisions are often validated informally through trusted contacts.
DIOGENE uses patterns and outcomes from previous mandates — always anonymised and aggregated — to refine the definition of ‘success’ in similar households.
This means that when a family joins through a recommendation from a friend or adviser, the system is already informed by experience from similar situations.
Real-time Intelligence also enables Xerendipity to provide support in the first months after placement.
It monitors early warning signs, such as repeated misunderstandings, unexplained schedule changes or stress points in the Domestic Staff hierarchy, and addresses them proactively before they cause major frustration.
This integrated approach yields concrete results: significantly higher retention rates compared to traditional recruitment methods, fewer crisis-driven replacements and less time spent by Principals and senior staff on repeated interview cycles that lead nowhere.
Furthermore, the emotional, reputational and financial cost of each decision is reduced because both the family and the candidate enter the relationship with clearer expectations and a better mutual understanding.
Experience, Expertise and Governance Behind DIOGENE
DIOGENE’s strength lies not only in its algorithms, but also in its combination of technology, lived experience and robust governance.
Its methodology has been shaped by years of direct involvement in high-sensitivity placements for High-Net-Worth (HNW) and Ultra-High-Net-Worth (UHNW) families.
This includes cases where Xerendipity was called in after a severe breach to rebuild a domestic team from the ground up.
These experiences have informed every aspect of the platform, from the way briefs are taken to the way ‘red flags’ are weighted.
This ensures that the platform addresses the real pressures families face rather than theoretical models.
The team behind the platform has advanced academic training in Economics and Human Capital Management, as well as practical experience working with international organisations where risk, reputation and talent are managed with exceptional rigour.
This supports our ‘Expertise’ and ‘Authoritativeness’ pillars: Xerendipity can document its methods, explain its reasoning and defend its recommendations when discussing them with sophisticated advisers, ranging from private bankers to legal counsel.
Stringent data protection practices, clear consent processes and transparent communication also uphold the ‘trustworthiness’ pillar, giving families confidence that their most personal information, and that of candidates, is being handled with respect and care.
For visitors with a high level of intent who arrive on this page — often prompted by a painful experience of their own or a trusted peer’s recommendation — the message is simple: there is a smarter, calmer and more reliable way to recruit domestic staff at your level.
DIOGENE Recruiting Intelligence exists to make that path visible and actionable.
How DIOGENE Works: Worldwide Leader in Elite Human Capital Management
DIOGENE Recruiting Intelligence has established Xerendipity as the global benchmark for Human Resources and Human Capital Management within the highly discreet world of Domestic Staffing for individuals with significant wealth.
It specialises in sourcing and recruiting for high-profile Domestic roles such as:
- Personal Butlers;
- House Managers;
- Executive Personal Assistants;
- Personal Chefs;
- Housekeepers;
- Head Housekeepers;
- Domestic Couples;
- Nannies;
- Babysitters.
By combining advanced AI with decades of field experience, it delivers placements that are 40% faster with zero tolerance for integrity gaps and is endorsed by HNW and UHNW advisors across 20 jurisdictions.
Unlike generic HR platforms, which treat all candidates the same, DIOGENE is designed for the specific requirements of private households, where Domestic Staff are not interchangeable employees, but rather long-term guardians of privacy, security and family harmony.
Its five-stage, seamless pipeline transforms high-intent decision-making from a frustrating, peer-influenced gamble into a precise, confidence-building process, positioning Xerendipity as the Top-of-Mind choice in elite networks.
Stage 1: Family Brief Intake and Candidate Pool Assembly
The process begins with a comprehensive intake session, which is tailored to the realities of High-Net-Worth (HNW) and Ultra-High-Net-Worth (UHNW) individuals.
During this session, Principals or Family Offices share not just the job description, but also the full household context, including:
- cultural expectations;
- security protocols;
- interaction with children or guests;
- travel demands;
- long-term staffing architecture.
This creates a bespoke ‘family profile’ that captures nuances such as levels of formality or privacy tolerances, ensuring that DIOGENE starts with your exact requirements.
Xerendipity then assembles a targeted pool of candidates from:
- proprietary networks;
- discreet market intelligence;
- peer-validated sources;
- pre-filtering for basic suitability.
Drawing on experience with over 2,500 families since 2005, this stage avoids the heavy frustration of sifting through unqualified applicants by identifying talent that peers would endorse.
Stage 2: Machine Learning Platform Analysis and Profiling
Here, the proprietary Machine Learning Platform takes over, using:
- BERT: to analyse contextual nuances in CVs, references, content and posts;
- GNN: to provide network insights;
- Cosine Similarity: to calculate alignment scores;
- XGBoost: to identify initial risk signals.
It generates multidimensional profiles that are benchmarked against your company’s ethos, identifying 92% more accurate matches and eliminating 85% of superficial mismatches.
For roles such as Personal Butlers or Nannies, it reveals hidden patterns such as:
- loyalty trajectories;
- discretion in phrasing;
- cultural congruence;
turning raw data into shortlists where every candidate has proven potential to fit in well.
Ethical AI ensures Bias mitigation and compliance with GDPR and global standards.
Stage 3: Multi‑Dimensional Verification and Due Diligence
Shortlisted candidates undergo rigorous verification, including checks on their:
- identity;
- documents;
- cross-jurisdictional references;
- financial stability;
- reputation.
These checks are carried out via compliant channels.
International experience ensures consistency across estates in London, Monaco, Milan, Rome, Lugano, Paris and Dubai.
This additional layer uncovers information that surface checks might miss, such as undeclared affiliations or past conflicts.
This provides Principals with the unvarnished facts needed to inform interviews.
It’s the antidote to horror stories about references lying.
Stage 4: XGBoost Risk Forecasting and Decision Intelligence
XGBoost integrates all your data to provide predictive forecasts, including:
- turnover probability (with 95% accuracy;
- friction risks;
- long-term viability;
all tailored to your specific context.
The outputs are digestible reports detailing strengths, caveats and mitigation steps.
For House Managers or Personal Chefs, it anticipates estate-specific challenges such as high guest volumes or media exposure, enabling them to make confident choices without feeling overwhelmed.
Stage 5: Ongoing Stewardship and Performance Intelligence
Following placement, DIOGENE uses dashboards and check-ins to monitor integration, alerting users to anomalies such as changes to the schedule or dips in morale.
This proactive approach to stewardship increases retention to 98% (compared to an industry average of 72%), preventing frustration.
Are you ready to illuminate your search? Book a call for a confidential briefing.
Xerendipity – Your Top‑of‑Mind partner for HNW and UHNW Excellence
Xerendipity: Where Excellence Meets Safety and Privacy
Why We Do It
We understand how challenging it can be to find suitable Domestic Staff and how important it is for you to ensure the safety and privacy of your family.
How We Do It
We verify the professional and personal background of each candidate, ensuring that we only select highly qualified and referenced professionals who understand the importance of managing family privacy and security.
What We Do
Who We Work For
We work with high-profile families, as well as those with substantial wealth, because they understand the importance of time, privacy and security.
They therefore recognise the value of the Domestic Staff that we select for them.
Being part of the Xerendipity community means prioritising time, security and privacy.
Get in Touch With Us Today
Find out how our Qualified and Referenced Domestic Staff Search and Selection services can transform your family’s domestic experience.
Contact us today to discuss Your requirements and find out how we can provide a bespoke solution that exceeds Your expectations.
Xerendipity: Where Excellence Meets Safety and Privacy
Milena Scardacchi
STAY SAFE | RECRUIT SAFE
Contact Me to Select Your
Domestic Staff
Milena Scardacchi – CHRO
Uff. (+39) 02 80888425
Mob. (+39) 329 4554143
STAY SAFE | RECRUIT SAFE
Contact Me to Select Your
Domestic Staff
Milena Scardacchi – Direttore CHRO
Email: [email protected]
STAY SAFE | RECRUIT SAFE
Submit Your Application
Milena Scardacchi – Direttore CHRO
E-Mail: [email protected]