There is a lack of butlers for so many millionaires

In the world of the ultra-rich, the laws of supply and demand also work. And now, the great fortunes, among other things, are fighting to get hold of the few truly specialized butlers on the planet, a practically essential service in the homes and agendas of people with great fortunes, but also scarce, according to the schools. specialized in training these profiles. “Where there is a billionaire there is usually at least one butler. And now, at a time when high net worth does not stop growing, we are beginning to find problems in meeting all the demand”. This is stated by Paul Huizinga, director of recruitment at The International Butler Academy, one of the most important training centers in the Netherlands, which also works globally. Everyone has their problems.

According to data from the latest annual wealth reports from the Swiss bank Credit Suisse, the number of adults who own at least one million dollars (about 890,000 euros) has not stopped growing worldwide over the last few years years. Like the number of poor households: according to Oxfam data, last year the fortune of billionaires increased by 12%, while the wealth of the poorest half, some 3.8 billion people, fell by a eleven%. Thus, while in 2014 there were just over 34 million rich people across the planet, the figure has risen to over 42 million in 2018, 21% more. In all this time, growth has been much more notable in countries like China, which went from one million rich people to nearly three and a half million. Or in Hong Kong, which increased by 75%, Saudi Arabia (72%), the United Arab Emirates (69%) or Spain, which did so by 83%. The country that treasures the most fortunes is, without a doubt, the United States, with 17 million.

“Not all millionaires have a butler service. In fact, it is difficult to quantify how many of these professionals there are in the world. What we do know is that, with increasing frequency, we receive requests to hire this service”, continues Huizinga. This recruiter estimates that the region of the world that has the most domestic servants in proportion to its population is Switzerland, with between 1,000 and 1,200 butlers.

In the rest of the planet “we believe there are a little over a million, although this is really difficult to verify. Also because there are many who, we suspect, do not have the necessary training”. The United States, China, the Middle East, Europe and Russia, with an increasing weight of Mexico and Argentina, are the areas that drive this business, he adds.

In Spain, one of the profiles that has the most contact with this world is Juan de Dios Orozco, director of the consulting firm Protocollum and International Butler School, the first school in the country specializing in this market. He puts it bluntly: “There aren't enough mayordomos here to cover all the demand we have today. They ask us for one or two almost every week, but for now we cannot attend to the orders”. This is due, on the one hand, to the shortage of professionals. On the other hand, because the few Spanish butlers that exist have a very good reputation in the world, and are a group for which the great fortunes of the globe, especially the Latin American ones, fight.

“Mexico and Argentina ask us for many. The Spaniard is loyal, affectionate and has that recognition”. Added to this, continues Orozco, is the training given in Spanish schools. “Most come with prior training in foreign centers, very Downton Abbey-style. We polish it and adapt it to the real needs of today”, adds Orozco. In their case, they train about 20 people a year, a figure that rises to 60 in the case of The International Butler Academy. None of the centers makes public the placement figures in each country "because this is a very confidential sector," recalls Huizinga. “What we do confirm is that this is a job with zero unemployment. No one who has the required training is without a job,” says Orozco.

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For this reason, both recommend that young people take an interest in this profession, to which they give a future. Perhaps the most attractive thing is the average salary, in addition to the opportunity to see the world, since it is rare for an ultra-rich family to always stay in the same place. The average salary depends on your situation and your years of experience, "but we could talk about 60,000 euros a year for someone who has just started and a little over 100,000 for someone experienced," says Huizinga. That in the case of domestics. In hotels the salary is lower, "but it is compensated with tips and it is also less sacrificed," says Orozco.

Last year, the International Butler School closed the contract for a Spanish butler to work in the home of a large Argentine businessman. “In his case, his salary was set at 85,000 euros net per year, tax-free and without any expenses, since the butler sleeps in the client's house and travels with him. It is a job that allows you to save,” says Orozco. In addition, he continues, you can also negotiate pension plans, private medical insurance and policies with worldwide coverage.

Not everything is rosy. Despite the apparent good working conditions, experts acknowledge, this is a very sacrificed profession. Especially for those incorporated in recent years, since the profile that is in demand now is full-time. “Total availability is usually required, seven days a week, 365 days a year. From then on, free days and dates are negotiated with the client, but full availability is required from the outset,” says Orozco. For this reason, they are usually profiles, mainly men, without family or sentimental ties of any kind.

Profiles available every day are usually required, without family or sentimental ties

Today, when great fortunes do not stand still and travel from the Caribbean to the Mediterranean, from the beach to the snow or from the big city to a country house, the most sought-after profiles are those between 35 and 45 years old, with an age that already shows some experience, but still young to be able to travel the world. However, recalls Huizinga, there are many types of requests: "People for specific dates, to work on cruise ships, to be on the yacht, to work for the same family and direct domestic service in different homes, for embassies, companies... .”, so there really isn't anything written.

Given the lack of supply, especially for Western profiles, which are the most in demand in the Middle East and Asia, experts advocate seducing young Europeans to attract them to the business. And in addition to the remuneration, they consider that it is very important to change the perception that society has of domestic service. And it is that, although there are more and more people who want to dedicate themselves to this, "if you tell a recent graduate in Tourism or Protocol that they want to be a butler, the first thing they will say is no, because it is a profession with connotations of servility. It is a very discredited profession from the outside, "says Orozco.

Hence, the experts take pains to remember that the profession has little to do with serving, they say. For both, these professionals are much more than directors who manage teams and people. “Having a butler is not a luxury or a whim,” says Huizinga. “It's a need for the ultra-rich, who can't waste time checking to see if their room is reserved, knowing what to wear to an event or making sure the plane isn't late,” says Orozco. According to Credit Suisse predictions, by 2023 there will be more than 55 million people with more than one million dollars, 31% more than today. If the rich still need a butler to live by then, the specialized schools will have to look for them under the rocks.