Insights

Laying the Path for the Future Across the Investments Team

Squircle Capital celebrates the promotion of Alberto Peri and Camillo Paas

As Squircle Capital continues to strengthen its value proposition and forge new partnerships across the globe, we are delighted to announce the promotion of two of our colleagues in the investments team, Alberto Peri and Camillo Paas.

Alberto who joined the firm in early 2022 has been promoted to Managing Director. His contribution to the team’s work across fundraising, acquisitions and portfolio management continues to be invaluable and a crucial part of the firm’s success over the past three years. Alberto played an integral role in Squircle Capital’s last two fund raises and has led the investment in and the value creation for several portfolio companies in the private equity and real estate verticals. Prior to joining the firm, he worked at Värde Partners and Deutsche Bank, where he invested in and advised on transactions around the world. Alberto’s expertise and contributions to Squircle Capital over the past three years have proved invaluable to the success of the firm.

Camillo, who joined us in 2022 as an analyst in the investment team, has been promoted to Associate. His work to date has focused on evaluating the firm’s existing and potential future investment opportunities, as well as portfolio management. In his new role, Camillo will continue to build upon his already notable accomplishments at Squircle Capital. Most recently, he played a key role in the success of a bolt-on acquisition completed at the end of 2024 and the active value creation on existing portfolio companies. Camillo previously worked for Morgan Stanley in its Investment Banking Division, which he joined after completing a Master’s in International Finance at HEC Paris.

Speaking about the recent announcement, John Nery, Managing Partner and Head of Investments said, “I’m delighted for Alberto and Camillo. These promotions signal the exciting growth of the firm’s highly skilled investments team and seek to lay a path for the future of Squircle Capital.”

 

In conversation with…

In this Q&A, we dive into the experiences both Alberto and Camillo have had during their professional careers, understanding how they view the private equity market and luxury market.

What do you see as the greatest opportunities for SQC’s growth in private equity over the next few years?

Alberto: Without a doubt, this would be SQC’s differentiated approach to private equity investments across high-end sectors, supported by fundamental material growth in the reference markets. We have found a niche in the market that speaks to our very DNA, with our expertise in specialist value creation across high-end sectors. Our ability to unlock opportunities others can’t or won’t has proven hugely successful in the past and has never been more significant than in today’s market. We have a phenomenal team capable of originating incredible opportunities in Europe and beyond. This, coupled with our partners’ network allows us to create truly unique investment opportunities.

Within our corporate private equity strategy, this focus has allowed us to benefit from outsized growth in specific sectors, thanks to either differentiated products or high barriers to entry. It also means we’ve been able to ride the wave of selective consumer spending habits. On the real estate side, it has led to a focus on the repositioning of underperforming assets into ultra-luxury hotels through partnerships with leading hotel management companies and world-renowned architects – all the while, staying true to our fundamental principles of driving positive societal change. Whilst hugely appealing to our investors, this is also extremely motivating as an investment professional.

What has been your biggest learning experience since joining Squircle Capital?

Camillo: Working at Squircle has been and continues to be an incredible experience because of our proprietary investment model. Throughout all aspects of an investment’s lifecycle – from origination, due diligence and acquisition through to value creation, asset management and ultimately exit – our different teams across varying offices work seamlessly together to create unique investments we’re immensely proud of. Being a part of this day-to-day and working alongside colleagues from different departments allows me to learn something new every single day both on the corporate and real estate private equity strategies.

What do you look for in an investment opportunity in the high-end sectors that SQC focuses on?

Alberto: We focus on the markets that are most relevant to today’s high-end consumers. We’re seeing an ongoing shift in consumer preferences, accelerated by the pandemic, which will continue to be backed for a long time by the Great Wealth Transfer. This is especially true for high-end sectors. We believe that focusing on the market opportunities that emerge most prominently out of this shift and identifying niches that give us exposure to the high-end portion of the market will result in highly attractive investment opportunities.

High-end customers generally have optionality when seeking goods or services. As such, we believe that identifying aspects of true differentiation or ideas that embrace new technologies will also reap benefits. In certain sectors, for instance, hospitality, we also place emphasis on the power of brand recognition and the confidence this gives consumers when ultimately making a decision. Having an acute awareness of what brands operate best in which environments has always been a strength of ours. Additionally, while today, a positive social impact is more a condition than a differentiating factor for our investors, we always strive to go beyond textbook ESG concepts. Instead, we endeavour to fundamentally transform assets in a way that leaves a positive legacy in the market and communities we invest in for the benefit of future generations and owners.

Finally, what aspects of your role do you find most exciting?

Camillo: One of the most exciting aspects of my role is asset transformation – taking a company with strong fundamentals and working closely with management and our partners to unlock its full potential. Our in-house expertise in real estate and private equity, coupled with the support of our excellent operating partners, uniquely positions us to transform assets and create value for our investors. Whether through strategic initiatives, operational improvements, or identifying new growth opportunities, seeing measurable progress makes the work especially engaging and fulfilling.