Insights

Squircle Capital further scales its investment team for a busy year ahead

We are pleased to announce the appointments of Laura Brogi as Analyst and Gilberto Lo Feudo as Associate Director in the Investments team.

On the heels of an incredibly active 2025, marked by a record-breaking year for asset performance and the announcement of several major new partnerships, Squircle Capital has carried that momentum straight into the new year. With a strong pipeline of new opportunities and exceptional performance across our portfolio, 2026 is shaping up to be a huge year for our investment team.

To support this continued growth, we are thrilled to welcome Laura Brogi as an Analyst and Gilberto Lo Feudo as an Associate Director to the team. Their expertise will be vital as we continue to unlock value in our investments and seek out new opportunities for innovation and growth.

As an Analyst, Laura will play a pivotal role in the evaluation, execution and monitoring of Squircle Capital’s prospective and current investments. She joins the firm from Partners Group, where she gained extensive private equity experience, with a focus on the premium consumer, healthcare, and industrial sectors. Prior to that, Laura worked in Private Equity Real Estate at EQT, honing domain-specific skills that will prove invaluable as she steps into her new role.

Laura’s academic background is equally distinguished; she holds a bachelor’s degree from John Cabot University, complemented by an exchange program at Stanford University and a Master’s in Management (Grande École) from HEC Paris. Her international perspective and ability to navigate global markets are further enhanced by her linguistic skills, fluent in Spanish, Italian, English, French, and Catalan, with intermediate knowledge of German.

We are also proud to welcome Gilberto to our team, who will be responsible for analysing new investment opportunities, as well as supporting the management of current portfolio companies across both real estate and corporate private equity. He brings deep expertise in European real estate and consumer sectors, having previously held positions at some of the industry’s most prominent firms.

At Blackstone in London, he focused on real estate investments across the capital structure and throughout Europe. Later, Gilberto moved to Kryalos SGR in Milan to lead acquisitions, advisory and asset management in the Italian real estate market for high-profile institutional real estate players. Joining Squircle Capital, he will leverage this experience to identify new opportunities and drive growth across our hospitality and leisure holdings. Gilberto is a graduate of Bocconi University with a B.Sc. in International Economics, Management and Finance and an M.Sc. in Finance. He speaks fluent Italian and English.

In conversation with…

We spoke with Laura and Gilberto about the outlook for the luxury sector in 2026 and how firms like Squircle Capital will maintain their competitive edge.

First and foremost, what drew you to Squircle Capital and what sets them apart from other firms for you?

Laura: Squircle Capital has built a truly enviable reputation for uncovering attractive investment opportunities that might otherwise go unnoticed and untapped. With its proven track record in major ultra-luxury hotel deals globally, it was clear to me that the firm is uniquely positioned to capitalise on the emerging trends set to reshape the market in 2026. The firm’s corporate private equity deals are equally impressive, not only competing with the world’s largest PE firms but consistently securing these premier assets in an increasingly competitive market. This opportunity to join a top-performing team is hugely exciting, and I look forward to bringing my experience to the firm to support its continued success.

What is your perspective on the current state of the ultra-luxury market, and why was now the right time for you to join the firm?

Gilberto: Today, there is unquestionable demand for ultra-luxury hotels and experiences across Europe, a trend that Squircle has been ahead of the curve on for quite some time. But the real value of these luxury assets lies in their execution, and this is where the firm truly stands out in my opinion. Whether it’s luxury resorts in premier destinations or sophisticated urban sanctuaries, Squircle has a unique ability to identify these opportunities and deliver significant redevelopments that meet the evolving expectations of the luxury consumer.

It has the expertise, but it also has the network. By partnering with the biggest names in hospitality and world-renowned architects, Squircle consistently delivers high-quality investment propositions. With this reputation, it can now access the best deals in the market as a true leader in private equity real estate transactions, and this is what ultimately enticed me to join the team at this time.

From your previous experience at Partners Group, working in the premium consumer and healthcare sectors, how do you see these worlds colliding with Squircle’s high-end hospitality and real estate portfolio?

Laura: My experience at Partners Group taught me that premium consumer behaviour is shifting toward a wellness-as-luxury model. Today, high-end hospitality and real estate are no longer just about visual distinction or material ownership, but about a curated experience increasingly rooted in health and wellness. Squircle Capital has already built an exceptional track record of understanding and responding to these evolving demands within its portfolio. However, as we move forward, I see these sectors becoming intrinsically linked, with wellness no longer an ancillary feature but a core pillar of modern luxury in this space. My specialist expertise will help to bolster the team’s ability to deliver these unique experiences, ultimately driving superior asset differentiation.

You’ve worked with some of the private equity industry’s most prominent names. As LPs increasingly consolidate their capital toward mega-funds, what gives you confidence that a boutique firm like Squircle Capital can maintain a competitive edge?

Gilberto: It’s no secret that recent market uncertainty has led to a flight of capital to the largest asset management firms. But this does not mean smaller firms cannot compete; on the contrary, specialisation and differentiation through their management model can be key to success in a more challenging market, leveraging niche strategies to outperform mega-funds. Even among other boutique firms, Squircle Capital stands out because it understands that a strategy must extend beyond the niche itself. It must be paired with active, ongoing asset management supported by deep market expertise. The team has unparalleled knowledge of the sectors in which they operate and the long-term outlook required to continue creating real value for stakeholders over time. Ultimately, this specialised execution is what investors value most in challenging conditions, and it is what will allow firms like Squircle Capital to maintain a clear competitive advantage.