The Billionaire's Right Hand Man

A Day in the Life of Aron Moldovanyi, Global Director of Properties and Chief of Staff

While the ultra-rich may sometimes be portrayed as a different species altogether, at the end of the day, we’re all humans just trying to get through the day. Most of us probably can’t even fathom what a day is like for a billionaire. What do they eat? What do they do?

Aron Moldovanyi, Global Director of Properties and Chief of Staff, has built a career around managing the day-to-day happenings of these wealthy individuals. The former luxury hotelier now works with some of the richest people in the world, managing their portfolios of mega estates, boats, planes, and private islands.

 Well, I’m so excited to peek into this world. Can you describe to me an average day in the life of a billionaire, and how does what you do fit into their days?

Most billionaires I worked for follow a multi-time-zone schedule; so, while it may be a lazy Sunday in Los Angeles, in the Middle East, Sunday is actually Monday—their beginning of the week and typically the busiest day. So much for your day off…

Of course, we’d like it if we could plan every minute for them: meetings, meals, trips, time with family and friends, and time for their hobbies and rest; but that’s just not how it works in real life. They can deviate from your schedule, and you just have to go with the flow. We call it The Principal Factor: you can plan all you want, but if the boss (the Principal) decides to change course, you just have to improvise and make a new plan.

Trips are not any easier, either. Private jets can take off with short notice and yachts can set sail and leave the dock whenever they want to, so there are no boundaries or limitations when it comes to last-minute trips and instant changes.

We always have a suitcase ready with a printer, a scanner, office supplies, a wireless modem (with our own WiFi network), and even a satellite phone for when we’re on the road—that’s right, we travel with an entire mobile office. It’s business as usual, regardless of where we are. A “typical day” for a billionaire is not typical in the slightest, and the schedule can change in a heartbeat.

It sounds like you need to be adaptable to be in this line of work. I can imagine it must feel like there aren’t enough hours in the day sometimes. When does your day normally begin?

Their days start early, so mine does too. They did not become billionaires by snoozing and napping. By the time they have had their first coffee, I have already met with my House Manager, Head of Security, and Head Butler to go over the schedule for the day. They all know what they need to do—I just need to coordinate between the departments. As a former hotelier, I bring a lot of the operational aspects of running a multi-department luxury hotel to managing a private household, which makes it run smoothly and (almost) easily.

How do you keep up with these lifestyles? Was it hard for you to adapt?

You get accustomed to it. My previous experiences had made me familiar and comfortable with these types of lifestyles. At the end of the day, you kind of live their life a bit, too.

At first, it may be intimidating and seem so out of touch with the “average” lifestyle, but then you realize that everything they do, they do for a good reason. For instance, do you want to pack, unpack, and travel with twenty-plus suitcases every single time you get on your private jet that has limited cargo space—or do you create a wardrobe for each property you own around the world based on local weather patterns? It makes sense, doesn’t it?

That’s a good point. They spend so much time travelling—how do you pull it off?

I travel with them most of the time, but it’s lots of work and provides very little room for leisure for me. Simply booking a hotel might become a logistical nightmare if I also need to book an entire entourage of butlers, bodyguards, and assistants (some ideally in connecting rooms with the Principals so they are seconds away if their services are needed).

Today’s bodyguards are typically also trained chauffeurs, and they often fill in when abroad. When they drive, they have to watch out for potential threats; if anything happens, it’s a routine maneuver to get out of harm’s way. Even here in Los Angeles, crime groups are targeting expensive cars and their passengers, so it’s better to be vigilant and well prepared.

Packing, stocking, loading, and off-loading a plane; transport for the team to and from hotels; customs, visas, travel documents for the pets; COVID tests, security—just think about all the hassles you went through on your last trip abroad and multiply it by ten…

I don’t envy you on that front. I’ve always been curious about their appetites. What and where do they eat?

We have private chefs to take care of the Principal and the staff. The chef prepares meals for the road, and if we stay at hotels, he is responsible for coordinating dinner reservations. Eating out in fancy restaurants is more for special occasions; why mingle in the crowded dining room when your master chef can prepare your favourite dishes for you in the comfort of your home?

We usually plan the menus a week or two ahead of time. They’re then approved by our dietician, and the chef sources ingredients from farmer’s markets, specialty stores, butchers, and fishmongers. At the Principals’ home(s), we have herb gardens, orchards, and even our own apiary for honey.

That is quite impressive! As they say: you are what you eat. What about clothes and personal belongings? Where do they shop?

High-end retail stores all have personal shoppers, but if you are one of their valued billionaire customers, they also offer in-home shopping, where they’ll showcase their latest collections for the season in the convenience of your living room.

All of this seems very practical—I was, truthfully, expecting more extravagance. I think there’s time for one last question: what is one thing that the average person may not know about a billionaire’s lifestyle?

Exactly. They try to live a comparatively simple and normal life—but it’s on a larger scale and they have fewer limitations. Sometimes there’s extravagance, but overall, it’s just them living their lives. Money can’t buy you happiness, but it can buy you freedom; freedom to do the things you want, when you want, and not worry about the price tag. Their bucket lists are more about unique experiences and positive social bonds than accumulating more wealth or owning more things.

Thanks, Aron! This was an interesting conversation, and it changed my perspective on what their daily lives consist of. As for your busy lifestyle…I think you need a vacation.