Deputy head concierge, the Cavendish, London
Nominator Mark Hardy, general manager
Proudest moment "Becoming the youngest member of the Les Clefs d'Or in January 2017."
Biggest Inspiration "Ben Malpass, Concierge of the Year 2010, once a neighbour then my boss, introduced me to this industry and has inspired me and supported my development."
Ambition "To become head concierge."
A two-week work placement at the Cavendish launched Jack McCarthy on his career as a concierge. He was still at school and little suspected that by 23 he would be deputy head concierge at that very hotel.
It's been an impressive journey. After school, he joined the Savoy hotel and by 2014 was junior concierge. After a spell in the concierge team at Brown's Hotel Mayfair he re-joined the Cavendish in 2016. Here he progressed through the ranks to become the youngest deputy head concierge in London. In 2017 he went one step further, becoming the youngest member of the prestigious Les Clefs d'Or.
He oversees the concierge and garage departments where, thanks to an automated taxi service he introduced to provide more seamless service, guest satisfaction rates have hit 95% plus. As well as bringing in a new car park company, which helped increase revenue by 11.2% between 2016-17, quarterly mystery audit scores remain above 92%, too.
McCarthy works with charities such as Springboard and Hospitality Action and, mindful of the role of a concierge in the community, he supports the Jermyn Street Association and gives his time to a local school, helping pupils during career choice day and giving mock interviews.
McCarthy had an eventful 2017, winning the Ascott Limited Rising Star Award, and becoming a member of the executive committee at the Les Clefs d'Or. Not many have achieved all that before their 23rd birthday.