Acorn Awards 2024: Thomas White, 27, operations manager, the Egerton House hotel, Red Carnation Hotels

Age 27

Position Operations manager, the Egerton House hotel, Red Carnation Hotels, London

Nominator Michelle Devlin, the Egerton House hotel, Red Carnation Hotels

Thomas White has developed his career carefully over the past 12 years, working through restaurant roles to head waiter, before completing a one-year placement at the Wellesley boutique hotel in Knightsbridge as junior butler. Even while studying at Oxford School of Hospitality Management, White continued to hone his service skills by working with chef and sommelier Roger Jones at the Michelin-starred Harrow at Little Bedwyn, Marlborough.

By 2019, he had been selected for Red Carnation’s management programme. Hard work earned White promotion to assistant operations manager and later operations manager at the Egerton, with responsibility for the F&B, kitchen and front office departments. He worked closely with marketing partners on booking strategy, occupancy and messaging, leading to a £55,000 year-on-year revenue increase in 2023 despite reduced occupancy.

Following a rigorous recruitment drive in 2022, White has focused on skills development and staff retention through maintaining an open-door policy and focusing on their personal and professional development. As a result, he achieved a 9.1/10 employee engagement score and has increased retention year-on-year, retaining all team members within his departments for more than 12 months.

White thrives on leading from the front and inspiring the team to meet his standards and work ethic. This is best exemplified in the Egerton retaining its Forbes five-star accreditation for a fifth year and achieving a 12-month 100% retention rate for his operational departments.

He’s also a driving force behind sustainability and charitable initiatives, introducing the hotel’s electric car service and reducing single-use plastics in minibars and housekeeping amenities, which has been rolled out company wide.

Who has been your biggest champion in the industry?

"My general manager Michelle Devlin has been a true advocate for me and a driving force in my career, putting great faith and focus on my development. She has provided me with opportunities to develop my management skills through on-the-job experience and by creating an environment where I can push myself to learn and grow."

How do you get the best out of your team?

"I believe in leading by example, getting involved in the operation and being never afraid to roll your sleeves up and support the team when needed. I strive for a collaborative working environment, maintaining an open-door policy and valuing the team’s input and perspective."