The Society of the Golden Keys of Great Britain and the Commonwealth is pleased to announce the appointment of Madeleine Calon as its next President.
Madeleine takes over from Antony Lynch, who steps down after four years.
Madeleine, originally from Liverpool, is the head concierge at St. James’s Hotel and Club, and one of only 15 women in the UK to be a member of the Society. She received her keys in 1996 and was the first British woman to receive this honour.
With more than 30 years’ experience in the hotel industry, Madeleine’s career began as guest liaison officer at the 1,000-room Cumberland Hotel. Her next move was to the Waldorf Hotel as guest relations manager and it was here that she found her niche, interacting with guests at the concierge desk. Madeleine was fortunate that the head concierge of 28 years, Mel Demetriades, recognised that her previous training as a stage manager in the theatre and her guest relations experience in hotels could easily translate into the qualities and skills of a great concierge. He initiated her transfer and training, and in 1995 he proposed her as a suitable candidate to join the elite Society of the Golden Keys.
She was later appointed assistant head concierge at The Cavendish Hotel in 1996, then moved to the five-star Berkeley Hotel in 2002, also as assistant head concierge. In 2003 she was promoted to concierge services manager, with responsibility for a team of 29.
Madeleine joined the St James’s Hotel and Club as head concierge in 2008 prior to it reopening following a major refurbishment.
She has served on the Committee of The Society of the Golden Keys with numerous past presidents, serving previously as secretary, associate liaison and vice-president, and she will represent Great Britain and the Commonwealth on the Board of Directors of Les Clefs d’Or at their annual International Congress to be held in Seoul, South Korea in April 2018.