Approach needed

Munich. Concierges are far from belonging to the well-accepted heads of department of a hotel and many managers still relegate them to their box in the lobby. The modern men and women bearing the golden keys at their revers, definitely see their profession on management level in future. A training programme in Berlin has encouraged the young people, and aims at attracting the attention of the management.

Denis O'Brien

Dublin. The new international President of the Concierge Association, Les Clefs d'Or, is for the first time an Irishman. Denis O'Brien, Head Concierge in the Marriott Druids Glen Hotel & Country Club south of Dublin, has held now this position for two years.

"A concierge should have his own desk!" says the weighty man, whose voice now speaks for 4500 concierges in 34 countries worldwide. The USA is by the way the country with the most concierges, and China the country with the least. All in all Denis O'Brien considers the working conditions of his colleagues to be very good. He also sees the concierge's role to be one at home in the sales and marketing department of the hotel, a view he shares with his German colleague Raffaelo Sorrentino of the "Goldener Schlüssel" Germany.

Born in Dublin in 1961, Denis O'Brien first wanted to be a priest. In 1986, however, he took on a job as night porter in the Great Southern Hotel in Galway, where he stayed for five years. From there he progressed to become Head Concierge in the Central Hotel in Dublin and again showed a loyal commitment, this time lasting 10 years. In March 2002 he entered employment with his present employer.

He joined the association Les Clef d'Or in 1989. Five years later he became Irish President, his promotion to third International Vice President followed in 1999 from which platform he progressed to "number one" in this second position. At the most recent annual congress in Manila, The Philippines, in February, he was elected new President.