Skift Travel News Blog

Short stories and posts about the daily news happenings around the travel industry.

Hotels

Accor Names New CEOs for Luxury Hotel Brands Orient Express and Fairmont

5 months ago

Accor said on Thursday it would appoint Gilda Perez-Alvarado as CEO of Orient Express, its luxury hotel brand, effective January 1.

Just last month, Perez-Alvarado became the chief strategy officer for the Paris-based hotel giant group, a role she’ll retain. Previously, she was global CEO of the hotel brokerage firm JLL Hotels & Hospitality. 

Accor added that Omer Acar would, on January 1, become the CEO of Fairmont while remaining CEO of Raffles as well.

Acar replaces Mark Willis, who will become an advisor to Sébastien Bazin, the group’s chairman and CEO. Skift profiled Fairmont’s luxury hotel strategy earlier this year.

Acar spoke on-stage at Skift Global Forum in New York in September about Raffles’ evolution.

Hotels

Accor Implements New Organizational Structure

1 year ago

As announced in mid-2022, Accor is now in the process of reorganizing its operational structure into two divisions, the hotel group stated Tuesday.

Moevenpick Hotel Basel junior suite accor
A junior suite at the Moevenpick Hotel Basel. Source: Accor.

Deputy Group CEO Jean-Jacques Morin heads the executive committee and serves as CEO of the Premium, Midscale and Economy division, taking in brands such as ibis, Novotel, Mercure, Swissôtel, Mövenpick, and Pullman. Accor structured the unit around four regions: the Americas; Europe and North Africa; Middle East, Africa, Turkey & Asia Pacific, and Greater China.

Group Chairman and CEO Sébastien Bazin leads the Luxury and Lifestyle division, serving as the division’s CEO. This division includes Raffles & Orient Express; Fairmont; Sofitel MGallery & Emblems, and Ennismore.

“Accor’s new organization is now being implemented progressively throughout the first quarter of the year depending on local legislations, particularly regarding the obligations to consult staff representatives,” the company stated. “The new structure will allow the Group to accelerate growth and better address market developments, deliver the highest possible levels of service for all its stakeholders, facilitating accurate and effective fulfilment of guest needs and expectations, and providing clarity and performance to its partners.”

The reorganization brings to the fore the possibility of divestitures, Skift reported in July.

The restructuring of Accor’s operations was originally pegged to take place October 1, 2022.