Accor names presidents for premium, midscale/economy brands

PARIS – Accor has appointed global brand presidents to lead its Premium, Midscale & Economy brands, which represents 90% of the group’s hotels and resorts, encompassing more than 20 brands and over 5,000 hotels across 100-plus countries.

Benoît Racle will lead the Premium division that includes the Pullman, Swissôtel, Mövenpick, Angsana and Peppers brands.

Racle has more than two decades of experience in hospitality, brand management, global operations, marketing and commercial ventures. He led the brand transformation Starwood’s W brand, driving commercial and operational aspects of the business.

In his new role as brand president, Racle will oversee the strategic direction and growth of the group's premium brands, focused on a differentiated guest experience.

Accor tripled Premium brand signings in 2023 compared to 2019. Pullman, Accor’s flagship premium brand with a heritage spanning over 150 years, has 155 hotels open across 42 countries, and 65 more are in the pipeline. Swissôtel is set to more than double, with around 35 existing hotels and 40 in development. Mövenpick, with over 120 hotels, has a substantial pipeline of 80 additional hotels underway.

Jean-Yves Minet will lead the Midscale and Economy division that includes Novotel, Mercure, Tribe, Handwritten Collection, ibis, ibis Styles, ibis budget and greet.

With over 25 years of executive and operational experience in brand building, from strategy to execution, Minet forged his career in the beauty industry, focusing on high growth opportunities across categories, distribution channels, consumers, and regions, with expertise in emerging markets.

In his new role as brand president, Minet will focus on driving brand growth by leading the brand vision, positioning, and operating models of Accor’s economy and midscale brands.