Accor recruits top hotelier to lead Raffles and Orient Express
Accor has appointed experienced hotelier Stephen Alden as chief executive for its Raffles and Orient Express brands.
Alden will step into the role on May 3 and report directly to Accor chairman and chief executive Sébastien Bazin. He will also become a member of the Group Executive Committee.
Alden has worked in the luxury hotel business for more than two decades, most recently responsible for The Dedica Anthology, which he created and launched in 2017.
The brand, which features nine properties across Europe, was bought by investment firm Värde Partners in September 2020 and rebranded under the NH Collection, NH Hotels and Anantara.
Prior to that, Alden was chief executive of The Set Collection, owner and operator of London’s Hotel Café Royal, The Conservatorium in Amsterdam and the Lutetia in Paris, and chief executive of Maybourne Hotel Group, overseeing Claridge’s, The Connaught and The Berkeley.
Alden has also held senior roles at Starwood Hotels & Resorts leading the St. Regis and Luxury Collection brands globally.
"It is a privilege to be taking on the stewardship of these two magnificent brands," he said.
"I am greatly looking forward to this next episode, working closely with all functional and operational teams and leveraging Accor's exceptional talent and resources globally.
“We have a unique opportunity to accelerate Raffles' forward momentum, as well as to reignite the Orient Express brand, successfully bringing its glamour and timeless qualities to a new generation of hotels starting with our first property in Rome."
“His experience and expertise will strongly contribute to further building momentum of our Raffles brand and to making the highly anticipated launch of the Orient Express hotel brand a tremendous success.”