Is your appointment as Accor Regional Director for West and Central Africa just an HR issue, or is it part of Accor's new organisation on the African market?
Daniel Karbownik - It's more a case of 'in-house cooking', even though the Accor group has effectively reorganised itself in Sub-Saharan Africa, making it its priority development destination for the coming years. The creation of the Kasada" investment fundwith Katara Hospitality, gives us a investment power of more than 500 million dollars for Sub-Saharan Africa, with the aim of building or taking over hotels under Accor banners. We have a strong presence in North Africa, both in Morocco and Tunisia with theacquisition of Mövenpick. Our aim is to expand in West and East Africa. We are on the lookout for any development opportunities.
You're taking charge of a region where Accor is a long-standing leader. Is this a 'comfortable' position, or is the pressure more pronounced?
Daniel Karbownik - The pressure is greater: even if Accor is the historic leader, we want to remain so. But Africa has become a prime target for all the major groups. In West Africa, there is a lot of pressure to remain the leader, and to work on development. At Ghana for example, where we are already present with a Mövenpick and an Ibis, a Pullman and a Mercure are in the pipeline. And we're always on the lookout for local opportunities, because Ghana is one of the most dynamic countries on the African continent. We're also on the lookout for investors in Ghana. Cameroonsince we are present at Doualabut not on Yaoundé. Another example: the BeninThe Novotel will reopen in July after a major renovation, but we reserve the right to install other brands, such as Sofitel or MGallery. As for the SenegalThere are clearly not enough hotels in Dakar. We currently have three hotels in Dakar, a Mövenpick and a Mercure are planned, and even a Mama Shelter, but we are also looking for other locations. What's more, not only does Accor intend to remain the leader in West and Central Africa, but we also intend to expand our presence in the region. gaining momentum in East Africa.
Your new role covers all Accor brands: which of this vast portfolio should you be looking out for in Africa in particular?
Daniel Karbownik - In particular, we want to develop the Pullman brand, which is doing very well in Africa thanks to its positioning for both business and leisure travel. Along with Mövenpick, it's the best-selling brand on the continent. Moreover, the hotel success Pullman in Abidjan or to Dakar is proof of that. We're not against the idea of developing low-cost, mid-range brands, but we want to focus on premium brands.
Isn't it difficult to manage internal competition between the Group's brands, and to avoid duplication between Accor hotels positioned in the same segment?
Daniel Karbownik - We are lucky: in the Accor catalogue, the DNA of each brand is well defined. Sofitel, for example, embodies the French art of living, Pullman emphasises what is vibrant, fashion and art, and Mövenpick has retained its Swiss identity... It is important to preserve this DNA, so as not to step on each other's toes and so that the customer promise is respected.
Is it your ambition to become the leading hotel operator on the African continent?
Yes, clearly: the Accor group has this ambition.
Could the Accor group strengthen its position in Africa by acquiring a local group, as Marriott did a few years ago?
Daniel Karbownik - It's a possibility.
Daniel Karbownik in a few dates:
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