Was 2006 a good year for Mövenpick?
Jean-Gabriel Pérès: It was a good year, in line with the trend of the previous three years, which saw our net profit jump by 40 %. With seven new hotels opened in 2007, the Group continues to expand. We were the 114th largest hotel group in the world in 2000; today we are in the top 40 and in the top 20 in Europe. We should continue to open between seven and ten hotels a year between now and 2010.
You have a strong presence in the Gulf region. Why is that?
J.-G. P. : Of course, Prince Al Walid's entry into the Group's capital has opened doors for us. But our presence in the Gulf goes back much further than that. We saw the potential of this region very early on, where the "made in Switzerland" label is, even more than in the rest of the world, a guarantee of quality. In Saudi Arabia, for example, our concept has been very well received because most Saudi owners love Switzerland, where they often spend their holidays. We already have four hotels in operation in this country, and this figure is set to double rapidly. The same goes for Dubai, where we have seven hotels under development, as well as Bahrain and Qatar, where we will be opening a second hotel.
You've gained a foothold in Asia with the opening of Karon Beach in Phuket. Is this the first of many such openings?
J.-G. P. : Yes, that's the Group's strategy: from the moment we set foot in a country, we develop a network. We don't keep just one hotel per destination, but we develop four, five or six, for reasons of brand penetration, but also for reasons of cost synergy. We're in Thailand with Phuket; we're already looking at Bangkok. We've just signed a deal in Singapore on Sentosa Island, but we're already looking in the city centre. We also want to set up in Vietnam and, of course, in China. We've signed a hotel in Bangalore, India, and we'd like to have five or seven under development fairly quickly.
And in Europe?
J.-G. P. : We're looking to expand north and east, as far as Russia. Not forgetting our traditional markets, particularly Germany. We're going to open a spectacular hotel in Hamburg in a converted water tower, an architectural feat that should become one of the best business boutique hotels in Europe. Of course, we would also like to set up in France. We recently put in a bid for a top-of-the-range hotel in Paris. We're also looking elsewhere - Toulouse, Lyon, Strasbourg...
Is the American continent also being targeted?
J.-G. P. : No, and that's deliberate. The approach on the American continent is different: it's an investor's approach, and to be effective there, you need to be able to rapidly acquire thirty, forty, fifty hotels with very strong distribution. We decided that there was so much to grind elsewhere that it was better not to launch ourselves there for the time being. What's more, I want to preserve the brand's heritage, its tradition of quality based on its Swiss roots and its gastronomic platform.
Bio express
Born in Paris in 1957, a graduate of Essec.
1982: Business engineer and Middle East regional manager for Matra.
1985: Africa and Asia Development Director for Meridien Hotels & Resorts.
1989: Managing Director of Meridien Hotels & Resorts Asia Pacific.
1999: CEO of Mövenpick Hotels & Resorts.
