Accor has appointed Sarah Derry as its CEO for the Pacific region, as the brand prepares for a hefty lineup of 2022 hotel openings, including three major new properties in Australia and New Zealand.

Derry, who is currently senior vice president of talent and culture, will step into the top job on 1 February, taking over from Simon McGrath who will begin his new dual role of CEO for Crown Sydney and head of hospitality for Crown Resorts.

She brings with her 30 years of hospitality experience working for international hotel companies, including experience in talent and culture as well as business, strategy and development.

As CEO of Accor Pacific, Derry will steer Accor’s growth trajectory in the Pacific, build Accor’s brands, its loyalty network and bring together talent in the region.

Sébastien Bazin, Accor’s chairman and CEO welcomed Derry to her new role and thanked McGrath for his dedication over the past 15 years. 

“[McGrath] introduced new brands to market, including Pullman, Mövenpick, Sofitel SO and ibis Styles and successfully led the Mirvac Hotels & Resorts and Mantra acquisitions. His expertise in forging and managing partnerships across sporting, entertainment and lifestyle realms is second to none,” Bazin said.

“I am incredibly proud, humbled and excited to be leading the Accor team in the Pacific as we see the industry transition from recovery to growth,” Derry said. 

The new appointment came as Accor revealed a massive line-up of new and upcoming destinations for 2022 and beyond, with London, Doha, and Moscow welcoming multiple new Accor hotels this year, while several of its brands will expand to new destinations such as Pangkalan Bun in Indonesia; Copenhagen, Denmark; and Casco Viejo in Panama City.

Locally, the brand will open The Porter House Hotel by MGallery and Hotel Morris in Sydney early this year, and The Sebel Wellington Lower Hutt in New Zealand around mid-2022.

Artist Impression – Hotel Morris – Guestroom

“Accor is a strong believer in the power of diversity – in our workforce, our client base and our brands,” Bazin said.

“With more than 300 new hotels and resorts opening their doors in 2022, we are certain that each member of our vast community of loyal guests around the world will find somewhere unique to inspire their next journey.”

One of the most anticipated openings of the year is Raffles London at The Old War Office (OWO) – the iconic Whitehall building inhabited by Britain’s most famous statesmen and spies, from Winston Churchill to Ian Fleming – now in the final touches of its transformation to create 120 rooms and suites, 85 unique branded residences and 11 destination restaurants and bars.

Meanwhile, in northwest England, Novotel Liverpool Paddington Village will open as a beacon of hospitality in Liverpool.

Grand staircase, Raffles London

Other notable openings across Europe include Sofitel Barcelona Skipper, Mercure Amsterdam North, ibis Styles St. Margrethen Switzerland, Mercure Hotel President in Lecce, Italy, MGallery Issy-les-Moulineaux Domaine de la Reine Margot in Paris, and MGallery Cagliari Palazzo Tirso, Italy, just to name a few.

Across the pond, North America will open its first Raffles later this year, with Raffles Boston Back Bay Hotel & Residences, located in the city’s prestigious Back Bay neighbourhood.

In the Middle East, the group will also broaden its Rixos portfolio in Qatar and in the region overall with the upcoming Rixos Doha Qetaifan, Rixos Obhur Jeddah in Saudi Arabia and Rixos Jewel of the Creek in Dubai, UAE.

It will also introduce a new Raffles Doha and sister hotel Fairmont Doha, Banyan Tree AlUla in the Asher Valley of Saudi Arabia, and Fairmont La Marina Rabat-Salé.

Another noteworthy market for Accor in 2022 is Russia with Novotel Moscow ComCity, ibis Styles Kogalym Russia and Mövenpick Resort and Spa Anapa Miracleon.

Finally, with lifestyle representing one of the fastest-growing segments of the global hospitality industry, standout openings across this category include the first Mondrian in China, Hong Kong Kowloon, the inaugural Maison Delano Paris in the ultra-chic 8th Arrondissement, TRIBE Phnom Penh Post Office Square, and Mama Shelter Dubai a larger-than-life Mama that embodies the idea of a resort in the heart of the city with apartments, pools and an outdoor cinema.