“We had the huge first wave of cleaning the network,” Bailly said, triggered in early 2023 under Sébastien Bazin, Chairman and CEO of Accor Group. The objective was to create a dedicated luxury lifestyle division, split into four Maisons – Raffles/Fairmont, Orient Express, Ennismore and Sofitel/MGallery/Emblems.
“This focus on luxury allows us… to get really into the nitty gritty of what makes a brand exist and last,” Bailly said, while highlighting the significance of brand pillars, purpose “and what makes us different”.
“There are so many brands in an ocean of sameness, why should we be chosen by investors, owners,” she said.
“Sofitel was also at the crossroads. We had a two speed network, and discrepancy is killing credibility and is killing luxury. Luxury can’t cope with any compromise in quality of the product or of the service,” the Frenchwoman explained.
Bailly said there was a “lack of sexiness” for the Sofitel brand, and that “people [were] looking at us as a bit old, French brand, dusty… and lacked global ambition.”
“My motivation has been to reignite the brand promise, but also clean the network,” she said.
Bailly explained that involved meeting with each Sofitel owner and “trying to convince them to renovate or rebrand, or to de-flag”.
She was transparent, saying those conversations were tough but necessary. And by renovation, it was necessary for a complete overhaul, not limited to soft furnishings, or room and suites. It requires all aspects. Since the transformation, six former Sofitel properties have parted ways with the brand.
