What If Luxury Hotels Listened More? This Accor CEO Proves It Changes Everything

How do you redefine luxury hospitality in 2025? For Maud Bailly, the CEO of four of Accor’s luxury hotel brands—Sofitel, Sofitel Legend, MGallery and Emblems—it starts with empathy.  In this episode of View From Afar, she chats with host Jennifer Flowers about how she’s reshaping luxury hospitality through bold sustainability, diverse teams and a global vision rooted in local impact.  In this episode you’ll learn:  The distinct identities of Sofitel, Sofitel Legend, MGallery and Emblems and how they serve distinct types of travelers.  How Accor Group is utilizing AI to reduce food waste and eco certify all of their luxury hotels by 2025.  What it’s like to be a woman in hospitality leadership and why diversity is a must for the hospitality industry.  Don’t miss these moments:  [04:07] How Sofitel offers travelers a little bit of France all over the world.  [13:42] This hotel in Panama brought tears to the local community.  [16:34] What it’s really like for a female leader in the luxury hospitality industry.  [22:59] Why hoteliers need more, not less, diversity in 2025.  Featured in this episode:  Sofitel Cotonou, Benin Sofitel Legend The Grand Amsterdam Sofitel Legend Casco Viejo, Panama City MGallery Nairobi Gem Forest, Kenya Emblems Collection by Accor Resources:  Read the transcript of this episode Read this Afar review of Sofitel Legend Casco Viejo. Connect with Maud Bailly on LinkedIn. Explore the websites of Sofitel, Sofitel Legend, MGallery and Emblems. Learn more about Accor’s upcoming openings in Prague, Jaipur and Cairo. Subscribe to the newsletter, Afar Advisor to get a smart summary of need-to-know information for travel professionals