Newsmaker: Accor Taps Hildebrand

Accor, the fifth-largest global hotel company in systemwide revenue and fourth-largest in properties and rooms, will bring in a longtime travel industry leader, although one outside of the hotel industry, to lead its German operations.

Marc Hildebrand, head of American Express Business Travel's Central Europe region, will leave his post to become CEO of Accor Germany on July 1. Kaveh Atrak will then add Central Europe to his current responsibilities as Amex's vice president and general manager of the Nordic region.

"I would have loved to stay with Amex for much longer, and I didn't dream about leaving after one-and-a-half years, but this opportunity came along and I decided that I had to go for it," Hildebrand said. "This opportunity was too good to decline."

The 39-year-old executive, formerly CEO of TQ3, plans to work for Amex until the day before he reports to Accor.

"There are a number of projects that I don't want to drop. I have a big responsibility there and I don't want to run away from it," he said. Even so, he said, "It's exciting for me that after 17 years in the travel management company industry, to move on to a different sector, but where I can use all my expertise from the travel industry but also to learn something new and take on a new challenge."