The announcement was first made during the last Capital Market Day, but without a precise timeline. It is now official: Jean-Jacques Morin, Accor’s board member within AccorInvest, has been tasked with selling the remaining 31% stake under the best conditions within the next 18 months.
This decision was confirmed by Sébastien Bazin during the group’s financial results presentation to analysts. The hotel group no longer wishes to remain a shareholder in the real estate company it originally established to take over all assets from the former Accor model.
This is not a divorce or a break-up but rather a remarkable opportunity to highlight the work achieved by Gilles Clavié’s teams in reviving a company that was nearly lifeless after the COVID crisis.
“It’s the right time,” emphasized Jean-Jacques Morin, who is responsible for optimizing the sale of Accor’s remaining 31% stake. “This is the largest portfolio of quality assets outside the United States, and perhaps worldwide. The company has overcome its debt issues and regained its ability to move forward. I am confident there will be significant interest in acquiring our stake, and we are entering negotiations as of today.”
For Sébastien Bazin, who initiated the process, there is no extreme urgency given the complexity of the transaction. “We are taking the necessary time, but it is feasible within 12 to 18 months. We also need to protect our interests, particularly the management contracts that bind us to AccorInvest.”
For context, AccorInvest’s portfolio includes around 700 hotels, all under Accor brands and managed by Accor teams under specific management contracts, overseen by AccorInvest’s management teams.
Where will the sale proceeds go?
In response to a financial analyst’s question, Sébastien Bazin stressed that the vast majority of the sale proceeds would be returned to shareholders. This aligns with one of his key commitments: to return approximately €680 million annually to shareholders through dividends or share buybacks to support the stock price.
He pledged that 90% of the sale proceeds would fund the shareholder return program, with the remaining balance used to reduce debt.
