Dorchester Collection has announced the appointment of Pascal Billard as general manager of Paris’s Le Meurice, effective August 1, 2025. Billard will be taking this position following the retirement of Franka Holtmann, who departed in February, having served as general manager for more than 18 years.
With more than 35 years of experience in the hospitality industry, Billard joins Le Meurice after serving as general manager at the Majestic Hotel & Spa Barcelona for the past 12 years. Billard has held food and beverage and management positions across various luxury hotels in the Americas and Europe, including roles at Novecento, China Grill Management and Morgans Hotel Group. The appointment marks a return to Dorchester Collection for Billard, who served as resident manager at Le Meurice’s sister Parisian hotel, Hôtel Plaza Athénée, from 2009 to 2013.
“We are delighted to welcome back Pascal Billard to Dorchester Collection. His extensive experience in the luxury hospitality sector, including his specialist experience in food and beverage operations, makes him the perfect candidate to take on this prestigious role,” said Christopher Cowdray, president of Dorchester Collection. “We look forward to working together to continue to serve the hotel’s loyal clientele and welcome new generations to discover Le Meurice.”
Open since 1835, the hotel is home to the two-Michelin-starred restaurant Le Meurice Alain Ducasse and a patisserie by renowned pastry chef Cedric Grolet.
Commenting on his new role, Billard said it is a privilege to return to Paris and play a part in the legacy of the remarkable Le Meurice. “I look forward to working with the hotel’s dedicated team to continue to build on its reputation as a vibrant cultural and culinary hub in the heart of Paris. As the hotel approaches its 200th anniversary, it promises to be an exciting new evolving chapter for this much-loved, legendary hotel,” he added.
