An appointment approved in July 2026
Amélie Thiriet was appointed Chief Executive Officer of Orient Express by a decision of its Board of Directors dated 3 July 2026. Her professional profile indicates that she took up the position in October 2026.
Her appointment comes during a period of development for the Orient Express brand, whose activities now extend beyond its historic railway heritage into luxury hospitality and cruising.
From Cheval Blanc to Orient Express: experience rooted in the LVMH ecosystem
Before joining Orient Express, Amélie Thiriet served as Vice President Sales, Marketing & Communication at LVMH Hotel Management, a position she had held since March 2023.
She entered the Cheval Blanc business in January 2021 as Head of Marketing & Communication.
Her experience at LVMH Hotel Management involved working on the positioning, desirability, commercial strategy and communications of a hospitality brand operating at the most exclusive end of the market.
This experience is a central element of her appointment at Orient Express.
Developing a luxury brand requires a complex balance between brand identity, distribution, guest experience, commercial strategy and consistency across the different products and services offered under the same name.
For Orient Express, this dimension is particularly important given the diversity of activities associated with the brand.
Orient Express: a brand developed through the Accor-LVMH partnership
Amélie Thiriet’s appointment forms part of the strategic partnership between Accor and LVMH surrounding Orient Express.
In June 2024, the two groups announced a partnership intended to accelerate the development of this historic brand across several areas of luxury hospitality.
Accor contributes its expertise in hotel development and operations, while LVMH brings its experience in luxury brand management, guest experience and international brand recognition.
Orient Express’s development encompasses luxury trains, hotels and maritime hospitality.
This diversification raises an important question of brand consistency: how to deliver distinct experiences, each with its own operational and economic constraints, while maintaining a shared identity.
Against this background, the arrival of an executive from LVMH Hotel Management is particularly noteworthy.
She brings to Orient Express experience acquired directly in ultra-luxury hospitality within a group that is itself a partner in the brand’s development.
However, this strategic alignment should be distinguished from the precise reporting relationships and governance arrangements, which are not detailed in the documents provided.
A career built around brand transformation and value creation
Before joining LVMH, Amélie Thiriet developed her career across several consumer goods and premium product sectors, with a particular emphasis on commercial and marketing responsibilities.
Between April 2017 and October 2020, she served as Vice President Brands at Adova Group, a French bedding manufacturer whose portfolio includes Treca, Simmons, Dunlopillo and Steiner.
As a member of the Executive Committee, she contributed to the group’s transformation during a restructuring process supported by investment fund Perceva.
Her responsibilities included brand repositioning, product portfolio development, distribution and digital transformation, with the objective of restoring profitable growth.
This experience gave her exposure to value creation challenges within an environment combining a portfolio of brands, operational transformation and investor expectations.
Previously, she spent nearly five years at Stanhome, a subsidiary of Groupe Yves Rocher.
Initially Marketing Director France and subsequently International Brand Director between 2014 and 2017, she oversaw product development and communications for a portfolio of four brands across several international markets.
She also held management responsibilities, leading a team of 35 employees.
ESCP education and earlier experience at Danone and British American Tobacco
A graduate of ESCP, where she studied between 1999 and 2003 after completing preparatory classes at Lycée Henri-IV, Amélie Thiriet began her career at Danone.
Between 2003 and 2005, she worked as a buyer within the group’s global indirect procurement division.
She subsequently joined British American Tobacco, where she held several positions in procurement, brand management and trade marketing until 2012.
These experiences enabled her to develop expertise in distribution strategy, commercial management, brand repositioning and relationships with sales networks.
Her career therefore reflects a progression from procurement and marketing positions to brand leadership responsibilities, followed by a move into luxury hospitality.
Her appointment as Chief Executive Officer of Orient Express marks a further step, extending her responsibilities to an international brand encompassing several distinct business activities.
Leading a brand operating across multiple sectors
For Orient Express, the challenges extend beyond the commercial development of new properties or services.
The brand must create a coherent experience across activities as different as luxury rail travel, hotels and maritime journeys.
This structure requires the specific demands of each business to be reconciled with a consistent luxury positioning.
Amélie Thiriet’s experience at Cheval Blanc, combined with her previous responsibilities in transforming brand portfolios, appears particularly relevant to these challenges.
Her appointment also illustrates the increasing convergence of expertise between high-end hospitality and luxury houses, as brands seek to develop experiential ecosystems extending beyond their traditional businesses.
The new Chief Executive Officer therefore takes up her responsibilities at a pivotal moment for Orient Express, whose development depends on the strength of its historic brand, the diversity of its projects and the strategic relationship between Accor and LVMH.
At a Glance
Appointment: Amélie Thiriet appointed Chief Executive Officer of Orient Express.
Legal decision: 3 July 2026; her professional profile lists October 2026 as the start of her role.
Previous position: Vice President Sales, Marketing & Communication at LVMH Hotel Management, working with Cheval Blanc.
Background: Senior brand leadership positions at Adova Group and Stanhome, following earlier roles at British American Tobacco and Danone.
Education: ESCP Business School.
Strategic context: Orient Express is being developed through a partnership between Accor and LVMH, spanning luxury trains, hotels and maritime hospitality.
