An appointment at the heart of the Luxury & Lifestyle organisation
Kara Brill Randall joins Accor as Chief Development Officer, Accor Luxury Brands, North America. She reports directly to Agnès Roquefort, the group’s Chief Development Officer Luxury & Lifestyle, whose roadmap was set out in a development strategy that positions experience as a driver of value.
She will sit on Accor’s Global Development Committee alongside the Luxury & Lifestyle development leads. She will also work closely with Edouard Schwob, SVP Global Development Raffles & Fairmont, whose arrival in New York in 2023 had already strengthened the group’s set-up in the Americas.
Her remit covers Accor’s entire luxury portfolio in the region: Raffles, Fairmont, Sofitel Legend, Sofitel, Emblems Collection and MGallery Collection.
A market with a twofold stake for the group
Accor currently operates around 150 hotels in North America. The regional pipeline stands at 45 hotels, representing more than 9,000 rooms. The market is home to several of the group’s flagship properties and is one of the world’s leading source markets for luxury travellers.
LTH Analysis – This appointment comes as Accor has long sought to strengthen its presence in the United States, which has historically remained modest compared with the American groups, as LTH examined in Accor is a global hospitality giant. Why isn’t its American footprint bigger and broader? Entrusting regional luxury development to an executive from an American competitor amounts to betting on in-depth knowledge of local owners and investors.
Twenty years of development and owner relations at Hilton
Kara Brill Randall spent most of her career at Hilton, which she joined in 2006 within the Global Real Estate, Asset Management, Development and Owner Relations teams. She went on to hold several leadership roles in owner relations and management-agreement services, based in McLean, Virginia.
In 2017, she moved into luxury, lifestyle and corporate development as Senior Director, based in the San Francisco Bay Area. In 2023, she was appointed VP and Managing Director, Luxury & Mixed Use Development, based in Dallas-Fort Worth, overseeing the development of Waldorf Astoria, Conrad, LXR and Signia, as well as Hilton’s residential growth in North America.
A graduate of Cornell University’s School of Hotel Administration, she sits on the board of the school’s Center for Real Estate and Finance and previously served on its Alumni Advisory Board in Los Angeles. She is also a founding member of Castell, a programme dedicated to advancing women into leadership roles in hospitality.
Diversity and governance at the heart of her commitment
In her announcement on LinkedIn, Kara Brill Randall says she intends to remain committed to diversity and inclusion in hotel ownership and leadership. She also highlights the strong reputation Accor has built in a highly competitive North American market, as well as the development capabilities that have made the group a major player in the region.
At a glance by The Hospitality Tribune
Kara Brill Randall appointed Chief Development Officer, Accor Luxury Brands, North America
Reports to Agnès Roquefort, CDO Luxury & Lifestyle, and joins Accor’s Global Development Committee
Scope: Raffles, Fairmont, Sofitel Legend, Sofitel, Emblems Collection and MGallery Collection
Accor in North America: around 150 hotels, pipeline of 45 hotels and 9,000+ rooms
Background: 20 years at Hilton, latest as VP Luxury & Mixed Use Development (Waldorf Astoria, Conrad, LXR, Signia)
Cornell graduate and inaugural member of Castell
