La Story (Les Echos) Analysis: Accor Chairman Sébastien Bazin on Cultural Management—Lido Revival, Orient Express, and Art Explora
August 10, 2026
Overview
This episode of La Story, the daily podcast from the French economic newspaper Les Echos, is the first in a special summer series titled "Les patrons et la culture" (Executives and Culture). In place of the usual host, Pierrick Fay, the series features journalist Martine Robert, an expert in patronage and the arts, who interviews five executives with a passion for culture. The first guest is Sébastien Bazin, Chairman and CEO of the global hotel giant Accor ($AC).
Bazin, who travels 250 days a year, leads a group with 360,000 employees across 112 countries, and he shares his deep interest in performing arts, contemporary art, heritage, and music. His approach is not merely a personal hobby; he consistently links culture to "customer experience," "employee identity," and "brand strategy."
Through initiatives such as the revival of the historic Parisian cabaret Lido, the resurrection of the legendary Orient Express brand, and the democratization of museums via the Art Explora patronage project, this episode explores how culture can function as "another piece of software" for the hotel business.
Travel, Culture, and Encounters with the Performing Arts
When asked how he experiences culture during his 250 days of travel each year, Bazin replies, "Feel, look, admire, and pause. And sometimes buy, and often regret not buying." He says he is most interested in people who are different from him, unfamiliar languages, and distant religions, describing travel as his oxygen.
Regarding his passion for the performing arts, he discusses his tenure as Chairman of the Board of the Théâtre du Châtelet from 2015 to 2022. It began when Bertrand Delanoë (then Mayor of Paris) asked him to join the board, but the decisive factor was meeting director Jean-Luc Choplin, a stage producer who has worked at the Paris Opera, Disneyland, and the Théâtre Marigny.
Bazin recalls, "I always left the Châtelet with a smile. I left stronger, happier, and more joyful than when I entered," explaining that this experience later influenced his hotel strategy.
The Revival of the Lido and "Augmented Hospitality"
Accor acquired the historic Parisian cabaret Lido in 2021. Bazin recounts that the opportunity to acquire the Lido, which was then on the market, arose the same week he and Choplin left the Châtelet. Although he had no intention of keeping the aging traditional repertoire, he saw value in the location and its history, and persuaded Choplin to join him in the reconstruction, telling him, "I can't do it without you."
After the renovation, the Lido's seating was transformed into an immersive space, becoming a temple for Anglo-American style musicals. Bazin himself is an avid audience member, having watched "Titanic" four times, explaining that watching the same show multiple times is because "what you see is different every time, and you can take home different emotions." He also makes it a habit to greet all the backstage technical staff, saying he loves the moment during the final performance when they share cheese, sausage, and wine, bringing together the usually invisible stagehands and the actors on stage.
The background to these efforts is the concept Accor once called "Augmented Hospitality." He explains that for customers staying in Paris hotels, he wants them to go outside, meet Parisians, be moved, and find meaning—and for that, content was necessary.
Bazin also reveals that he takes the entire Accor Executive Committee (COMEX) to Lido performances. He emphasizes that the general managers of the various Paris hotels, who number about 300, are the best ambassadors, and since the Lido has about 1,000 seats per night, it is important for them to experience it themselves so they can talk about it better than he can. He stressed that culture is a cost, and as a publicly traded company entrusted with shareholder funds, that expenditure is backed by economic justifications such as customer experience, loyalty programs, and memorable impact.
Is Culture a Social Responsibility? Adding a "C" to ESG
When asked, "Is culture a social responsibility, and shouldn't we add a 'C' to CSR (Corporate Social Responsibility)?" Bazin responds that he has been advocating for this for some time. It is the idea that a "C" (for Culture) should be added to ESG.
He says, "Culture carries you away, opens your eyes, and helps you better understand differences. It is about understanding the world today," stating that the more people travel and learn about the worlds of Africa, South America, and Asia, the more they can accept that others do not think or act the same way they do. His theory is that if there were more culture and travel, there would be fewer wars.
In the entrance of the Accor headquarters, a mirror-like work by Anish Kapoor and a work by Jaume Plensa depicting the face of a woman with closed eyes are displayed side by side. Bazin himself purchased them after encountering them by chance at FIAC (Paris's contemporary art fair) several years apart. He explains that Plensa's work carries the message that "what happens inside is more important than what happens outside," and that meaning is created by pairing it with the mirror. However, he candidly admits that these were not intentionally built as a corporate collection, and that he is slightly envious of the collections that major banks and insurance companies have held for many years.
Culture as "Another Piece of Software" for Hotels
Bazin once conducted an experiment around the world where he had employees decorate guest rooms as if they were their own. He gave each person 50 euros (approximately 9,121 yen, calculated at 1 euro = 182.42 yen), had them remove the room numbers and post their own names, and bring in personal items like photos, radios, and chairs. The condition was that they could not touch the beds or bathrooms, but he says he was deeply moved to see staff in Poland and Brazil fully commit to the project, with porters, receptionists, and plumbers guiding guests and saying, "Let me show you my room."
Bazin positions culture as 'software,' the polar opposite of the 'hardware' of guest rooms, which are material, restrictive, and rigid. He describes culture as the books one has read, the plays one has watched, and the things one has loved, stating that it builds massive bridges between religions, countries, people, and education, and he expresses it by saying, 'Culture is like my conductor.'
Regarding the group's raison d'être, he reveals that it was formulated two years ago with the participation of 50,000 employees. It is a common trunk that states, 'As pioneers of responsible hospitality, we connect cultures with passion and generosity,' and the group's signature is 'Powered by Emotion.' He introduced the 360,000 employees as 'HARTISTS,' a portmanteau of 'heart' and 'artist.'
Accor Arena and giving back to employees
Bazin became the head of Accor in 2013, and two years later, in 2015, he acquired the naming rights for a large arena in Paris. Initially, it was 'Accor Hotels Arena,' but it was deemed too long, so 'Hotels' was removed, and it is now established as 'Accor Arena.'
He also introduced an initiative to invite Ibis chain volunteers to a private concert at the Accor Arena once a year. He says, 'We need a moment to express gratitude to those who do not have the means to go to such places. I want them to experience it at least once in their lives so they can talk about it.'
Orient Express and Art Explora—Balancing heritage and innovation
Regarding the revitalization of legendary brands, Bazin cites the Citadelle de Belle-Île in Brittany as an example. He stated that it is the group's responsibility not to let historical and heritage buildings fall into ruin, and that they will breathe life into the Vauban-style fortress in partnership with France's Caisse des Dépôts.
Meanwhile, he describes the revival of the 140-year-old Orient Express brand as a 'medal-like' project at the pinnacle of his own pyramid. While respecting the brand's allure of heritage, history, and mystery, the goal is not to return to the 1920s, but to elevate it to the dimension of tomorrow's world: creativity, innovation, and contemporary art. He positioned it as a bold bet that underscores the group's 20-year transformation, consisting of the Orient Express train and a sailing ship scheduled for delivery in a few weeks.
Regarding the patronage project Art Explora, he introduced the museum catamaran (double-hulled boat) spearheaded by Frédéric Jousset. Starting from the reality that 90% of French people have never entered a museum, the idea is that if people won't come to the museum, the museum should be delivered to cities across Europe by boat. As a festival touring 15 Mediterranean ports of call, it brings collections from institutions like the Louvre to local people, while also supporting local artists and artisans. Bazin described this project as a 'very noble and beautiful idea,' expressing his hope that it will give those who were afraid of museums or felt they were irrelevant a reason to visit other museums in the future.
In addition, Accor is engaged in various cultural initiatives, such as the protection of the Sorbonne Chapel by the World Monument Fund, the Inca Road in Latin America, Greek heritage, support for the French film industry through UniFrance, and collaboration with the Federation of Haute Couture. Bazin pointed out that the two worlds of fashion and hotels should have been together from the start but have coexisted separately for 30 years, and stated that cooperation between the two is finally beginning.
Accelerating cultural strategy and the executive's line
Looking back on the past 13 years, Bazin expresses a small regret that he 'should have been more involved in culture.' He says he could have reached out more to young talent, and declared that he will further accelerate culture within the group's strategy moving forward. The reason is that 'emotion is the memory of travel.'
However, he emphasizes that as a condition, it must be a project that makes industrial and shareholder sense and is economically viable. He stated that he must respect his own mission of 'creating value for employees and shareholders,' and that he is always careful not to let personal passion override his role as CEO, concluding the interview.
▶ Previous in this series: La Story (Les Echos) Commentary: The tourism business created by running—Marathon travel 'racecations' and Trail the World https://note.com/yondo/n/n64fb91a4656c
▶ Read all articles on this theme: Magazine 'Overseas business programs that cannot be read in Japanese' https://note.com/yondo/m/mefd2fd5a305c
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