Duncan O'Rourke Recognized Among Hozpitality's Best 30 Hospitality and Tourism Leaders in the Middle East for 2024
The idea behind Accor is to reinvent hospitality as a location, a service, and a sequence of interconnected events. As the CEO of the region's Premium, Midscale, and Economy brands, Duncan is committed to carrying out this strategy.
Hozpitality Group proudly announces that Duncan O'Rourke, CEO for Middle East, Africa, Turkey & Asia-Pacific at Accor, has been recognized as one of the Top 30 Hospitality and Tourism Leaders in the Middle East for 2024.
At Accor, the philosophy is to reimagine hospitality as a place or service and as a series of connected moments. Duncan is dedicated to implementing this vision in his role as CEO for the Premium, Midscale, and Economy brands in the region. Together with his teams, he aims to solidify Accor's position as the leading travel and lifestyle company across the Middle East, Africa, Turkey, and Asia-Pacific while also working toward developing the largest and best-performing integrated hospitality ecosystem in the industry.
Before stepping into his current role, Duncan was the CEO of Northern Europe, where he managed more than 1,100 hotels and 40,000 Heartists across 32 countries. With over twenty years of dedication to the hospitality industry, Duncan has cultivated a deep passion for the field. Prior to joining Accor in late 2016, he served as Chief Operating Officer at Kempinski Hotels, where he oversaw global operations for one of the most renowned luxury hospitality brands.
Duncan holds a degree from César Ritz Colleges in Switzerland and an MBA from Reims Management School. With more than 30 years of experience in the industry, he has held several executive positions across Europe, the US, and the Middle East. Starting in 2004, he served as General Manager for various Kempinski properties before being promoted to Regional Director, overseeing operations in the Middle East. In 2008, he became Chief Operating Officer of Kempinski Hotels and joined the Management Board.
After joining Accor in 2016 as COO for Europe in the Luxury and Premium segment, Duncan later took on the role of COO for Central Europe, managing over 470 hotels and 13 brands within Germany, Austria, and Switzerland. In October 2020, Duncan was appointed CEO of Northern Europe, where he took on expanded responsibilities within Accor. By January 2023, he was named CEO of the Premium, Midscale & Economy division, joining the Executive Committee to lead operations in the Middle East, Africa, and Asia Pacific.
Outside of his professional accomplishments, Duncan is an avid sports enthusiast and a dedicated supporter of Arsenal Football Club.
Meela Seenarain
Dubai, United Arab Emirates UAE