Mark Willis plans to balance Fairmont’s heritage with a flamboyant future
Mark Willis is now CEO of Fairmont Hotels & Resorts moving the headquarters to Dubai in the process
When Mark Willis left his role as CEO for Accor in the Middle East, Africa, India and Turkey to become CEO Of Fairmont Hotels & Resorts, the global headquarters of Fairmont also transferred operations to Dubai. During Willis’ time as regional CEO of Accor, properties such as SLS Dubai and 25hours One Central Dubai opened, part of the new Ennismore arm of the company, while Accor itself opened hotels such as Banyan Tree AlUla, Raffles Palm Jumeirah and the joint Raffles-Fairmont Doha in Qatar. In 2022, Willis’ Accor opened 19 new hotels in the MENA region, accounting for almost 6,000 keys. He oversaw landmark deals such as those with Saudi Arabia’s Tourism Development Fund and an accommodation deal with Qatar authorities during FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022.
He now plans to have the same impact on the historic Fairmont brand.
