Accor: Press Release From the Board of Directors
27 August 2008 - 6:55PM
PR Newswire (US)
PARIS, August 27 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ -- Following extensive
talks with the Colony/Eurazeo concert group, the Board of Directors
of Accor noted at its meeting today that the concert group has
expressed its full support for Accor's expansion strategy, which is
based on two core businesses, Hotels and Services, and has no
intention of seeking either de jure or de facto control of the
company, thereby confirming the strategic partnership formed with
Colony Capital in March 2005. The Board of Directors also noted the
commitments undertaken concerning compliance with the principles
governing Board seats - particularly the requirement that the
majority of members be independent directors - and the introduction
of appropriate mechanisms designed to prevent any conflicts of
interest arising from Eurazeo's other investments in the hotel
industry. Lastly, noting that Colony has expressly reaffirmed that
it is bound by the commitments undertaken in March 2005 that
prohibit it, except in particular instances, from tabling any
resolutions at the Shareholders' Meeting that have not been
previously approved by Accor, the Board of Directors considered
that, in light of the shareholders' agreement signed on May 4,
2008, Eurazeo is also bound by the stipulations. Under these
conditions, the Board of Directors unanimously decided, based on
the 21.6% interest in the Company's capital presently held by the
Colony/Eurazeo concert group, to increase the concert group's
number of seats on the Board from 2 to 3, and consequently to
appoint as Director Patrick Sayer, Chairman of the Eurazeo
Management Board, who will also become a member of the Audit
Committee, replacing Etienne Davignon. In addition, following the
resignation of Dominique Marcel, the Board of Directors has
appointed Alain Quinet as Director and member of the Commitments
Committee. Shareholders will be asked to ratify these two
appointments at the next Shareholders' Meeting. Accor, a major
global group and the European leader in hotels, as well as the
global leader in services to corporate clients and public
institutions, operates in nearly 100 countries with 150,000
employees. It offers to its clients over 40 years of expertise in
two core businesses: - Hotels, with the Sofitel, Pullman, Novotel,
Mercure, Suitehotel, Ibis, all seasons, Etap Hotel, Formule 1 and
Motel 6 brands, representing 4,000 hotels and nearly 500,000 rooms
in 90 countries, as well as strategically related activities, such
as Lenotre. - Services, with 30 million people in 40 countries
benefiting from Accor Services products in human resources,
marketing services and expense management. DATASOURCE: Accor
CONTACT: Media Contacts: Armelle Volkringer, Vice President,
Corporate Communication and External Relations, Phone:
+33-1-45-38-84-77; Alain Delrieu, Senior Media Relations Officer,
Phone: +33-1-45-38-84-85; Anne-Sophie Sibout, Media Relations
Officer, Phone: +33-1-45-38-84-84; Investor Relations: Eliane
Rouyer-Chevalier, Senior Vice President Investor Relations and
Financial Communication, Phone: +33-1-45-38-86-26; Solene Zammito,
Deputy Director Investor Relations, Phone: +33-1-45-38-86-33
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