Accor has hosted its first Pacific Leaders Empowered Conference and Awards, with more than 400 general managers and senior leaders from Australia, New Zealand, Fiji, French Polynesia and elsewhere in the world in attendance.

The event was held 11-12 July at the International Convention Centre in Sydney (ICC Sydney) and covered key themes including loyalty & guest experiences, sustainability and ESG, and building market-leading performance across the two days.

“Our aim of the two-day conference was to bring our senior leaders and key stakeholders together to develop a shared understanding of our business and to hear directly from our business leaders as they discuss Accor’s vision for the future of hospitality,” Accor Pacific chief executive officer for the Premium, Midscale and Economy division, Sarah Derry said.

“Empowerment is a key value at Accor, and we believe that by empowering our people, we can truly transform and lead the hospitality industry. We have no doubt that the insights and ideas shared at this conference will have a lasting impact on all of us, and we are excited to see the positive change that will come from it.”

The conference also included a First Nations panel, consisting of Dean Parkin (Yes23), Mundunarra Bayles (Black Card), and Nareen Young (UTS). The focus of that panel was topics including cultural capability, team member engagement, and the importance of First Nations partners.

The event also awarded the best performing staff and Accor locations in the region across a range of categories, which were presented at the Gala Dinner.