Raki Phillips – Regional President, Middle East, Africa & Türkiye at Accor

Meet Raki Phillips– Regional President, Middle East, Africa & Türkiye at Accor

With more than 25 years of experience across hospitality, tourism, destination development, strategic growth, and entrepreneurship, Raki Phillips is a distinguished industry leader shaping some of the world’s most dynamic travel markets. As Regional President – Middle East, Africa & Türkiye at Accor, he oversees a portfolio of more than 260 hotels across 27 countries, with a pipeline of over 100 new openings. His leadership spans renowned brands including Swissôtel, Pullman, Mövenpick, Novotel, Mercure, and ibis, with a strong focus on driving performance, accelerating regional growth, strengthening brand equity, and building lasting relationships with owners and partners.

Over the course of his career, Raki has delivered transformative results across tourism and hospitality. During his tenure as CEO of Ras Al Khaimah Tourism Development Authority, he helped the emirate achieve record visitor numbers of 1.13 million, tripled tourism revenues, expanded international air connectivity, and played a pivotal role in securing the landmark Wynn Resorts investment on Marjan Island. He also oversaw more than 60 hotel properties and a development pipeline exceeding 10,000 rooms, while supporting major international events including the PGA DP World Tour Championship, UAE Tour cycling race, Global Citizen Forum, and Mini World Football Championship. Earlier, through INHOCO International Hospitality Consulting Group, he developed hotel project pipelines exceeding $5 billion across 12 countries and 26 markets.

Known for his entrepreneurial mindset and commitment to purposeful hospitality, Raki combines strategic leadership with a strong focus on sustainability, innovation, and destination development. He is the Co-Founder and Investor of Earth Hotels and previously co-founded SugarMoo Desserts, expanding the business across multiple regional markets. His achievements have earned him multiple Forbes Middle East recognitions, Businessperson of the Year 2023 by Arabian Business, Tourism Business Leader of the Year 2023 by Gulf Business, and inclusion in Forbes Middle East’s Sustainable 100 list in 2024. He holds an MBA in Organizational Leadership from the University of Phoenix and a B.B.A. in Hospitality Administration and Management from the University of Central Florida.

Connect with Raki Phillips to learn more about his extensive experience and insights in Hospitality Leadership, Tourism Development, Destination Strategy, and Sustainable Growth.