Purchasing power: Accor's ME procurement manager

Shahbaz Tiavar, Accor regional procurement manager Middle East, explains his approach to purchasing for one of the largest operators in the region

How long have you been in hotel purchasing?
I joined Accor in 2006, working in the largest operational procurement office in Accor France as a telecom buyer. In 2009 I was transferred to the global operating, supplies and equipment and F&B procurement teams. At the beginning of this year I was offered the opportunity to manage the Accor procurement department in our Middle East regional office.

What products are you on the lookout for?
Priority is placed on solutions that lead to the greatest impact on the Total Cost of Ownership (TCO) and value to our customers. Our food & beverage and operating, supplies and equipment costs are mainly recurring. Hence, we are digging deeper into the everyday impacts of rising food costs and optimising solutions which can respond to each of our market segment needs, from Ibis (economy) to Sofitel (luxury).

Sustainable solutions and innovations are also a main focus. We involve our partners in our sustainable development strategy and integrate them into the responsibility process. We look for long term sustainable partnerships.

What area of your hotels are you most proud of?
As a French company, with a true savoir-faire in hospitality, a high priority on the enjoyment of food is part of our culture and DNA. Therefore one of the areas that I do feel especially proud of is the quality of our food & beverage offering.

Furthermore, the Ibis megabrand (incorporating Ibis, Ibis Styles and Ibis Budget) worldwide project made us rethink and innovate our economy hotel segment. We are very proud today to offer our guests the best sleeping experience for this market segment, even rivaling higher market segments.

Tell us about one of your most successful deals?
There is one particular partnership that stands out for me in the past few years. In 2010, we started the implementation of a strong worldwide partnership with a leading company in cleaning product solutions in more than 80 countries where Accor is present. This partnership has since helped us reach an extremely high level of hygiene and safety while optimising and better controlling our processes.

What does a supplier have to do to impress you?
Everything starts with our guests and their satisfaction. The suppliers that can anticipate the market instead of reacting to it create the relationships that add the most value to our business.