Accentiv' accelerates its international development

Accor Services acquires Capital Incentives & Motivation Ltd, in the United Kingdom

Paris, June 04 2004.  Accor Services has just acquired, from Close Brothers Private Equity, Capital Incentives, the British incentive and motivation operator and leading multi-brand gift voucher and card issuer.

This operation enriches Accor Services' offer in the UK.  Capital Incentives will also be joining the international Accentiv' Network.  Accor Services Relationship Marketing Agency, Accentiv' is already operating in 20 countries and issuing a worldwide gift voucher under the Brand name "Compliments", with 200 Million pounds in sales in 2003.

Accor Services, Accor’s second largest line of business, has been established in the UK since 1985 and is already present in two key Human Resources areas: Meeting Life Essentials and Enhancing Well-Being.

“To complete the offer to our corporate clients, we wanted to add  innovative solutions to Improve the Performance of their employees: we have achieved this with the acquisition of a British multi-brand gift voucher and card operator whose ‘Capital Bonds’ and ‘Incentive Award Card’ represented 60 Million pounds in sales in 2003,” said Accor Services UK Managing Director Laurent Fourier.

Philippe Bertinchamps, Managing Director of Accentiv’, Accor Services’ relationship marketing agency, added “this acquisition strengthens the Accentiv’ network in Europe and opens the door to the first gift voucher market representing more than 1 Billion pounds”.

Graham Povey, Managing Director of Capital Incentives declared: “We are delighted to be joining Accor Services because of its large portfolio of customers (over 6000 in the UK) and its position as world leader in services for corporate clients and public institutions (14 million users in 34 countries)”.

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Capital Incentives & Motivation Ltd, established in 1984, is the UK's leading incentive and motivation company, and is first for incentives, motivation and performance improvement. Capital Incentives' product portfolio includes the multi-choice Capital Bond voucher, welcomed in over 120 famous high street names, and the Incentive Award Card, the only Visa card in the UK that can be used to make incentive and reward payments.

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Accor Services’ Relationship Marketing agency and operator, Accentiv’ offers companies in 20 countries:
   − design and management of loyalty programmes and motivation campaigns,
   − a comprehensive reward solution (gift vouchers, gifts and incentive trips),
   − organisation of events.

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With 150,000 associates in 140 countries, Accor is the European leader and one of the world’s largest groups in travel, tourism and corporate services, with two major international activities:
   - hotels: nearly 4000 hotels (455,000 rooms) in 90 countries, casinos, travel agencies and restaurants;
   - services to corporate clients and public institutions: 14 million people in 34 countries use a broad range of services (food vouchers, people care and services, incentive, loyalty programs, events) engineered and managed by Accor.