Christian Clerc, who served as global president of Four Seasons Hotels and Resorts between 2016 and 2022 and later chaired DuPont Registry Group, a high-end automotive marketplace, will succeed Craig Reid as president and CEO of Auberge Resorts. A press release noted that Reid, also a former Four Seasons executive, was retiring after 10 years as chief of the company.
Clerc’s appointment is effective September 1, 2024, and he will be based out of Auberge’s Bethesda, Md., office.
At Four Seasons, Clerc was responsible for leading all aspects of the company’s hotel and residential business globally, overseeing 127 hotels, 51 residential properties, more than 50 properties under development, and 50,000 employees across 47 countries.
Auberge Resorts totals 28 global properties and is owned by The Friedkin Group, a multi-vertical investment firm with a diverse portfolio ranging from film production and automotive to professional football teams and country clubs.
“Christian is a dynamic and admired leader in the hospitality industry. His proven approach to luxury customer experiences synergizes perfectly with our vision for Auberge, as we continue to build our highly sought after brand,” said Dan Friedkin, chairman and CEO of The Friedkin Group and chairman of Auberge Resorts Collection. “He has a unique perspective on what a luxury hospitality brand should be and deep expertise in delivering curated experiences at one-of-a-kind properties that exceed the expectations of the world’s most discerning travelers.”
Before assuming responsibility for global operations at Four Seasons, Clerc was president, EMEA, from 2014 until 2016, overseeing the company’s operations in the region. Previously, he led the Hotel George V in Paris with regional responsibility for Southern Europe and held various GM and RVP positions throughout the Americas prior to that.
“I am thrilled to join the Auberge team,” said Clerc. “It’s an honor to have a role in furthering Auberge’s well-earned reputation for creating unique and authentic experiences. I look forward to working closely with our talented team and our strategic partners to continue pursuing this vision of building the leading brand in luxury hospitality.”
HOTELS Magazine profiled Auberge Resorts and CEO Craig Reid earlier this year. Between now and 2027, it will open six new properties in the U.S. and Europe. In January, Reid said Auberge was on a trajectory to reach 40 hotels in the midterm.