Chinese firms have developed quite a taste for hospitality companies in recent years with high-profile investments in the likes of Hilton Worldwide, Carlson Hotels, and NH Hotel Group.

Last year AccorHotels also came under the spotlight when the biggest single shareholder, Jin Jiang, attempted to increase its stake in the Paris-headquartered group.

The move to up its shareholding to 29 percent ultimately failed and recent changes in the law by the Chinese government make the prospect of more bids look less likely.

At a recent meal with journalists AccorHotels’ chairman and chief executive Sebastien Bazin revealed some of what went on behind the scenes – and why former French President Nicolas Sarkozy, a recent board recruit, might have helped had he been around at the time.

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