Mandarin Oriental appoints new Group Director of Sustainability

Mandarin Oriental has appointed Kandé Camara as its new Group Director of Sustainability and Chief of Staff to the CEO.

She replaces Torsten Van Dullemen in the top sustainability role, and joins from Kerzner International in Dubai, where she was Global Head of Sustainability for the past year.

“In her Chief of Staff capacity, she serves as a strategic advisor to the CEO and the leadership team, driving cross-functional alignment and enabling effective execution of Mandarin Oriental's strategic priorities. In parallel, she leads the Group’s global sustainability agenda, to elevate the guest experience, strengthen community partnerships, and create lasting value for the business,” Mandarin Oriental said in a statement.

Camara has over 20 years of experience across the financial, luxury beauty, and luxury hospitality sectors, with a focus on sustainability for the past 10 years. Before her time at Kerzner International, she worked as Sustainability Integration Director at Parfums Christian Dior in Paris, where she designed and implemented LVMH’s first in-house sustainability academy.

Mandarin Oriental sustainability targets

Mandarin Oriental, which manages 41 hotels worldwide but owns only a fraction of them, has set a number of 2030 intensity goals: reducing energy intensity by 30%, carbon intensity by 50% and water intensity by 40%, while achieving at least 15% renewable energy use.

As of 2024, the group has cut energy intensity per square metre by 21% against its 2012 baseline, and reduced carbon intensity by 30% and water intensity by 13%. So far, 9% of its energy use comes from renewable sources. Absolute Scope 1 and 2 emissions, however, are up 66% from the 2012 baseline as Mandarin Oriental has grown its management portfolio by at least 13 new hotels in the last 13 years.

Decarbonisation challenges for hotel groups

Hotel groups often face challenges in meeting their sustainability targets because of their franchise business model, which means operational decisions can be influenced but are ultimately made by hotel owners.

In February 2025, IHG Chief Sustainability Officer Catherine Dolton warned that the group was unlikely to achieve its 2030 climate target, with total emissions up 7.2% since 2019 due to business growth and “the lack of a viable commercial and operating landscape to support energy efficiency” in the countries where it operates.

The group has made progress around emissions intensity, but has set an absolute reduction target which now appears out of reach.