A process for regenerating a moving bed of catalyst flowing in a selected direction for reforming or for aromatic hydrocarbon production, said catalyst comprising a support, at least one noble metal and at least one halogen, the process including a combustion step of treating the catalyst in at least two successive combustion zones, the process comprising:
- maintaining each combustion zone separate from adjacent combustion zones to allow catalyst to pass between adjacent zones and to prevent the passage of gas from one zone to an adjacent zone;
- introducing at least one oxygen-containing gas into each zone, and extracting the gases produced from each zone;
- and
- increasing the severity of the operating conditions in each zone separately in the direction of catalyst flow.