Marriott has appointed Anthony Capuano as CEO following the unexpected passing of Arne M. Sorenson.

Capuano will join the company’s Board of Directors and was previously Group President, Global Development, Design and Operations Services. Marriott has also announced that Stephanie Linnartz, previously Group President, Consumer Operations, Technology and Emerging Businesses, has been promoted to President.

“Tony has played a critical role in Marriott’s growth over the last decade,” says J.W. “Bill” Marriott Jr, Executive Chairman and Chairman of the Board. “He will be a terrific leader as we continue to advance our growth strategy while also navigating the market dynamics of the Covid-19 pandemic. He works thoughtfully and pragmatically with our owner and franchisee community and has been steadfast in ensuring Marriott delivers operational excellence and elevated customer experiences at our properties. Tony has a deep appreciation for Marriott’s thousands of associates, who ultimately deliver on our customer and brand promise, and I know he will be a superb steward of our culture. Together with Stephanie in the role of President, and the rest of our exceptional leadership team, Marriott could not be in better hands.”

In his previous role, Capuano was responsible for leading global development and design efforts and overseeing the company’s Global Operations discipline. During his tenure leading global development, the company grew its footprint from just over 3,200 properties in early 2009 to over 7,600 properties by year-end 2020. In addition, Capuano has overseen the growth and globalisation of Marriott’s development pipeline to 498,000 rooms as of 31 December 2020, with more than half of the pipeline representing projects outside of the USA. During the Covid-19 pandemic, he has led Marriott’s work on its Commitment to Clean initiative, which was designed to enhance its cleaning protocols to provide additional peace of mind for travellers.

“I am honoured to be appointed to take the helm of Marriott, but it is a bittersweet moment,” Capuano explains. “Arne was a mentor, a champion and a friend to each member of his close-knit leadership team. It is because of Arne’s efforts that we are prepared to move forward with this transition. Together, we will advance the strategy we have in place, which is laser-focused on recovery, expansion, providing opportunities for our associates, maintaining constructive relationships with our owners and franchisees, delivering safe and innovative experiences for our guests and customers, and building value for our shareholders.”