Marriott International’s board of directors has appointed Anthony “Tony” Capuano as the company’s new CEO. Capuano, who also has joined the board effective quickly, previously was team president, worldwide development, structure and functions companies. The board of administrators also introduced that Stephanie Linnartz, formerly group president, purchaser operations, know-how and emerging organizations, has been appointed president, effective instantly. The appointments comply with the unforeseen death of Marriott President and CEO Arne Sorenson on Feb. 15.
In early February, Sorenson and the board tapped Capuano and Linnartz to share the obligation for overseeing the working day-to-working day functions of Marriott’s business enterprise models and company features while Sorenson focused on his wellness. Upon his death, Marriott announced that they would continue in those capacities as properly as continuing in their have roles right until the board named new management.
Linked: Marriott’s Arne Sorenson dies at 62
The New CEO
As team president, worldwide advancement, layout and operations companies, Capuano was accountable for leading international advancement and structure efforts and overseeing the company’s international functions self-discipline. In the course of Capuano’s tenure primary worldwide progress, the enterprise grew from just over 3,200 homes in early 2009 to much more than 7,600 attributes by yr-stop 2020. In addition, Capuano has overseen the expansion and globalization of Marriott’s enhancement pipeline to 498,000 rooms as of Dec. 31, 2020, with much more than 50 percent of the pipeline symbolizing jobs outside the house of the U.S. Through the COVID-19 pandemic, Capuano has led Marriott’s work on its Motivation to Clear initiative.
“Tony has played a significant part in Marriott’s growth above the previous ten years,” said J.W. “Bill” Marriott Jr., government chairman and chairman of the board, Marriott International. “He will be a great chief as we keep on to progress our growth tactic when also navigating the marketplace dynamics of the COVID-19 pandemic. He functions thoughtfully and pragmatically with our operator and franchisee community and has been steadfast in guaranteeing Marriott provides operational excellence and elevated purchaser activities at our qualities. Tony has a deep appreciation for Marriott’s thousands of associates who ultimately supply on our client and brand assure and I know he will be a fantastic steward of our tradition. Jointly with Stephanie in the role of president, and the rest of our fantastic management team, Marriott could not be in much better arms.”
Capuano started his Marriott occupation in 1995 as portion of the marketplace organizing and feasibility staff. Amongst 1997 and 2005, he led Marriott’s whole-company development endeavours in the Western U.S. & Canada. From 2005 to 2008, Capuano served as SVP of full-company development for North The us. In 2008, his obligations expanded to include all of U.S. & Canada and the Caribbean and Latin The united states, and he turned EVP and international chief progress officer in 2009. Capuano began his specialist job in Laventhol and Horwath’s Boston-dependent Leisure Time Advisory Team. He then joined Kenneth Leventhal and Company’s hospitality consulting team in Los Angeles. Capuano attained his bachelor’s degree in lodge administration from Cornell College. He is an lively member of the Cornell Lodge Society and a member of The Cornell Faculty of Resort Administration Dean’s Advisory Board. Capuano is also a member of the American Resort & Lodging Association’s Marketplace Authentic Estate Economic Advisory Council.
“This appointment is the honor of a life span, but it’s also an exceptionally bittersweet instant for me,” Capuano wrote on LinkedIn. “I have this new role simply because my close friend and mentor, Arne Sorenson, shed his courageous battle with pancreatic cancer past 7 days. I however locate it challenging to believe that he’s gone.”
Capuano also available praise for the company’s new president: “Stephanie has an revolutionary vision for how our core lodging small business, journey platform initiatives and loyalty procedures can, together, speed up our progress and I can not wait to function with her on Marriott’s recovery.”
His initial statement as CEO acknowledged the troubles the organization and the sector at huge is facing. “The COVID-19 pandemic is the most complicated disaster in the heritage of the journey marketplace,” he wrote. “But I know with the Marriott staff in spot, we will carry on the groundbreaking do the job of our initial three CEOs to progress and expand the assure of Marriott International.
“I know I have big shoes to fill. But I’ve also been presented some seem advice—don’t test to wander in Arne’s shoes—follow his path but find your own footing. With Stephanie, the leadership group, and Marriott’s global team of associates, I have no doubt I’ll be capable to do just that.”
The New President
As president, Linnartz will be responsible for developing and executing all elements of the company’s international client approach, which includes brand, marketing and advertising, sales, profits administration, client engagement, digital, facts technology, rising enterprises and loyalty tactics. In addition, Linnartz will oversee Marriott’s world wide growth organization, which is liable for the strategic growth of the company’s 30 lodging brand names, as very well as the worldwide structure and functions companies functions. Linnartz will also spearhead the company’s progress on problems which includes the intersection of technologies and hospitality, the continued growth of the Marriott Bonvoy loyalty system, the brand portfolio and environmental sustainability.
“Stephanie has a leadership track record and apparent vision for how our core lodging organization, travel platform initiatives and loyalty tactics can work with each other to accelerate progress,” said Marriott. “Her deep practical experience throughout our business will permit her to operate seamlessly with our proprietors and franchisees, innovate for our visitors and prospects, and champion new alternatives for our associates. Tony and Stephanie are exactly the CEO and president we need to have as we continue on to force forward to restoration and development in the many years forward.”
“Every member of the leadership group feels a profound sense of loss at Arne’s passing. He was not just a good friend and a leader for us, he was a guidepost for the hospitality sector,” explained Linnartz. “The ideal way we can honor Arne’s memory is to continue on to move the firm forward. It is my privilege to choose on the part of President and to function with Tony and the rest of the govt staff to make sure a seamless transition and to efficiently execute our technique.”
As team president, shopper functions, technological know-how and emerging companies, Linnartz was dependable for model, advertising, product sales, earnings administration, consumer engagement, electronic, data know-how, rising companies and loyalty techniques. Linnartz played a pivotal function throughout Marriott’s acquisition of Starwood Inns & Resorts All over the world, overseeing the integration of company-important units which include reservations, house administration, income administration and loyalty. In 2019, less than her leadership, the organization combined the Marriott and Starwood loyalty systems to develop the new Bonvoy method, which presently has extra than 147 million worldwide customers.
Linnartz, who began her Marriott profession in 1997, served as international chief industrial officer from 2013 to 2019 world-wide officer, revenue and earnings administration from 2009 to 2013 SVP, world-wide revenue from 2008 to 2009 SVP, sales and advertising preparing and guidance from 2005 to 2008 and prior to that, various roles in Marriott’s finance and business enterprise growth division. She at the moment serves on the board of administrators of The Residence Depot. She retains a bachelor’s diploma in political science and government from the College or university of the Holy Cross, in which she is a member of the board of trustees, and acquired her master of company administration from the School of William and Mary.
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