Marriott Worldwide Inc. Chief Govt Arne Sorenson, who created the world’s largest resort operator by buying Starwood Inns & Resorts Worldwide Inc. in 2016, died Monday. He was 62.
A Lutheran missionary’s son who was born in Japan and grew up in Minnesota, he turned CEO of Marriott in 2012 and was the primary individual outdoors the founding household to go the resort firm. He was recognized with stage 2 pancreatic most cancers in Might 2019 however continued to function CEO.
The $13 billion acquisition of Starwood created a colossus with 30 manufacturers—together with Ritz-Carlton, Courtyard, W Inns, Westin and Sheraton—and operations in additional than 110 international locations. Marriott prevailed over rival bidders together with Hyatt Inns Corp. and China’s Anbang Insurance coverage Group Co.
Marriott coveted Starwood partly to achieve extra leverage with on-line journey brokers and persuade them to take a smaller reduce when prospects select a Marriott model. Including extra model selections may also induce extra prospects to go on to Marriott’s web site, slicing out the middlemen. “We expect there are actual benefits to dimension,” Mr. Sorenson advised The Wall Road Journal when the acquisition was accomplished.
Marriott mentioned Tuesday that Stephanie Linnartz, the group president for client operations, expertise and rising companies, and Tony Capuano, the group president for international improvement, design and operations providers, will share duty for overseeing the day-to-day operations of the corporate. The 2 had assumed these duties when Mr. Sorenson stepped again earlier within the month.
