Arne Sorenson, president and CEO of Marriott International Inc., smiles during a luncheon at the Chicago Executive Club in Chicago, Illinois, USA, on Wednesday, April 3, 2019.
Daniel Acker | Bloomberg | Getty Images
Arne Sorenson, who turned Marriott International into the world’s largest hotel chain after acquiring Starwood Hotels & Resorts in a $ 13 billion deal in 2016, is dead. He was 62 years old and undergoing treatment for pancreatic cancer, the company announced Tuesday.
Sorenson, the third CEO in Marriott history and the first out of the founding family, died Monday, the company said.
Sorenson expanded Marriott’s presence around the world with dozens of brands, including W Hotels, Ritz-Carlton, Courtyard and Sheraton.
Last year, he had to run the business through the Covid pandemic, which has halted most domestic and global travel.
“Arne was an exceptional executive, but more than that, he was an exceptional human being,” said JW Marriott Jr., executive chairman and board chairman. “Arne loved every aspect of this business and loved the time he spent touring our hotels and meeting with partners from around the world. He had a strange ability to predict where the industry was headed. hospitality and positioning Marriott for its growth.But the roles she enjoyed most were husband, father, brother and friend.On behalf of the Board and the hundreds of thousands of Marriott associates around the world, we give our best condolences to Arne’s wife and four children. We share your heart and we will miss Arne deeply. “
The hotel operator had announced in May 2019 that Sorenson had been diagnosed with pancreatic cancer. Earlier this month, he shared the news that the CEO would temporarily reduce his working hours to accommodate more demanding treatment.
Earlier this year, Marriott touched on two executives: Stephanie Linnartz, president of the Consumer Operations, Technology and Emerging Business group; and Tony Capuano, chairman of the global development, design and operations services group, to oversee day-to-day operations, replacing Sorenson.
The company said Tuesday that Linnartz and Capuano will continue to do so until the board appoints a new CEO, who is expected to be there in two weeks.
Marriott shares rose less than 1% in pre-market trading on Tuesday, having fallen by about 12% in the last twelve months. The hotel operator has a market capitalization of about $ 42 billion.