(CU)_The Chief Executive Officer of Marriott International, Arne Sorenson, died on Monday (Feb 15), after a prolonged battle with cancer.
In May 2019, he announced that he has been diagnosed with pancreatic cancer, and will be stepping back from the daily running of the company. At the time, he noted that he intended to come back to the business full-time, once he returned to health.
“Arne was an exceptional executive — but more than that — he was an exceptional human being,” Bill Marriott Jr, the executive chairman of the hotel chain said. “Arne loved every aspect of this business and relished time spent touring our hotels and meeting associates around the world. He had an uncanny ability to anticipate where the hospitality industry was headed and position Marriott for growth.”
Sorenson, who died at the age of 62, was the first non-family member to head the hotel chain. He took charge in March 2012, and in 2016, Sorenson led the $13 billion acquisition of Starwood Hotels and Resorts, which resulted in Marriott becoming the world’s biggest hotel chain with over 1 million rooms.
Despite the 15 per cent dip in Marriott’s shares over the past year on account of the pandemic, however, they have jumped 242 per cent during Sorenson’s tenure.
His death drew tributes from colleagues, competitors and fellow business leaders, including GM chief executive Mary Barra, Cisco chief Chuck Robbins, and Walmart’s chief executive Doug McMillon. Josh Bolten, chief executive of the Business Roundtable, praised Sorenson’s “relentless focus” on workers’ wellbeing, while McMillon remembered him as a bold, compassionate, “best-in-class business leader”.
Marriott said on Tuesday that the hotel chain will appoint a new CEO in the next two weeks.
