Marriott International
Leadership History
4 leaders · 1972 to present
Anthony Capuano is the CEO of Marriott, in the role since 2021. The first chief executive was J. W. Marriott Jr., from 1972.
| Name | Role | From | To | Years in role |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| David Marriott | Chairman of the Board | 2023 | Present | 3 |
| Anthony Capuano | President and Chief Executive Officer | 2021 | Present | 5 |
| Arne Sorenson | Chief Executive Officer | 2012 | 2021 | 9 |
| J. W. Marriott Jr. | Chief Executive Officer | 1972 | 2012 | 40 |
Marriott International, based in Bethesda, Maryland and listed on Nasdaq as MAR, is the largest hotel company in the world by rooms. Its portfolio spans luxury brands such as The Ritz-Carlton, St. Regis, JW Marriott, W Hotels and EDITION; premium brands such as Marriott Hotels, Sheraton and Westin; and select-service brands such as Courtyard, Residence Inn, Fairfield and Moxy. Managed and franchised hotels account for about 99% of its rooms.
Marriott makes money mainly from fees. Franchise fees ($3.325B in FY2025) come from owners who license a Marriott brand, reservation system and Bonvoy distribution; this line also includes co-branded credit card and residential branding fees. Base management fees ($1.322B) and incentive management fees ($791M) come from hotels Marriott operates for owners. A much larger cost reimbursement line ($19.204B) passes through property-level and centralized program costs, such as hotel staff at managed properties and loyalty, and largely nets out against matching expenses. Owned, leased and other revenue was $1.679B.
Chairman of the Board
2023 – Present
3 years (current)
He took over as Chairman in 2022, becoming the third generation of the founding family to lead the board.
He oversees the board's strategic expansion into luxury all-inclusive resorts and short-term apartment rentals to combat Airbnb.
President and Chief Executive Officer
2021 – Present
5 years (current)
Pushed conversion-led and midscale growth, expanded luxury and all-inclusive resorts, and renewed long-term U.S. co-branded card agreements with JPMorgan Chase and American Express in 2026.
President and CEO since February 2021. Capuano joined Marriott in 1995 and led global development before becoming CEO, steering the company through the pandemic recovery, the 2023 City Express brand acquisition, midscale brand launches and record pipeline growth.
Chief Executive Officer
2012 – 2021
9 years
Sorenson orchestrated the monumental $13 billion acquisition of Starwood Hotels in 2016, making Marriott the largest hotel chain in the world.
He successfully integrated the massive Bonvoy loyalty program and navigated the immediate devastating impact of the COVID-19 pandemic before his death in 2021.
Chief Executive Officer
1972 – 2012
40 years
He shifted the company's strategy heavily toward an asset-light model, aggressively selling off owned real estate to focus purely on hotel management and franchising.
During his 60-year tenure, he grew the company from a regional restaurant and lodging business into a global hospitality empire before retiring as Executive Chairman in 2022.
These officers report to the chief executive and are not part of the CEO timeline above.
Marriott's results depend on travel demand, so recessions, conflicts and pandemics hit fees quickly; in Q2 2026 Middle East RevPAR fell 43% amid regional conflict. Development depends on owners obtaining financing. Alternative lodging from Airbnb competes for leisure stays, and online travel agencies compete for distribution. Cybersecurity remains a recurring risk after the 2018 Starwood breach and a 2020 incident affecting about 5.2 million guests. Labor relations at managed hotels, including UNITE HERE strikes, and regulation of resort fees are ongoing issues.
Key chief executives include founder J. Willard Marriott (1927 to 1972), J.W. (Bill) Marriott Jr. (1972 to 2012), Arne M. Sorenson (2012 to 2021), and current President and CEO Anthony Capuano (2021, present).
Bill Marriott Jr. transformed the company from a regional restaurant chain into a global lodging empire, pioneering the hotel franchising and management model, creating Courtyard by Marriott, acquiring The Ritz-Carlton, and growing the company to over 3,700 hotels.
Arne Sorenson was the first non-Marriott family member to serve as CEO, orchestrating the landmark $13.6 billion acquisition of Starwood Hotels & Resorts in 2016, launching Marriott Bonvoy, and championing diversity before his tragic death from pancreatic cancer in 2021.
Tony Capuano, a 25-year Marriott veteran who previously led global hotel development, assumed leadership during the COVID-19 pandemic, guiding the company through the travel rebound, achieving record room expansion, and entering the midscale market.
David S. Marriott, son of Bill Marriott Jr. and grandson of founders J. Willard and Alice Marriott, serves as Chairman of the Board of Directors, ensuring ongoing family stewardship and cultural continuity.
Jen Mason is CFO, succeeding Kathleen (Leeny) Oberg, who retired effective March 31, 2026.
Anthony Capuano serves as CEO. He took over in 2021 under highly tragic circumstances, following the unexpected death of Arne Sorenson (who was the first non-Marriott family member to ever run the company and orchestrated the massive Starwood merger). Capuano's absolute primary mandate was aggressively navigating the post-pandemic recovery and massively expanding Marriott's presence in luxury all-inclusive resorts.
Compare executive leadership tenures and strategic transitions
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