After more than 60 years with the group, John Willard Marriott has announced to the Board of Directors that he will retire in May 2022.

John Willard Marriott will not stand for re-election to the Board of Directors at the next Annual Meeting of Shareholders. In recognition of his career achievements, the Board of Directors has formally designated him as Chairman Emeritus, effective immediately after the next Annual Meeting in 2022.

The Board has elected David Marriott, his son, to succeed him as Chairman. A decision also with immediate effect after the annual meeting.

It is partly thanks to John Willard Marriott that the group has become what it is today, a major player in the hospitality sector on the international scene. In the late 1950s, he oversaw the first Marriott hotel and later became Chairman of the group in 1964. He served as Chief Executive Officer from 1972 to 2012 and was also elected Chairman of the Board in 1985.

David Marriott joined the family business in 1999 and held various operational positions including President of the US Full Service Managed by Marriott division, where he was responsible for overseeing more than 330 hotels operating under 14 brands in 34 states. He also served as Vice President of Market and Senior Vice President of Global Sales, where he helped lead a complete transformation of Marriott's US sales organisation. In 2021, he was elected Group Director.

On behalf of the board and the hundreds of thousands of people who wear a Marriott name badge around the world, I’d like to thank Mr. Marriott for his outstanding leadership throughout his tenure with the company. He is truly an industry icon. I’d also like to congratulate David Marriott on being elected Chairman of the Board. Not only does he have tremendous operational experience from his career at Marriott, but hospitality is in his DNA. I look forward to working alongside him for years to come.

Anthony Capuano, Chief Executive Officer, Marriott International

The Board also elected Isabella "Bella" D. Goren as an independent director of the company, effective March 1, 2022. She is also appointed to the board's audit committee and will be included in the company's slate of nominees for election at Marriott's upcoming 2022 annual meeting.

She previously worked as Chief Financial Officer at American Airlines, Inc. and its parent company, AMR Corporation. At the same company, she also led the Customer Relationship Marketing organization, focused on improving customer service, implementing personalized marketing, and deploying data analytics and customer technology.

Overall, she has over 27 years of experience in the travel industry, a rich background that includes both management and operational positions.

I’m excited to welcome Bella to Marriott’s Board of Directors. Bella’s corporate and operational experience, coupled with her deep understanding of and commitment to the travel business will be a tremendous resource to the company as we continue to work toward a sustained global recovery of our industry.

Anthony Capuano, Chief Executive Officer, Marriott International

Lawrence W. Kellner has advised the Board that he does not wish to stand for re-election at the 2022 Annual Meeting. He has served on the Board for nearly 20 years and is the Lead Independent Director and Chairman of the Nominating and Corporate Governance Committee.

The independent directors of the Board have selected Frederick A. "Fritz" Henderson to succeed him as Lead Director of the Board, effective immediately after the 2022 Annual Meeting. He has been a member of the Board since 2013. 

On behalf of the Board, I want to thank Larry for his many contributions and for the essential role he has played on the Board and as Lead Director. Larry is the epitome of what a Board member should be – thoughtful, straightforward, knowledgeable and dedicated – and I am so grateful to him for his service. Fritz will step into the Lead Director role with ease given his ability to advise at a strategic level complemented by his deep understanding of the company’s operations. I’m grateful to Fritz for stepping into this new role and I know he will continue our board’s tradition of having truly impactful independent leadership.

John Williard Marriott