Rarely have there been bigger footsteps to fill than when Arne Sorenson, who passed away Sunday from pancreatic cancer, took over as CEO from Bill Marriott, Jr. in 2012, just the third CEO in the company’s history. Marriott had taken over from his father in 1972 when the operator was a small hotel group and grew it into a global giant – and he was the face of it. Other Marriott family members worked for the brand, but Bill Marriott turned to Sorenson, who had been a Marriott executive since 1996, to continue the project of making the company the dominant force in global hospitality.
And he succeeded dramatically.
He is perhaps best known for a big splash – the $13 billion purchase of Starwood Hotels & Resorts in 2016, creating the largest hotel company in the world. In the months before the Starwood acquisition, other potential purchasers were more prominently mentioned so it was somewhat of a surprise when Marriott came out the winner. The deal increased Marriott’s room count to more than 1.1 million rooms in 5,809 properties. It was a massive undertaking to integrate the two companies – especially their popular loyalty programs – but Sorenson led the way.
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Under Sorenson, Marriott moved well beyond its core product. It acquired brands like AC, a boutique concept; Delta Hotels & Resorts, a Canadian company; and Gaylord hotels, with their huge meeting facilities. It also created its own brands – like Moxy, a very “un-Marriott” type of product targeted at a new generation of travelers. And the company moved deeply into luxury with Edition, Bulgari and others.
Sorenson was a constant public presence in bringing Marriott to a preeminent position and in being a spokesperson for the entire travel industry. He was always a calming, and often droll, presence on the stage at industry conferences, usually speaking from an industry-wide point of view rather than simply “selling” Marriott. As Bjorn Hanson, adjunct professor, New York University Jonathan M. Tisch Center of Hospitality and a longtime industry analyst, told TravelPulse, “Arne was the ultimate CEO – he was a visionary leader, brilliant strategist, kind and caring individual, and always thinking of the greater good for our industry, country, and the world.”
Roger Dow, CEO of the US. Travel Association and a former Marriott executive, said it was “difficult to find words that express the depth of our sadness at the passing of Arne Sorenson, our dear friend, business leader and travel advocate.
“This is a huge loss, first and foremost for Ruth and Arne’s wonderful family,” said Dow, “but also for his many associates at Marriott International and those across the travel industry who had the pleasure of interacting with him.” He said Sorenson “always offered a vision that extended well beyond the lodging sector he so expertly represented.”
Dow added that Sorenson was more than a professional colleague “with whom I shared a special Marriott bond, he was an ally, a trusted friend and a partner.” He also lent his considerable talents to U.S. Travel, said Dow, particularly as chair of its CEO Roundtable, but also in countless other ways.
Lalia Rach, owner of Rach Enterprises and a well-known industry consultant, told TravelPulse that Sorensen was the consummate professional and an exceedingly decent human being. “I remember so vividly how he treated me as an equal in a time that was not the norm, ” said Rach. “When few women were ‘at the table’. He made a point of acknowledging me as I was the only or one of two women involved in the planning of the NYU investment and development conference and as an ad hoc member of the American Hotel & Lodging Association IREFAC (Industry Real Estate Financing Advisory Council) board. For me his lasting legacy was his recognition of the value of the person regardless of gender or title.”
Sébastien Bazin, Chairman and CEO of Accor said, “I was extremely sad to hear of Arne’s passing earlier today. He was someone who I admired and respected on so many levels; a true leader and visionary. His business acumen was second to none, but beyond that he was a remarkably empathetic man who cared deeply about our industry and the people in it. I will deeply miss his leadership, his wit and the passion he brought to our industry.”
Chris Nassetta, CEO of Hilton, a major competitor, said of Sorenson that he was “an incredibly respected man, a leader in hospitality, and a devoted husband, father and friend.” He said, “It’s been a true honor to work alongside him on behalf of our great industry for so many years and I will miss him and the friendship we’ve built.” On behalf of everyone at Hilton, said Nassetta, “I want to extend my condolences to the Sorenson family, the thousands of Marriott associates around the world and the countless people whose lives he has positively impacted over the years.”
In a note to Marriott associates, Bill Marriott said Sorenson was “a mighty tower who embraced life with zest.” The note said Sorenson loved Marriott International and all of its wonderful associates and adored the travel industry. And he treasured his role as CEO, “understanding that what came with the big title was great responsibility and an expectation to be a global voice for change all that is good.”
Marriott told the associates that Sorenson traveled more than 225 nights a year (before his illness) to tour hotels and visit with associates, owners, franchisees, guests and local officials. If you were lucky enough to catch up with him – or even better, wrote Marriott, to go on one of his famous pre-dawn runs round the neighborhood – you saw firsthand the love he had for hospitality. His curiosity, wrote Marriott, helped him anticipate where the hospitality business was headed “and it made him a better leader for us and the industry.”
Noting that people “marveled” when Sorenson became the first non-Marriott to take on the role of CEO, Marriott said that, speaking for the family, Sorenson “exceeded everything we could have hoped for in a leader for this company.”
Marriott said the company would share more information in the days ahead about the ways in which Sorenson’s legacy would be honored.