Marriott International Names New CEO and President

Marriott International’s board of directors has announced the appointment of Anthony Capuano and Stephanie Linnartz to the roles of CEO and president, respectively. Capuano previously served as group president of global development, design, and operation services, while Linnartz held the title of group president of consumer operations, technology, and emerging businesses. The appointments follow the unexpected death of former president and CEO Arne Sorenson on February 15th. Capuano joined Marriott in 1995 as part of the market planning and feasibility team before leading full-service development efforts in the Western U.S. and Canada from 1997 to 2005. He held the title of senior vice president of full-service development for North America for three years, at which point his role expanded to include all of U.S. & Canada and the Caribbean and Latin America. He went on to be named executive vice president and global chief development officer in 2009. Prior to Marriott, Capuano served with Leisure Time Advisory Group and the hospitality division of Kenneth Leventhal and Company. Capuano is a Cornell University graduate and a member of the American Hotel and Lodging Association’s Industry Real Estate Financial Advisory Council. “I am honored to be appointed to take the helm of Marriott, but it is a bittersweet moment,” he says. “Arne was a mentor, a champion, and a friend to each member of his close-knit leadership team. It is because of Arne’s efforts that we are prepared to move forward with this transition.” Linnartz began her tenure with Marriott in 1997, holding various roles in the company’s finance and business development department. She has steadily risen through the ranks of Marriott, serving as senior vice president of sales and marketing planning and support from 2005 to 2008, senior vice president of global sales from 2008 to 2009, global officer of sales and revenue management from 2009 to 2013, and global chief commercial officer from 2013 to 2019. She received a bachelor’s degree in political science and government from the College of the Holy Cross—where she is a member of the board of trustees—and earned a master’s degree in business administration from the College of William and Mary. “Every member of the leadership team feels a profound sense of loss at Arne’s passing. He was not just a friend and a leader for us, he was a guidepost for the hospitality industry,” Linnartz adds. “The best way we can honor Arne’s memory is to continue to move the company forward. It is my privilege to take on the role of president and to work with Tony and the rest of the executive team to ensure a seamless transition and to successfully execute our strategy.”