DAVE GRISSEN TO STEP DOWN FROM MARRIOTT

Posted in News, People on 5 June, 2020

Marriott International has announced that long-time senior executive Dave Grissen has decided to step down from his position as Group President, the Americas, towards the end of 2020 and retire from Marriott in the first quarter of 2021, after 36 years with the company. Mr. Grissen, who has been leading the company’s Americas business for the past eleven years, oversees all of the Americas’ lodging business comprising more than 5,640 properties and a work force of 160,000 people.

Mr. Grissen leads all aspects of the company’s biggest region, the Americas, which generates over two-thirds of the company’s fee revenues. Under Mr. Grissen’s leadership, Marriott’s Americas organization has grown from 2,928 hotels to 5,640 properties today, with another 1,800 hotels in the pipeline.

Marriott also announced plans for the company’s lodging operations to be consolidated under two long-time Marriott leaders after Mr. Grissen steps down from his current role. Under this plan, Liam Brown will take on the role of Group President, North America and Craig S. Smith will take on the role of Group President, International.

In his new role as Group President, International, Mr. Smith will oversee all non-North American operations for Marriott including the Asia Pacific, Europe, Middle East & Africa and Caribbean & Latin America regions.

Mr. Brown is currently Group President, Europe, Middle East & Africa. The company’s Canadian operations will remain part of the North American portfolio under Mr. Brown.

In addition, the company is announcing that in consultation with its Board of Directors, Mr. J.W. Marriott, Jr. plans to transition to the role of Chairman Emeritus in 2022. In anticipation of that event, the company expects that Mr. David Marriott, currently President, U.S. Full Service, Managed by Marriott, will join the company’s Board of Directors in 2021.

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