Marriott CEO Arne Sorenson Dies After Battle With Cancer

BETHESDA, MD — Arne Sorenson, president and CEO of Marriott International Inc., has died following a nearly two-year battle with pancreatic cancer, the hotel giant announced Tuesday. He was 62.

Marriott said Sorenson died "unexpectedly" on Monday, about two weeks after the company said he would cut back on his work schedule to undergo more demanding cancer treatment.

"Arne was an exceptional executive — but more than that — he was an exceptional human being," the executive chairman of J.W. Marriott, Jr. said in a statement. "On behalf of the Board and Marriott's hundreds of thousands of associates around the world, we extend our heartfelt condolences to Arne's wife and four children. We share your heartbreak, and we will miss Arne deeply."

Sorenson took the helm of Marriott in 2012 — becoming the first person outside the founding family to lead the Bethesda-based company. He is credited with turning Marriott into the world's largest hotel chain after acquiring Starwood Hotels & Resorts in 2016. The $13 billion deal added a number of well-known brands — including W Hotels and Sheraton — to Marriott's portfolio.

"Arne loved every aspect of this business and relished time spent touring our hotels and meeting associates around the world," J.W. Marriott, Jr.'s executive chairman said. "He had an uncanny ability to anticipate where the hospitality industry was headed and position Marriott for growth."

Sorenson was diagnosed with stage 2 pancreatic cancer in May 2019. Despite his diagnosis, Sorenson continued to lead the company — even as COVID-19 pummeled the hospitality industry and brought non-essential travel to a screeching halt.

Earlier this month, after Sorenson stepped back from full-time management, Marriott appointed executives Stephanie Linnartz and Tony Capuano to oversee the company's day-to-day operations. The hotel giant said they will retain those duties until a new CEO is announced sometime within the next two weeks.

Following the announcement about Sorenson's death, Maryland Gov. Larry Hogan (R) shared a tribute about the high-profile businessman.

"Arne Sorenson was a true visionary who did tremendous things for Marriott and the State of Maryland," Hogan, who had non-Hodgkin's lymphoma cancer, said. "Arne was such an incredible guy, and I was lucky enough to call him a friend. On behalf of all Marylanders, the First Lady and I extend our deepest condolences to the Sorenson family, and to the entire Marriott organization."

The son of Lutheran missionaries, Sorenson was born in Japan but then grew up in the United States. Before joining Marriott, the University of Minnesota alum was a partner at the Washington, D.C.-based law firm Latham and Watkins.

He joined Marriott in 1996 and held a number of positions before serving as the company's president and CEO.

Under Sorenson's leadership, Marriott now boasts a portfolio of more than 7,000 properties spanning 130 countries and territories.