Marriott boss Arne Sorenson to receive IHIF Lifetime Achievement Award

Arne Sorenson, president and chief executive of Marriott International, the world's largest hotel company, is to be awarded the International Hotel Investment Forum (IHIF) Lifetime Achievement Award in Berlin next March.

Marriott International became the largest global hotel company in September following the acquisition of Starwood Hotels & Resorts, creating a business comprising nearly 6,000 properties across 30 brands.

Sorensen is the first person in the nearly 90-year history of Marriott to lead the company who is not a member of the Marriott family and only the third chief executive.

He joined the company in 1996, since when he has held numerous positions including president of continental European lodging, chief financial officer, executive vice president, chief operating officer and president, before being appointed chief executive in 2012.

Prior to arriving at Marriott, Sorensen was a partner in law firm Lathan & Watkins in Washington, where he specialised in mergers and acquisitions litigation.

Tess Pearson, event director, Questex Media Group, organiser of IHIF, described Sorenson as "a uniquely inspirational leader" who has navigated Marriott through extremely challenging economic times.

"Providing leadership that is both reassuring and assertive is a skill only achieved by a few and Arne consistently demonstrates this in the management of the company and to Marriott associates around the world," she said.

Following the presentation of the award on 6 March at IHIF at the InterContinental Berlin, Sorenson will share his experience of the acquisition of Starwood and the future of Marriott with an onstage interview.

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