Marriott International Inc. / MAR

About Marriott International Inc.

10400 Fernwood Rd., Bethesda, Md. 20817
www.marriott.com | 301-380-3000 | Founded: 1927

Industry: Hospitality And Travel | Category: Top 100 Companies

Marriott posted one of its best performances in years, thanks in large part to a boom in business travel combined with the continued shortage of new hotel properties.
For the year, profit rose 12 percent to $669 million and revenue rose 14 percent to $11.55 billion. Profit in the fourth quarter increased 25 percent from a year earlier.
But one of the biggest developments inside the company was the departure of John W. Marriott III, the son of company chief executive and chairman J.W. "Bill" Marriott Jr. The younger Marriott was a senior executive and had been a contender to take over the firm after his 73-year-old father retires, an event the elder Marriott adamantly maintains won't be happening soon. Still, the departure signaled the start of a transition away from day-to-day family control of one of the region's most prominent corporations. There are two internal candidates who may get control of the firm: Arne M. Sorenson, the chief financial officer, and William J. Shaw, the president. Both are longtime, well-respected executives at the company.
Bill Marriott remains a strong presence at the company, presiding last year over an update of the hotel chain's room design and bedding. He is also leading the charge to take the Marriott name around the world, particularly to China, where Marriott has added several properties. Marriott International also completed a major deal with Whitbread PLC, forming a 50-50 joint venture to acquire the firm's 46 hotels — and 8,102 rooms — in Britain. Marriott took over management of the hotels and recently agreed to sell the properties to new owners while maintaining long-term management deals.

Chairman and CEO: J.W. Marriott, Jr.

2007 Financial Data

Total employees: 143,000 | Local employees: 14,697