Stamford, Connecticut, May 11, 2015 /PRNewswire/ -- Starwood Hotels & Resorts Worldwide, Inc. (NYSE: HOT) recently announced global leadership changes within its brand portfolio. In keeping with Starwood’s legacy of brand innovation, these changes reflect the company’s ongoing commitment to delivering unparalleled guest experiences across its 10 distinct brands.
“Brands are the heart and soul of Starwood,” said Adam Aron Starwood CEO. “Starwood has long been known for brand innovation, which has been a key driver of our growth. We are investing more in our global brand architecture to further drive innovation and marketing for our more than 1,200 Starwood hotels and resorts worldwide, creating even better guest experiences.”
Starwood has appointed John Peyton to thenewly created role ofSenior Vice President, Brands & Shared Services. Prior to this appointment, Peyton led the company’s Global Innovation team, and he will now leverage his expertise in both global operations and brand building to drive innovation and maintain the high value of Starwood’s 10 brands among guests, customers, and developers. During his 15 years at Starwood, Peyton has held a series of senior operations and marketing positions. In 2005, he spearheaded the brand positioning campaign “Building World-Class, Best-in-Class Brands,” which laid the foundation for the company’s brand-driven growth strategy. In his new role, Peyton will also oversee the company’s food and beverage operations, revenue management, and Starwood’s integration strategy for Design Hotels. He will report directly to Aron.
Starwood Seeks Brand Leaders from Within Its Strong Talent Pool
“Starwood is a dynamic organization, and when it comes to finding new brand leaders, we don’t need to look far — we’re tapping talent from within,” said Peyton. “So I’m excited to work with our newly appointed global brand leaders to drive the continued success of Starwood’s unique and popular brands.”
Starwood veteran Dave Marr has been namedSheraton Tribute Portfolio Global Brand Leader. Previously, Marr was responsible for Starwood’s six five-star brands in North America, overseeing digital marketing, loyalty and partner marketing, regional marketing, as well as project development and construction in the region. He also successfully launched the new brand Tribute Portfolio, which debuted last month and is expected to open over 100 hotels within the next five years. In his new role, Marr will lead the revitalization of Sheraton — Starwood’s largest and most globally recognized brand.
Starwood Leads theLuxury HotelIndustry,W with the brand poised to shine even brighter in its category
Starwood veteran Jim Petrus has returned to the company asSt. Regis Global Brand Leader. Petrus served at Starwood for decades, most recently as Senior Vice President of Operations, where he drove top-tier brand performance. Over the past nine years, he was Chief Operating Officer at Trump Collection Hotels, responsible for global strategic positioning, hotel development, operations, sales, marketing, and training. This year, St. Regis will have more than 40 properties and will make its debut in iconic destinations such as Mumbai, Dubai, and Kuala Lumpur.
With 24 years of experience at Starwood, Hoglund will serve asThe Luxury Collection Global Brand Leader. Prior to this appointment, Harper was the Global Brand Leader for Sheraton, and his luxury brand management expertise dates back to the 1990s when he facilitated The Luxury Collection’s inclusion in what was then the Sheraton International network, making it the first luxury hotel brand to join a hotel loyalty program. As more independent luxury hotel owners look to Starwood’s strong core services to elevate their properties,Harper will further refine the brand strategy,including investments in landmark renovated hotels and the launch of several stunning brand conversion properties as The Luxury Collection reaches100100 hotels later this year.
Anthony Ingham will serve as W Global Brand Leader for The Luxury Collection. Over the past fifteen years, he has also led Starwood’s operations in Europe, Africa and the Middle East, as well as in North America, bringing extensive experience in brand strategy, marketing, hotel management, and owner relations. With an innovative marketing background and a global mindset — along with a career that has taken him to live and work in Spain, Australia, Belgium, Hong Kong, the U.S., and the UK — he will bring a uniquely fitting perspective to his new role. Today, W Hotels holds a strong edge over its competitors, and Ingham will help this industry star continue its expansion into emerging markets including Amsterdam, Shanghai, Dubai, Tel Aviv, and Goa.
Strong leadership team propels growth of Starwood’s luxury and upper-upscale brands
Brian Povinelli will continue to serve asGlobal Brand Leader for Westin and Le Méridien. Povinelli is an experienced marketer and brand experience architect, having overseen robust growth for both brands. He led the team in successfully establishing Westin’s unique wellness positioning and positioning Le Méridien at the forefront of its exceptional “Explore the World. Discover the Unexpected” platform. Westin recently passed the 200-hotel milestone and is set to debut in markets such as Denver, Doha, and Jakarta. Meanwhile, Le Méridien is on track for its fastest growth since Starwood’s acquisition this year.
Brian McGuinness will continue to serve asGlobal Brand Leader for Specialty Select Brands, continuing to oversee Starwood’s fast-growing portfolio of distinctive lifestyle brands, including Aloft, Element, and Four Points. As Starwood’s specialty select brands gain greater global share, McGuinness’ role in brand management, operations, and development becomes increasingly critical. These brands represent 40% of all Starwood newly opened hotels and will account for nearly half of 2015 openings. McGuinness will drive their differentiation in the marketplace.
All Global Brand Leaders will report directly to John Peyton , Senior Vice President of Global Brands & Shared Services.
About Starwood Hotels & Resorts Worldwide, Inc.
Starwood Hotels & Resorts Worldwide, Inc. is one of the leading hotel and leisure companies in the world with more than 1,200 properties in approximately 100 countries and 180,000 employees at its owned and managed properties. As one of the most recognized names in the industry, Starwood is a fully integrated owner, operator, and franchisor of hotels, resorts, and residences with some of the most well-known hotel brands in the world: St. Regis®, The Luxury Collection®, W®, Westin®, Le Méridien®, Sheraton®, Four Points® by Sheraton, Aloft®, Element®, and the recently introduced Tribute Portfolio™. Starwood also boasts one of the industry’s most award-winning loyalty programs – Starwood Preferred Guest (SPG) – which allows members to earn and redeem points for room stays, room upgrades and flights with no blackout dates. Recently, Starwood announced it will spin off its vacation ownership business, Starwood Vacation Ownership, Inc., from the parent company by the end of 2015, creating a separate, publicly traded company that will deliver world-class vacation experiences through its villa-style resorts and Starwood brand VIP privileges. For more information, please visit www.starwoodhotels.com/cn.eRidien), Sheraton, Four Points by Sheraton, Aloft, Element, and the recently launched Tribute Portfolio. Starwood boasts an industry-leading and highly acclaimed loyalty program – SPG (Starwood Preferred Guest), where members can earn points and redeem them for hotel stays, room upgrades, and flights, all without blackout dates. Recently, Starwood announced that it will spin off Starwood Vacation Ownership, Inc. from the parent company by the end of 2015 to become an independent, publicly traded company. The company’s villa-style resort hotels and the premium privileges of Starwood brands create world-class vacation experiences. For more information, please visit www.starwoodhotels.com/cn.