Marriott Appoints Sandeep Walia as COO - Middle East and Jerome Briet as CDO - EMEA

Marriott has appointed Sandeep Walia as Chief Operating Officer - Middle East and Jerome Briet as Chief Development Officer - Europe, Middle East & Africa.

Sandeep will step into the role on 1 July 2021, following the retirement of current COO, Guido De Wilde.

Jerome succeeds Carlton Ervin, who was recently appointed as Marriott’s Global Development Officer - International.

Sandeep will be responsible for Marriott International’s 146 operating hotels across the Middle East, as well as Egypt and Turkey, representing 21 hotel brands across ten countries, while Jerome will be responsible for driving Marriott’s growth trajectory and market position across EMEA, while supporting the company’s global-wide development vision.

Satya Anand, President EMEA, Marriott International, said, “It gives me great pleasure to announce that Sandeep has taken up this new role. With a career spanning several operational and leadership roles across multiple regions around the world, Sandeep brings extensive hospitality experience, strong relationships with the region’s ownership community, and comprehensive knowledge of hospitality.”

Prior to this role, Sandeep was Area Vice President for the United Arab Emirates and played a critical role in support the company’s hotels, guests and associates during the ongoing global COVID19 pandemic.

He started in hospitality in 1996 before joining Marriott in 2005 as EAM Food & Beverage at The Ritz-Carlton, Sharm El Sheikh in Egypt before taking up his first General Manager role at The Ritz-Carlton, Moscow.

During his tenure in Egypt, he travelled to several hotels in Asia, Europe and the Middle East as a pre-opening hotel trainer for Ritz-Carlton, driving brand awareness and service culture.

In 2012, Sandeep was appointed as Area Vice President Europe for The Ritz-Carlton, Bvlgari and EDITION hotels. In 2017, he took on the role of Area Vice President for Luxury Brands in Western Europe, overseeing 32 operational hotels before moving to UAE in April 2019 as the Area Vice President, Luxury Hotels.

Sandeep completed his studies in hospitality at the Indian Institute of Hotel Management and the Oberoi School of Hotel Management. A lifelong student, he obtained his Executive MBA from Northwestern University, Kellogg School of Management in 2017.

“I am delighted that Jerome has stepped into the role to lead Marriott’s development strategy across EMEA,” continued Anand. “With his extensive knowledge of hotel development and acquisitions, and his remarkable track record of growth for Marriott International, I know Jerome will drive great success for the company in the region.”

Jerome worked previously as Chief Development Officer - Middle East and Africa.

Since joining Marriott in 2012, he has overseen tremendous growth in the Middle East and Africa, including some of the most renowned properties in the UAE such as Bvlgari Resort & Residences Dubai, Marriott Hotel & Resort Palm Jumeirah, and The Ritz-Carlton properties in Ras Al Khaimah (Al Wadi Desert and Al Hamra Beach Resort).

He has more than 15 years of hospitality experience, starting as a night auditor for Marriott Vacation Club in 2003. He then left Marriott, to work at Jones Lang LaSalle, a global commercial real estate services company. Following that, he took up a role with Millennium & Copthorne where he oversaw Development & Acquisitions for the Middle East, Africa and India. He rejoined Marriott in 2012 as Senior Director of Development Middle East and Africa, working his way up through different leadership positions within the Development team.

Jerome completed his Bachelor’s degree in International Management at INSEEC University and received his MBA in International Hospitality and Real Estate Management from the ESSEC Business School in Paris.

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