Marriott names new chief to lead expansion

A top global executive at Deloitte has been chosen to lead Marriott International's massive expansion plan in the Middle East and Africa. With the region's hotel division planning to double its hotels over five years, the company said Alex Kyriakidis would join as president and managing director from January 1, 2012. Kyriakidis, currently Deloitte's global managing director for Tourism, Hospitality & Leisure, will be based in Dubai. With 33 hotels in 10 countries, the MEA division is poised for major growth, with approximately 40 hotels in Marriott's hotel development pipeline in the region and plans include significant new development in sub-Saharan African markets. Fluent in Arabic, English and Greek, Kyriakidis will lead Marriott's team in the MEA, one of the company's four continental operating divisions. He will oversee all aspects of the division's business activities, including operations, sales and marketing, finance and hotel development. Arne Sorenson, Marriott's president and chief operating officer, said: "Alex brings exceptional business acumen, deep expertise in lodging, and focus on growth with a global mind set. He is the perfect leader to drive and manage our growth in the region." In his current position at Deloitte, Kyriakidis has led a team of 4,500 in a division that generates $700m of revenues. A regular speaker at major conferences globally, Kyriakidis is a Fellow of the Arab Society of Certified Accountants, Fellow of the British Association of Hotel Accountants, and Fellow of the Institute of Chartered Accountants in England and Wales.