Alex Kyriakidis Named President and MD for Marriott's Middle East & Africa Division
Where Company Plans Major Expansion
October 3, 2011 - With the Middle East and Africa (MEA) division of Marriott International, Inc. (NYSE: MAR) planning to double its hotels over five years, the company today announced that Alex Kyriakidis , a top global executive at Deloitte LLP, has been named president and managing director of the division, effective January 1, 2012.
Mr. 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: approximately 40 hotels are 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, Mr. 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. The company's other continental divisions are the Americas, Europe, and Asia-Pacific.
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, Mr. Kyriakidis has led a team of 4,500 in a division that generates $700 million of revenues. His wide-ranging, 38-year career extends to 25 countries, with a particular focus on the European, Middle East and Africa, and Asia Pacific regions, and involves broad experience in strategic and financial planning, mergers and acquisitions and asset management.
A regular speaker at major conferences globally, Mr. 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.
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Marriott International, Inc. (NASDAQ: MAR) is a global leading lodging company based in Bethesda,Maryland, USA, with more than 4,200 properties in 80 countries and territories. Marriott International reported revenues of nearly $14 billion in fiscal year 2014. The company operates and franchises hotels and licenses vacation ownership resorts under 19 brands, including: The Ritz-Carlton®, BVlgari®, EDITION®, JW Marriott®, Autograph Collection® Hotels, Renaissance® Hotels, Marriott Hotels®, Delta Hotels and Resorts®, Marriott Executive Apartments®, Marriott Vacation Club®, Gaylord Hotels®, AC Hotels by Marriott®, Courtyard®, Residence Inn®, SpringHill Suites®, Fairfield Inn & Suites®, TownePlace Suites®, Protea Hotels® and MoxyHotels®. Marriott has been consistently recognized as a top employer and for its superior business ethics. The company also manages the award-winning guest loyalty program, Marriott Rewards® and The Ritz-Carlton Rewards® program, which together surpass 50 million members. For more information or reservations, please visit our website at 
