Marriott International’s Board of Directors has announced that Anthony Capuano and Stephanie Linnartz have been appointed CEO and president respectively, effective immediately.
Their appointments follow the unexpected passing of Marriott President and CEO Arne Sorenson on February 15, 2021.
Prior to this appointment, Capuano was group president, global development, design and operations services. In this role, he was responsible for leading global development and design efforts and overseeing the company’s Global Operations discipline.
Capuano began his Marriott career in 1995 as part of the market planning and feasibility team. Between 1997 and 2005, he led Marriott’s full-service development efforts in the Western US & Canada. From 2005 to 2008, Capuano served as senior vice president of full-service development for North America. In 2008, his responsibilities expanded to include all of US & Canada and the Caribbean and Latin America, and he became executive vice president and global chief development officer in 2009.
Capuano began his professional career in Laventhol and Horwath’s Boston-based Leisure Time Advisory Group. He then joined Kenneth Leventhal and Company’s hospitality consulting group in Los Angeles. He is also a member of the American Hotel and Lodging Association’s Industry Real Estate Financial Advisory Council.
As president, Linnartz will be responsible for developing and executing all aspects of the company’s global consumer strategy, including brand, marketing, sales, revenue management, customer engagement, digital, information technology, emerging businesses and loyalty strategies. In addition, Linnartz will oversee Marriott’s global development organisation, which is responsible for the strategic growth of the company’s 30 lodging brands, as well as the global design and operations services functions.
Prior to this appointment, Linnartz was group president, consumer operations, technology and emerging businesses, where she was responsible for brand, marketing, sales, revenue management, customer engagement, digital, information technology, emerging businesses and loyalty strategies. Linnartz played a pivotal role during Marriott’s acquisition of Starwood Hotels & Resorts, overseeing the integration of business-critical systems including reservations, property management, revenue management and loyalty.
Linnartz, who began her Marriott career in 1997, served as global chief commercial officer from 2013 to 2019; global officer, sales and revenue management from 2009 to 2013; senior vice president, global sales from 2008 to 2009; senior vice president, sales and marketing planning and support from 2005 to 2008; and prior to that, various roles in Marriott’s finance and business development department.
Singapore’s Ministry of Transport will drop a S$870 million (US$659 million) lifeline to support the country’s aviation sector, as part of its 2021 Budget. This scheme, coined the OneAviation Support Package, comes on top of the existing Job Support Scheme paid out by the Singapore government.
The OneAviation Support Package comprises two key components. The first will provide manpower support totalling S$330 million, comprising 30 per cent in support for wages paid from April to June 2021, and 10 per cent in support for wages paid from Jul-Sep 2021. Furthermore, an Aviation Workforce Retention Grant will dole out 50 per cent in support for wages paid to local employees from Apr-Sep 2021, capped at S$4,600 of gross monthly wages.
This is in addition to the existing Job Support Scheme, which took effect last year. Qualifying companies in the aviation sector can also receive 50 per cent in support for Jan-Mar 2021 wages, 30 per cent for Apr-Jun 2021 wages and 10 per cent for Jul-Sep 2021 wages.
Manpower support also comes in the form of the Enhanced Training Support Package, which funds and subsidises employee downtime training by up to 90 per cent and has been extended to December 2021. Singapore-based airlines will also receive support to train some existing pilots to operate multiple aircraft types in anticipation of eventual recovery.
The second component of the OneAviation Support Package comprises cost relief amounting to S$540 million. Existing rebates on fees and charges at Changi and Seletar Airport – such as landing and parking fees, rental for lounges and offices, as well as licence fees for ground handling and catering services – will be extended for another year. The rebate on fees payable by pilots, air traffic controllers and aircraft maintenance engineers will also be extended for another year.
Singapore’s minister for transport, Ong Ye Kung, said: “Aviation is one of the hardest hit sectors during this pandemic, if not the hardest hit, as Changi and its stakeholders have lost 97.5 per cent of its customers. Yet, for a city-state like Singapore, the air hub is essential to connect us with the rest of the world and continues to be our lifeblood. This support will help Changi tide through the crisis, while we explore ways to reopen borders safely.”
Deputy prime minister and finance minister Heng Swee Keat had said during his budget speech on February 16 that he expected the aviation sector to use this lull period to improve its capabilities and prepare for the recovery, particularly by investing in travel safety, reported CNA.