Marriott has announced the appointment of Sandeep Walia to the role of chief operating officer for the Middle East.

Walia will step into the role on July 1st, following the retirement of current chief operating officer, Guido De Wilde, announced last month.

Walia, 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.

In his new position, Walia will work to drive the company’s recovery across the Middle East and grow its presence across the region.

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.”

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.