Marriott International’s board of directors elected Taco Bell CEO Sean Tresvant as an independent director of the hotel company, effective Feb. 12.
Tresvant, who also holds the position of vice chairman of the Taco Bell Foundation, is expected to be included in Marriott’s slate of nominees for election at its upcoming 2025 annual stockholders meeting, the company announced in a Tuesday release.
With experience in driving growth strategies, franchise operations and overall company performance at Taco Bell, Tresvant will be “a valuable addition to our board,” David Marriott, chairman of Marriott’s board of directors, said in a statement. Prior to Taco Bell, Tresvant held leadership roles at Nike, Sports Illustrated and PepsiCo.
“In his time at Taco Bell, Sean has overseen some of the company’s most innovative transformations,” David Marriott said. “He expanded Taco Bell’s presence both domestically and internationally, raised brand awareness through successful initiatives like Taco Bell’s Taco Tuesday, and has grown the company’s in-store and digital sales while strengthening and deepening its brand loyalty and franchise network.”
Tresvant’s election comes as Marriott focuses on “innovating for the future,” according to David Marriott. In recent months, the hotel company has looked to scale its presence in new markets and grow loyalty with brand tie-ups, including a strategic licensing agreement with Sonder and brand deals with Postcard Cabins and Trailborn.
In November, the company told Hotel Dive it was underway on a companywide restructuring to “enhance our enterprise-wide effectiveness.” The restructuring resulted in laying off 833 corporate employees, effective Jan. 3.
A Marriott spokesperson told Hotel Dive earlier this month that while the company’s initial Maryland WARN notice filing indicated more than 800 Marriott headquarters jobs were impacted, “hundreds of affected associates applied for and were selected for open roles that have been created within the new organizational structure, which is now in place.”
Marriott declined to provide additional details on the organizational restructuring.
With the election of Tresvant, Marriott’s board comprises 13 directors, 10 of whom are independent. Board members include Marriott President and CEO Anthony Capuano, American Airlines CFO Isabella Goren and Dick’s Sporting Goods President and CEO Lauren Hobart, among others.
