Shawn Hill
MARRIOTT INTERNATIONAL INC /MD/About Shawn Hill
Shawn Hill, 54, is Marriott International’s Executive Vice President and Chief Development Officer effective January 1, 2026, after serving as Chief Development Officer for Asia Pacific excluding China (APEC). He joined Marriott in 1997, progressing through Accounting, Finance, and Asset Management at HQ before moving to Hong Kong in 2005 to join Asia Pacific Development; he holds a B.S. in Accounting from Oral Roberts University and an MBA in Finance from the University of Maryland . Under Hill’s APEC leadership, the portfolio expanded from 465+ open properties and 276 pipeline to 635+ open and 383 pipeline by March 31, 2025 . Company performance context for 2024: systemwide RevPAR +4.3% (constant currency), net income $2.375B, Adjusted EBITDA $4.981B, 1,200 deals signed (~162k rooms), net rooms growth 6.8%, and a system of 9,300+ properties, 1.7M rooms across 144 countries .
Past Roles
| Organization | Role | Years | Strategic Impact |
|---|---|---|---|
| Marriott International HQ (Bethesda) | Accounting, Finance, Asset Management | 1997–2005 | Built foundational finance/asset skills prior to Asia development assignment . |
| Marriott International – Asia Pacific (Hong Kong) | Asia Pacific Development Team | 2005–2021 | Advanced regional development capabilities, including expansion initiatives (notably Japan brand breadth) . |
| Marriott International – Asia Pacific (ex-China) | SVP/Hotel Development, then Chief Development Officer APEC | 2022–2025 | Led APEC growth from 465+/276 pipeline to 635+/383 pipeline by Mar-31-2025 . |
| Marriott International | EVP & Chief Development Officer (global) | 2026– | Transition to executive leadership team; reports to CEO after CFO/Development EVP transition . |
External Roles
| Organization | Role | Years | Strategic Impact |
|---|---|---|---|
| HVS ANAROCK HOPE Conference | Speaker (HOPE 2025) | 2025 | Industry presence; highlights APEC development expertise; profile notes CPA credential . |
| Pacifica Hotels G.K. (deal announcement) | Executive spokesperson for City Express by Marriott (Japan) | 2025 | Signaled midscale brand expansion in APAC; brand debut in Asia Pacific via Osaka conversions . |
Fixed Compensation
- Not disclosed for Shawn Hill in public filings as of this date. Marriott’s proxy coverage of NEOs for 2024 does not include Hill, and the July 14, 2025 8-K announcement does not specify individual pay terms .
Performance Compensation
- Company executive incentive design (context likely applicable to EVP roles):
- Annual Cash Incentive (NEO program, 2024): 60% weighting Adjusted EBITDA; 40% weighting growth metrics across Best Brands & Experiences, Most Loyal Members, Be in More Places, and associate leadership; payout certified at 155% of target for 2024 .
- Long-Term Incentives: mix of PSUs (3-year performance, 2026 Adjusted EBITDA with ±20% TSR modifier), RSUs and SARs (both vest 1/3 annually over 3 years) .
| Metric | Weighting | Target/Priority | Actual/Payout | Vesting |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Adjusted EBITDA (Annual Plan) | 60% | 2024 company profitability | Above target; component payout 132% contributing to 155% overall . | |
| Growth Metrics (Annual Plan) | 40% | Loyalty, guest satisfaction, room growth (signings), employer scores | Above target; component payout 190% contributing to 155% overall . | |
| PSUs (2024–2026) | — | 2026 Adjusted EBITDA; TSR modifier ±20% | Earn-out depends on 2026 results; 2022–2024 cycle paid 180% of target (max EBITDA modified by TSR) . | |
| RSUs | — | Service-based retention | 1/3 per year, over 3 years . | |
| SARs | — | Share price appreciation alignment | 1/3 per year, over 3 years; 10-year term; intrinsic-only value on exercise . |
Equity Ownership & Alignment
- Total beneficial ownership: Not disclosed for Hill (not included among current directors/NEOs in ownership table as of March 1, 2025) .
- Stock ownership guidelines: Within five years of becoming an NEO, required ownership value equals 3–6x salary grade midpoint; must retain 50% of net after-tax shares from equity awards until compliant .
- Hedging/pledging: Executives are prohibited from hedging Marriott stock and from holding shares in margin accounts or pledging as collateral (alignment safeguard) .
- Clawbacks: Company policy compliant with Rule 10D-1; broader forfeiture provisions in stock plans for misconduct; continued vesting post-retirement keeps forfeiture enforceable .
Employment Terms
| Item | Detail |
|---|---|
| Employment start date | 1997 (Marriott International) . |
| Role transitions | CDO APEC (effective Jan 1, 2022); EVP & CDO effective Jan 1, 2026 . |
| Reporting | Initially to EVP Development (Oberg), then to CEO Capuano upon transition . |
| Employment contracts | Company discloses it does not have employment contracts with NEOs; consistent governance posture . |
| Severance/Change of Control | Limited “double-trigger” benefits via Stock Plans/EDC; full vesting of unvested equity at target PSU performance if covered termination in COC window; SARs exercisable per plan; cut-back to avoid excise tax and lost deductions; no tax gross-ups . |
| Non-compete/Restrictive covenants | Award agreements include restrictive covenants, including non-competition; forfeiture for serious misconduct or covenant breach . |
| Deferred compensation | Executives may use the EDC; Company offers nonqualified deferred compensation plan (EDC) and standard benefits; no defined benefit pension/SERP . |
Track Record and Operating Performance Context
| Region/Scope | Metric | Start of Tenure | Latest |
|---|---|---|---|
| APEC (excluding China) | Open properties (count) | 465+ (when Hill began APEC leadership) | 635+ (as of Mar 31, 2025) |
| APEC (excluding China) | Pipeline properties (count) | 276 (when Hill began APEC leadership) | 383 (as of Mar 31, 2025) |
| Company 2024 Performance | Metric | Result |
|---|---|---|
| RevPAR (systemwide, constant $) | YoY change | +4.3% |
| Net Income | $ | $2.375B |
| Adjusted EBITDA | $ | $4.981B |
| Development activity | Deals signed | ~1,200 (~162k rooms) |
| Net rooms growth | % | 6.8% |
| System breadth | Properties; Rooms; Countries | >9,300; >1.7M; 144 |
Notable initiatives:
- City Express by Marriott debut in APAC via Osaka conversions, with Hill as APEC CDO spokesperson, indicating midscale expansion and franchise growth focus .
Compensation Committee and Governance Context
- Independent compensation consultant (Pearl Meyer), no conflicts, market benchmarking via revenue-based surveys and custom comparator group (e.g., BKNG, HLT, HYATT, DIS, UBER) reviewed annually .
- 2024 say‑on‑pay approval nearly 90%, no program structure changes as a result .
- Executive compensation best practices: equity-heavy mix (65–76% of total), clawbacks, no tax gross-ups, no employment contracts, no single-trigger COC benefits; prohibitions on hedging/pledging .
Risk Indicators and Red Flags
- Pledging/hedging risk: Mitigated by policy prohibitions for executive officers .
- Golden parachute tax gross‑ups: None; cut‑back provision in plans .
- Option/SAR repricing: Prohibited without shareholder approval .
- Insider selling pressure: Unknown for Hill specifically; RSU/PSU post‑retirement distribution not accelerated and retention requirements reduce immediate liquidity pressure .
- Legal/investigations: None disclosed relating to Hill in filings reviewed.
Investment Implications
- Development execution: Hill’s APEC track record suggests strong capability to drive net rooms growth and signings, supporting Marriott’s “Be in More Places” strategy and midscale expansion (e.g., City Express in Japan) .
- Alignment and retention: Robust ownership, clawback, anti‑pledging/hedging, and multi‑year vesting design align incentives with long‑term TSR; absence of employment contracts balanced by clear double‑trigger COC protections .
- Near-term visibility on pay and ownership: Individual compensation terms and beneficial ownership for Hill are not yet disclosed; until included as an NEO, analysis of sell pressure or guideline compliance is limited, warranting monitoring of future proxies and Form 4 filings .
- Organizational transition: Elevation to EVP & CDO in 2026 and reporting to CEO may centralize global development under a seasoned operator, a potential positive for pipeline conversion and brand portfolio positioning .
Sources: Marriott DEF 14A (Mar 27, 2025) ; Marriott Form 8‑K (Jul 14, 2025) ; Marriott press releases (Jul 14, 2025; Nov 10, 2025) ; Marriott 8‑K exhibit (PDF) ; PR News Asia (Nov 5, 2021) ; Hospitality Net (Nov 15, 2021; Jul 15, 2025) ; HOPE 2025 profile ; TravelPulse and PaxNews coverage .