Former Starwood Exec Comments on the Acquisition

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Marriott+StarwoodFormer head of global development at Starwood Hotels & Resorts Worldwide Simon Turner talks openly at The Americas Lodging Investment Summit (ALIS) conference. In an interview, Turner acknowledges that in any acquisition, like the Marriott's purchase of Starwood, not everyone is going to still have a job.

Turner discusses the uncertainly, particularly with the last-minute bid from Anband Insurance, and the value of overcommunicating to avoid confusion.

Turner also describes the process and his feelings of attachment towards the people in his organization, which helped him avoid feeling "woe is me." He also had perspective considering some people spent their entire career at Starwood compared to his nine years.

In talking about the hotel business, Turner says, although executives compete with each other, there is a sense of camaraderie and respect, which Turner calls "one of the great things about our business."

Discussion:

  • What does Turner mean at the beginning when he jokes, "I'm a cost synergy"?
  • What lessons can we learn from Turner's views on communication?
  • What's your view of Turner's perspective on the hotel business? Do you think this is true of some industries more than others? Why or why not?