Marriott International's general counsel Ed Ryan is to retire from the position after 11 years. He will continue as general counsel through early December and then transition to an advisory role to company president and CEO, Arne Sorenson, through 2018. 'Ed has been a trusted advisor from the moment we met both joining the company in 1996 – but particularly since I took on the CEO role,' said Mr Sorenson. 'Ed uniquely defined the GC role to fit both the complexity of our business and the company's rapidly growing profile as an industry leader and a global company. Among his many accomplishments, one of the best is the development of his team – an exemplary in-house legal department staffed not just with talented professionals around the world, but with people who care deeply about advancing Marriott's business goals, minimising our legal risk, and leading the way on ethics.'

Legal department expansion

During his tenure, Marriott was recognised by the Ethisphere Institute on its "World's Most Ethical Company" list for ten years. He also developed a legal department across 15 offices around the world to support the company's global footprint. Most recently, he was responsible for guiding Marriott International's merger with Starwood across the finish line. According to Mr Sorenson, 'Ed believes that the end of a successful business negotiation is making sure the person on the other side of the table feels good about the outcome. That's not just smart business, it's emblematic of the company's culture, and throughout the hotel industry Ed is known for his ability to get to a result where both sides can walk away knowing they were respected.'

Private practice

Prior to being appointed general counsel, he held several positions in the Marriott law department, including in development, asset management, operations, franchising, and corporate transactions. He joined Marriott after 18 years in private practice in Washington DC, first with the firm of Crowell & Moring (1978-1984), and then with Hogan & Hartson (now Hogan Lovells) (1984-1996), where he was made partner in 1989.