Starwood Hotels & Resorts Names Phil McAveety Chief Brand Officer

By: Starwood Hotels & Resorts | 3 Shares 189 Reads

Ex-Nike Executive to Lead Brands and Marketing Worldwide

WHITE PLAINS, N.Y.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--May 6, 2008--Starwood Hotels & Resorts Worldwide, Inc. (NYSE: HOT) announced today the appointment of Phil McAveety as Chief Brand Officer for the global hotel giant. In his new role, McAveety, 41, will serve as a member of Starwood's Senior Leadership Team and will report to Frits van Paasschen, Starwood's President and Chief Executive Officer. McAveety will be responsible for all aspects of marketing and brand performance worldwide for Starwood and its nine renowned brands including Le Meridien, Westin, Sheraton, W, St. Regis, The Luxury Collection, Four Points by Sheraton, Aloft and Element. He will also oversee the company's loyalty program, Starwood Preferred Guest; Public Relations; Market Research; Creative Services; Interactive Marketing and Partnership Marketing.

McAveety brings to Starwood more than 20 years of experience in brand development, brand communications, marketing and advertising from a number of international brand-led companies and most recently served as Global Brand Director for Camper International in Mallorca, Spain where he developed the company's overall strategic business and brand growth plan. Prior to joining Camper International, McAveety spent nine years with Nike Inc. in several positions, including Vice President of Marketing for Nike Europe, Middle East and Asia (EMEA) where he managed all marketing functions leading a team of more than 400.

Before joining Nike in 1997, McAveety spent eight years with Leo Burnett International in a variety of roles, providing integrated communications services for numerous world-renowned brands, including Procter and Gamble, Coca-Cola, BMW, Four Seasons International Hotels and United Airlines. McAveety has lived and worked in the UK; Hong Kong; Portland, Oregon; Portugal; The Netherlands and Spain.

"I've had the great pleasure to work with Phil in the past and I believe his brand expertise and broad international experience will be invaluable to Starwood as we continue to distinguish ourselves as a leading, global hospitality company with distinctive and compelling brands," said van Paasschen.

McAveety earned an AMP from Harvard Business School and a BA in Economic History from Exeter University. He will be based in Starwood's company headquarters in White Plains, NY.

About Starwood Hotels & Resorts Worldwide, Inc.(R)

Starwood Hotels & Resorts Worldwide, Inc. is one of the leading hotel and leisure companies in the world with approximately 900 properties in more than 100 countries and 155,000 employees at its owned and managed properties. Starwood Hotels is a fully integrated owner, operator and franchisor of hotels and resorts with the following internationally renowned brands: St. Regis(R), The Luxury Collection(R), W(R), Westin(R), Le Meridien(R), Sheraton(R), Four Points(R) by Sheraton, Aloft(SM) and Element(SM). Starwood Hotels also owns Starwood Vacation Ownership, Inc., one of the premier developers and operators of high quality vacation interval ownership resorts. For more information, please visit www.starwoodhotels.com.

Note: This press release contains forward-looking statements within the meaning of federal securities regulations. Forward-looking statements are not guarantees of future performance and involve risks and uncertainties and other factors that may cause actual results to differ materially from those anticipated at the time the forward-looking statements are made. Further results, performance and achievements may be affected by general economic conditions including the impact of war and terrorist activity, business and financing conditions, foreign exchange fluctuations, cyclicality of the real estate (including residential) and the hotel and vacation ownership businesses, operating risks associated with the hotel, vacation ownership and residential businesses, relationships with associates and labor unions, customers and property owners, the impact of the internet reservation channels, our reliance on technology, domestic and international political and geopolitical conditions, competition, governmental and regulatory actions (including the impact of changes in U.S. and foreign tax laws and their interpretation), travelers' fears of exposure to contagious diseases, risk associated with the level of our indebtedness, risk associated with potential acquisitions and dispositions, and the introduction of new brand concepts and other risks and uncertainties. These risks and uncertainties are presented in detail in our filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission. Although we believe the expectations reflected in such forward-looking statements are based upon reasonable assumptions, we can give no assurance that our expectations will be attained or that results will not materially differ. We undertake no obligation to publicly update or revise any forward-looking statement, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise.

SOURCE: Starwood Hotels & Resorts Worldwide, Inc.

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