Small business takeaway:
- Drew Pinto’s leadership as Marriott’s Chief Revenue and Technology Officer serves up actionable business strategies: Integrate technology to streamline operations and enhance both employee and customer experiences; prioritize building trust through candid, agenda-free conversations with stakeholders; embrace fresh perspectives and calculated risks during times of change; and let passion and adaptability guide your career, staying open to unexpected opportunities that align with your strengths.
Drew Pinto once imagined a future in politics, not hospitality. But 22 years after joining Marriott International, the Connecticut native now sits at the center of the world’s largest hotel company, overseeing $100 billion in revenue across 9,500 properties in 141 countries.
As Executive Vice President and Chief Revenue and Technology Officer, Pinto leads digital and commercial strategies that generate $42 billion annually through Marriott’s direct channels and support growth across its global portfolio.
That leadership dovetails with the rise of artificial intelligence-powered personalization, which is moving hotels from delivering reactive service to predictive, contextualized guest journeys, according to Skift research.
Drawing on more than two decades of experience, Pinto, in his own words, shares four leadership lessons — and the returns behind them — that have shaped his career and driven performance at scale, from aligning technology with business results to building trusted partnerships to embracing change.
Lesson No. 1: Connect everything you do to driving business results
The lesson in action: In my current role, I’m taking all of the great work my technology team is doing and I’m figuring out how to apply it to meet the objectives of the business. Any technology that we build, we consider the customer experience, and that includes our associates. We’re not launching anything that our associates don’t love.
The ROI: [Taking this approach] is helping to reduce manual tasks at Marriott so that associates can spend more time providing great customer service to guests. [For example], what we’re launching now is hotel check-in with a couple of clicks on an associate’s iPad. We think this will raise satisfaction scores.
Lesson No. 2: Build a trusted network of advocates and establish trust through open conversations with your co-workers and customers
The lesson in action: I spend time with customers with no agenda. I call them up and say, ‘Let’s meet, let’s have lunch.’ Then I ask them, ‘How’s business going? What’s on your mind? What are your priorities? What’s keeping you up at night?’ Defend that time and invest in it. You’ll regret it if you don’t. With colleagues, it’s important to show you’re collaborative, considerate, and able to work as part of a team — be someone people want to take a chance on. Don’t go back into your bunkers or withhold information. Be candid when your lines are firm but also transparent about where you’re open to problem-solve.
The ROI: Being intentional about building a trusted network opened up opportunities for people to take chances on me. I was put in positions I maybe wasn’t 100% qualified for on paper, but my bosses and mentors believed in me, and that allowed me to grow. Cultivating these relationships makes for better business.
I spend time with customers with no agenda. Then I ask them, ‘How’s business going? What’s on your mind? What are your priorities? What’s keeping you up at night?’ Defend that time and invest in it. You’ll regret it if you don’t.
Lesson No. 3: During times of change, be willing to take risks, try something new, and don’t be afraid of being an outsider
The lesson in action: I stepped into my current role overseeing revenue and technology after making a leap from Marriott’s customer engagement centers, and I needed to provide strategy right away. This was at a time when online travel agents were just starting. The public narrative pitted hotel companies against online travel agents (OTAs) and there was a race to win share of wallet when it came to customer bookings. Instead of running from the challenge, I was able to come in as an outsider with a fresh set of eyes and help lead the company through a challenging time.
The ROI: Marriott’s relationships with online travel agents became stronger because of the strategies my team and I were able to build. By maintaining open dialogue and talking through strategic growth opportunities that benefit Marriott, the OTAs, and, most importantly, our guests, we’ve been able to build a level of trust in the collaboration and strengthen our relationships with these business partners. In fact, our relationships with the OTAs are now the strongest they’ve ever been.
Lesson No. 4: When you’re starting out, don’t worry about what your career is going to be. Find something that motivates you to go to work every day
The lesson in action: After college, I went to work at the U.S. Department of Justice. Then I was going to go to law school. But I discovered along the way that I enjoyed the management side of the work the most. In your career, you can’t be so wedded to a certain plan. You have to be open-minded, but always with the principle in mind that you should follow what you’re passionate about and be honest about what motivates you and gives you energy. You have to be open to listening to the signals and to pursuing those passions aggressively.
The ROI: I ended up in a place I didn’t imagine I’d be in, and I’m so happy with my career. I found my place and my purpose, what I was built to do, what I love to do.
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