John Northen is the Area Vice President for South East Asia, responsible for the operational standards and excellence of Marriott International’s 30 hotels in his territory. John joined Marriott in 1986 as a Director of Food & Beverage for Renaissance Hotels in London followed by assignments in Turkey, Aruba and Grenada. His first posting as a General Manager was in 1993 at the Courtyard by Marriott Royal Leamington Spa in England. Three years later, he was named Director of Operations of the Marriott Forest of Arden Hotel & Country Club in England. He transferred as General Manager to the Hurghada Marriott Beach Resort in Egypt in 1998 and, two years later, moved to the Jordan Valley Marriott Resort & Spa, also as General Manager. In 2002, his responsibilities were expanded to be the General Manager & Country General Manager for the Marriott Hotels in Jordan at Amman, Petra and the Jordan Valley. John moved to China in 2004 as General Manager of the JW Marriott Hotel Shanghai and the Marriott Executive Apartments. He was named to his most recent assignment in 2006.

John began his hospitality industry career in 1981 as a management trainee with Sun International in South Africa. A British national, John earned his Bachelor of Arts degree from Manchester Metropolitan University in 1980. He is a member of the Global Hoteliers Club.