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12/17/24 | 18 min

Scaling Data-Driven Solutions in Global Hospitality with Marriott International

Episode Overview

In this episode, Whitnee Hawthorne, Global Head of Travel and Hospitality at Snowflake, sits down with Julia Morrison, VP of Data & Privacy Engineering at Marriott International and Daniel MacDonald, VP of Data Platform Engineering at Marriott International where they talk about how Marriott harnesses the power of data and AI to elevate guest experiences across their global portfolio. They also discuss how Marriott is implementing industry-leading data analytics strategies to innovative AI-driven concierge services and ways their data platform is shaping the future of travel and hospitality.

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GUESTS

Julia Morrison profile picture
Julia MorrisonVP, Data and Privacy Engineering at Marriott International

Julia Morrison is currently leading Data & Privacy Engineering in Global Technology at Marriott International on the CTO’s team. Julia has been with Marriott for over 19 years in progressively expanding roles in Data Engineering, Product Management, Privacy, Analytics, Data Science, and Revenue Management. Prior to joining Marriott, Julia was a consultant with McKinsey & Company, specializing in Pricing, Analytics, Retail, and Consumer Packaged Goods. Julia holds a PhD in Operations & Financial Engineering from Princeton University, and a BS in Applied Physics & Mathematics from the Moscow Institute of Technology.

Dan MacDonald profile picture
Dan MacDonaldVP, Data Platform Engineering at Marriott International

Dan MacDonald is Vice President Data Platform Engineering at Marriott International. He is a seasoned technology executive with a proven track record in driving innovation and delivering business value through data and analytics. He is currently leading the Data Platform Engineering practice for Marriott International. Dan has 20+ years leading data teams at Trusted Media Group (aka Readers Digest), Starwood Hotels and currently Marriott International. Dan has led major data initiatives including the integration of Starwood Hotel and Marriott International data platforms, implementation of Marriott's Modern Data Technology platform and reimagination of Marriott Business Intelligence capabilities. By leveraging cutting-edge technologies and innovative strategies, he continues driving significant business growth and operational efficiency. Dan is a strategic thinker with a strong technical foundation and a passion for building high-performing teams and fostering a data-driven culture.

Whitnee Hawthorne profile picture
Whitnee HawthorneGlobal Head of Travel and Hospitality at Snowflake

Whitnee Hawthorne serves as Snowflake’s Global Head of Travel and Hospitality where she translates how data and technology ignite innovation and deliver business value. She leverages her deep industry expertise to help clients harness the power of the AI Data Cloud to transform their operations and deliver exceptional customer experiences. Throughout her career, Whitnee has led large, global teams at travel, expense and technology companies. At Navan, she served as the Chief Customer Officer and oversaw program management, learning and development, quality and customer service teams. At JetBlue, she served as Vice President of Customer Support, optimizing cost efficiency and leading a global 24/7 customer service organization.

SPONSORED BY SNOWFLAKE

Snowflake makes enterprise AI easy, efficient and trusted. More than 10,000 companies around the globe, including hundreds of the world’s largest, use Snowflake’s AI Data Cloud to share data, build applications, and power their business with AI. The era of enterprise AI is here. Learn more at snowflake.com (NYSE: SNOW).