Starwood Hotels & Resorts Worldwide is on the lookout for a new CEO after announcing the impending departure of Frits van Paasschen.
Starwood said van Paasschen has resigned by mutual agreement and director Adam Aron will become interim chief executive.
A global search for a successor will begin that will include both internal and external candidates and van Paasschen will stay with Starwood as a consultant to oversee the transition.
"I’m proud of Starwood’s accomplishments and the growth we’ve seen around the world and across all nine of our brands. We have challenged ourselves to deliver on bold plans while continuously finding new ways to provide better experiences for our guests, and it’s clear from our progress that Starwood is now in a strong position for the future," van Paasschen said.
"Creating this powerful global platform would not have been possible without the talented team of associates I have been honored to work with, and I am confident that Starwood will enjoy continued success for many years to come."
Aron has been a Starwood board member since 2006 and has served as CEO of Vail Resorts and senior vice president of marketing for United Airlines.
He is also a director of Norwegian Cruise Line Holdings.
