Walia joined Marriott International in 2005 and assumed his current role in 2021. With over 26 years of international experience in the hotel industry, Walia leads a team of 45,000 people and manages 230 operational properties and more than 100 properties in the pipeline. Marriott International opened nearly 30 properties across the Middle East in 2022 and the first half of 2023, including its 50th hotel in Dubai.