Chatham Lodging Trust Adds Liam Brown to Board
Former Marriott executive Liam Brown joins Chatham Lodging Trust as an independent trustee following his retirement.
The short answer
Chatham Lodging Trust has appointed retired Marriott executive Liam Brown as an independent trustee. Brown brings more than 35 years of lodging operations and franchise experience overseeing thousands of hotels.
“We have worked with Liam over the past 30 years and are excited to bring his extensive lodging expertise to our board. His resume speaks for itself, and his addition to the board brings substantial insights from both an operations and franchisor/franchisee relationship perspective that will be very helpful as we enhance shareholder value through continued focus on maximizing operating results and critical analysis of capital allocation decisions.”
The short version
- Chatham Lodging Trust named retired Marriott executive Liam Brown as an independent trustee.
- Liam Brown oversaw 6,000 hotels and 160,000 associates as Marriott's group president for the U.S. and Canada before retiring in June 2026.
- EPR Properties also counts Brown as a trustee and chair of its Compensation & Human Capital Committee.
Chatham Lodging Trust appointed retired Marriott International executive Liam Brown to its board of trustees as an independent director, effective immediately, the company announced from West Palm Beach, Florida [1]. Brown brings decades of executive leadership spanning more than 6,000 properties, franchise relations, and select-service lodging operations directly into Chatham's boardroom [1].
What role will Liam Brown hold at Chatham Lodging Trust?
Brown serves as an independent director on the board of trustees of Chatham Lodging Trust, effective immediately upon appointment [1]. According to Lodging Magazine, the real estate investment trust made the announcement out of West Palm Beach, Florida [1]. Chatham focuses on upscale extended-stay hotels and select-service properties, aligning with Brown's operational background [1].
Hotel Business noted that the appointment strengthens independent governance across the trust's operating and investment strategies [2]. In his independent seat, Brown will contribute directly to oversight on operating execution and future portfolio capital outlays [1].
What operational background does Liam Brown bring from Marriott?
Brown spent more than 35 years at Marriott International after joining the hospitality company in 1989 [1]. Most recently, he served as group president, United States and Canada, from January 2021 until his retirement in June 2026 [1]. In that post, he oversaw financial management and operational leadership across North and South America, covering more than 6,000 hotels and roughly 160,000 associates [1].
Before his final group president role, Brown led international divisions [1]. As Hotel Business reported, he worked as president and managing director of Europe from 2018 to 2019, before serving as group president of Europe, Middle East & Africa (EMEA) in 2020 [2].
Brown also spent years running Marriott's select-service and franchising divisions [1]. Between 2012 and 2018, he worked as president for franchising, owner services, and managed by Marriott select brands in North America [1]. His earlier career at Marriott included roles as chief operations officer for the Americas for select-service and extended-stay lodging and owner and franchise services, alongside tenures as senior vice president and executive vice president of development for select-service and extended-stay lodging products [1].
| Time Period | Role at Marriott International | Regional Scope / Portfolio |
|---|---|---|
| 1989 | Joined Marriott | Corporate & operations [1] |
| Prior to 2012 | COO, Americas; SVP & EVP Development | Select-service, extended-stay, owner & franchise services [[1], [2]] |
| 2012–2018 | President, Franchising, Owner Services & Managed Select Brands | North America [[1], [2]] |
| 2018–2019 | President and Managing Director | Europe [[1], [2]] |
| 2020 | Group President | Europe, Middle East & Africa (EMEA) [[1], [2]] |
| Jan 2021–Jun 2026 | Group President, U.S. and Canada | North & South America (6,000+ hotels, ~160,000 associates) [[1], [2]] |
Why did Chatham Lodging Trust choose Brown for its board?
Chatham Lodging Trust leadership highlighted Brown's combined background in operations and brand franchise relations, honed through a three-decade professional relationship [1]. Jeffrey H. Fisher, Chatham's chairman of the board and chief executive officer, emphasized that the two leaders have collaborated for 30 years [1].
Fisher noted that Brown's industry experience will directly guide operational performance and asset capital planning [1]. Specifically, Chatham's board expects his familiarity with franchisor and franchisee dynamics to inform capital allocation decisions across the portfolio [1].
What other board and governance positions does Brown hold?
Brown maintains corporate governance and industry advocacy duties beyond Chatham Lodging Trust [1]. Both Lodging Magazine and Hotel Business reported that he sits on the board of trustees of EPR Properties, an experiential net lease real estate investment trust [[1], [2]]. At EPR Properties, Brown serves as chair of the Compensation & Human Capital Committee and sits as a member of the Nominating/Company Governance Committee [1].
In addition to his public company board seat at EPR Properties, Brown sits on the Executive Committee of the American Hotel and Lodging Association (AHLA) [1]. His simultaneous committee responsibilities bring outside governance exposure across commercial real estate, compensation management, and hotel industry policy [[1], [2]].
Reported by
This article was written from the following reporting. Follow the links for the original coverage.
- [1]Chatham Appoints Former Marriott Chief Liam Brown to Board— Lodging Magazine
- [2]Chatham Lodging Names Liam Brown to Board— Hotel Business
Frequently asked
+Who is Liam Brown?
Liam Brown is a retired hospitality executive who worked at Marriott International from 1989 until June 2026. He most recently served as group president for the United States and Canada, overseeing lodging operations across North and South America comprising more than 6,000 hotels.
+What position is Liam Brown taking at Chatham Lodging Trust?
Brown joins Chatham Lodging Trust as an independent director on the company's board of trustees, effective immediately upon the announcement.
+What operational roles did Brown hold at Marriott?
Brown held multiple leadership roles at Marriott, including COO for select-service and extended-stay lodging, president of franchising and owner services in North America, president of Europe, and group president of Europe, Middle East & Africa.
+What other board seats does Liam Brown hold?
Brown serves on the board of EPR Properties, where he chairs the Compensation & Human Capital Committee and serves on the Nominating/Company Governance Committee. He is also on the American Hotel and Lodging Association Executive Committee.
+What reason did Chatham's leadership give for appointing Brown?
Chatham chairman and CEO Jeffrey H. Fisher cited a 30-year working relationship with Brown, pointing to his insights in hotel operations, franchisor-franchisee relationships, and analysis of capital allocation decisions.
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