Over 90% of Marriott’s hotels in the Middle East have received a sustainability certification. Marriott’s Red Sea Hotels are fully powered by solar energy, and they source food locally. Riyadh Marriott Hotel’s solar panel project reduces its CO₂ emissions annually by 99%. In 2024, JW Marriott Marquis Hotel Dubai projected annual energy savings of 823,732 kilowatt-hours from new efficiency measures, alongside a 4.8 million-kilogram CO₂e reduction. Walia has been with Marriott International since 2005, became COO for the Middle East in 2021, and expanded his role to Luxury for EMEA in 2024.