DAMIEN O’CONNOR

Full Service Regional Director Of Operations

With more than 30 years of hotel industry experience, Damien O’Connor looks forward to pairing his passion for hospitality with his past successes to achieve excellence with Esperanto Developments. Originally from Tralee, Ireland, O’Connor grew up with his parents working in the hospitality business and naturally gravitated towards a career in hotels. He graduated from the Dublin Institute of Technology and Trinity University with a degree in Business Studies & Hospitality Management. After several years in the European hotel industry, O’Connor was recruited to the U.S. to work for The Flatley Company. He has worked for over 21 years with Starwood Hotels and Resorts in various leadership positions with Sheraton, Westin and W Hotels, highlights include serving as Director of Operations at W Scottsdale, Hotel Manager at W South Beach, and Director of Operations at W Dallas. During his tenure at W South Beach, the hotel was awarded with an array of distinguished awards including the Travel + Leisure 500 World’s Best Hotels, Travel + Leisure Design Awards, as well as Condé Nast Traveler Best Resorts in the World. O’Connor was most recently served as Director of Operations at the Joule hotel in Dallas and General Manager of the Madison Hotel in Memphis. He has extensive experience in the opening and renovation of properties both branded and independent.