Desmond O Connor

I believe with the correct people leadership and development a team can guarantee all its primary goals are achieved. These would include ultimate guest experiences and satisfaction as well as financial success. I believe I am such a leader.

I commenced my career in the Hospitality Industry in 1990 at the Sandton Sun Hotel as a banqueting waitron and later head barman. I then joined the Karos Hotel Group as Assistant Restaurant Manager at the Karos Wilderness Hotel and proceeded to apply for the Hotel Management Internship program within the group.

I served my three-year management apprenticeship with the Karos Hotel Group, during which time I worked at most of the properties within the portfolio, ranging from city Hotels to Resorts and Game Lodges. This was followed by my first management appointment at the Karos Indaba Hotel, Johannesburg as Banqueting Manager, at the age of 24. This was followed by the Theatre on the Track conference centre in Johannesburg, as banqueting manager, after which I took on the demanding role of banqueting manager at Spier Conference Centre for two years.

I changed my filed of expertise and studied with an IT College for my MCSE diploma, Microsoft Certified Systems Engineer. After completing this course, I joined an IT Company and became a fully fledge AccPac, the accounting package, consultant. 

I decided to return to the Hospitality Industry and took up my next position as Executive Assistant Manager at Hôtel Le Vendôme, Sea Point, for two years. This was followed by a move to the Table Bay Hotel, in the highly exclusive V & A Waterfront, where I first held the position of F & B manager and then Executive Assistant Manager. I was support to the General Manager in all the daily, monthly and yearly functions of the hotel operations, administration and finances. My fist GM position was as the opening GM at the Cape Royal Luxury Hotel and Residence, affluent suburb of Green Point. A multi-use development consisting of Hotel Rooms, Private Residences, various F&B Outlets, Meeting spaces and a Spa.  After successfully opening this luxury 5 Star Hotel and Residence and also achieving not only excellent results both financially and in terms of service accolades, I looked at greater challenges with the Three Cities Group.

My first appointment with the Three Cities Hotel Group was GM of Shelley Point Hotel, Country Club and Spa on the Cape West Coast, an exclusive gated community housing luxury villas for both local and international owners. This prime Golf Resort on the West Coast of South Africa boasted not only 80 suites, but also a 9 hole links golf course which backed onto the ocean, various other sporting facilities and a host of eateries.  

In March of 2011 Three Cities Hotels seconded me to the well-known and very successful Mandela Rhodes Place Hotel & Spa. During my tenure here I ensured that the property performed at optimum level and achieved exceptional financial and operational results. During this time the Hotel was voted as the best Family Hotel in Cape Town and 5th best in Africa by the reviewers on TripAdvisor. The Hotel was also awarded the accolade as the 4th most popular Hotel in South Africa on the Tousrism.Net website. 

After completing a tenure of 4 years with the Three Cities Group and as GM of Mandela Rhodes Place I joined the Radisson Hotel Group on the 1st of January 2014, as the GM of the prestigious Radisson Blu Hotel in Port Elizabeth. In my short time with the Radisson Hotel Group, I was elected to head up the Commercial Focus Group for the Region South Africa. During my very challenging term here the Hotel was operating under liquidation and my team and I improved revenues substantially.  The turnaround of this project was so successful that in December 2015, the property was officially taken out of liquidation and returned to profitability. 

In 2016 I was approached by the Vice President for Radisson Hotels, Africa and Indian Ocean Islands and offered the opportunity to be the opening GM for the newly built Radisson Blu Hotel & Residence in Cape Town. It comprises 214 Hotel bedrooms, 158 Apartments and various Food & Beverage outlets including several meeting spaces. This mixed-use development is the first of its kind within the Radisson Blu fold in South Africa and is opened its doors in early 2017. 

I was successful managing this property and ensuring that all KPI’s are achieves in a market that has been incredibly challenging, especially during the severe drought in 2018, which negatively influenced so many of my competitors. 

I was approached for the position of GM at the Oyster Box Hotel and spent the first 5 months of 2020 here.  During my time here the COVID-19 pandemic broke out and I had to facilitate putting the Hotel into lockdown status. I was responsible for direct hands-on overseeing of the Hotel maintenance and housekeeping and to ensure that the property was always kept in a 100% operational condition. My team and I prepared the post lock down manuals to accommodate new legislation and to do training with the team to ensure that when the Hotel reopens, they are all prepared and ready to operate under these new regulations. I sadly left the Oyster Box in the middle of the pandemic because of this outbreak and for other personal reason to return home, being Cape Town.  

I am currently the general manager at the President Hotel, Bantry Bay Cape Town. It is a 349 Bedroom hotel that consist standard rooms and 1 or 2 bedroom apartments. There are various F&B outlets and large capacity meeting and banqueting spaces. It is an iconic property in Cape Town steeped rich in history and the largest privately owned hotel in South Africa. With the assistance of a great team we have managed to survive the aftermaths of the COVID pandemic and steered the Hotel to great financial and quality results. 

I love the hospitality industry for the fact that it gives me joy to see the creation of memorable experiences for people, both guests and team members alike. I have been privileged to be exposed to various cultures and religions in the various weddings, banquets and events I have managed and hosted. In my career I have also had to honour to host many a head of state, royalty from various countries and celebrities alike. 

I have a National South African Diploma in Hotel Management