Peter O'Connor

Peter O'Connor is Academic Director and Professor of Information Systems at Institute de Management Hotelier International (IMHI), an MBA program specialising in international hospitality management administered by ESSEC Business School, France.

Peter's primary research, teaching and consulting interests focus on the use of technology in the hospitality and tourism sectors. He has developed expertise on the use of electronic channels of distribution in tourism, and on how information technology can be used to enhance both the management and operational effectiveness of hospitality organisations. Based on his work, he has authored several leading textbooks on technology in the hospitality business as well as numerous articles in both the trade and academic press. He was awarded the prestigious Best Research Paper award at the 2002 ENTER Technology in Tourism conference by the International Federation for Information Technology in Tourism.

He serves on the editorial board of the International Journal of Hospitality Management, Information Technology & Tourism, the International Journal of Hospitality and Tourism Technology and The Cornell Hotel Administration Quarterly, and is an active member of organisations such as HITA (Hospitality Information Technology Association), HFTP (Hospitality Finance & Technology Professionals) and IFITT (the International Federation of Information Technology in Tourism).

Mr. O'Connor has taught professional seminars on distriution and technology management for a variety of leading international hospitality companies, including Group Accor, Intercontinental Hotels & Resorts, Kempinski Hotels & Resorts, the British Tourist Board, the International Hotel & Restaurant Association, the European Commission and the World Tourism Organisation Business Council. He is also a regular speaker at academic and industry conferences on technology-related issues and trends.

Prior to joining IMHI, Mr. O'Connor was a lecturer in hospitality computer applications at the Dublin Institute of Technology and an associate lecturer at the Michael Smurfit Graduate School of Business, University College Dublin. He has held a visiting position at the Cornell School of Hotel Administration and worked in a wide variety of positions in the international hospitality industry in sectors ranging from luxury hotels to contract food services.