Dalata appoints new COO
Due to a change in personal circumstances, Conal O Neill has decided not to take on the role of chief operating officer (COO) on 1 January 2022.
The Dalata Hotel Group has announced the appointment of Des McCann as COO, effective 1 January 2022. In his new role, he will work closely with Stephen McNally until he retires from his executive role on 28 February 2022.
Additionally, Cathríona Hallahan will join the group’s Audit and Risk committee and the ESG committee, while Gervaise Slowey will join the Remuneration committee and the ESG committee.
Slowey will also take over as non-executive director with responsibility for workforce engagement.
Dalata said that due to a change in personal circumstances, Conal O Neill has decided not to take up the role of COO officer on 1 January 2022, as previously announced. Instead, he will continue in his current position as group general manager.
Meanwhile, McCann joined Dalata in 2011 and he has extensive senior hotel operations experience, previously being general manager of The Clyde Court Hotel, The Ballsbridge Hotel and Clayton Hotel Dublin Airport.
He was appointed group general manager of Clayton Hotels in Ireland in November 2018, and he is the current chairman of the Failte Ireland Steering Committee on Sustainability and Innovation, and a member of the National Council of the Irish Hotels Federation.
Dermot Crowley, Dalata Hotel Group CEO, said: “I am delighted to have someone of the calibre of Des to step into the COO role.
“Des has been instrumental in growing the reputation of Clayton Hotels on the island of Ireland over the last three years and has skilfully led the Clayton team through very challenging times since the start of the Pandemic in early 2020. I look forward to continuing to work alongside both Des and Conal in the years ahead.”
John Hennessy, group chair, said: “I am delighted to announce these changes to our board committees. Our newly appointed non-executive directors will bring a wealth of knowledge and experience to the roles they will take up on 1 January 2022, and I am looking forward to working with them in the years ahead.
“I am also looking forward to the contribution Shane Casserly will make as a member of the ESG committee. Shane will bring to this committee significant knowledge of ESG matters and a keen interest in embedding sustainability in the business.”
