SANTA CLARITA, Calif.,
April 13, 2015 /PRNewswire/
-- Princess Cruises has appointed Brian O'Connor to the role of vice president,
public relations, effective June 1. He succeeds Julie Benson who will retire May 29, after 32 years of service. In this
role, O'Connor will lead the team accountable for media relations,
publicity, social media, community relations, ship introductions
and special events. He will drive messaging for product and program
launches and be responsible for issues management and crisis
communications. He will also oversee the collaboration among the
international public relations teams in the United Kingdom, Australia and throughout Asia.
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"Brian brings more than 15 years of experience in strategic
planning and creative campaign development to this integral role
for Princess Cruises," said Gordon
Ho, senior vice president of global marketing and
North America sales. "Princess
will benefit from his leadership and his track record of developing
and executing high-profile initiatives that will shape the
narrative of our global brand and increase awareness among key
audiences including media, retailers, consumers and employees,"
added Ho.
O'Connor joined the company in 2006 as director, public
relations for Cunard Line elevating awareness for the brand in
North America through such
high-profile initiatives as Queen Mary 2 appearing in the premier
episode of the hit series Mighty Ships created by Discovery
Channel, the Britannia Ball gala fundraiser for the New York City Opera and the first performances
by James Taylor and his band on a
transatlantic crossing. He's supported the launch of
Queen Victoria with press events by
partnering with NYC & Company and staging the first three
Queens Cunard Royal Rendezvous in New York in 2008. He was promoted to director,
marketing and public relations in 2009 and supported the launch of
Queen Elizabeth in 2010.
In 2012, O'Connor was appointed vice president, North America sales, responsible for leading
the field sales team representing both Princess and Cunard.
He is credited with strengthening trade relations and growing
distribution with North America
retail partners. As he transitions from sales he will complete his
service as chairman of the CLIA Trade Relations Committee.
Interviews to identify his successor are underway.
Prior to joining Cunard, O'Connor served as director of public
relations at The Beverly Hilton in Beverly Hills, where he was accountable for
publicity and media relations for more than 125 events annually
ranging from red carpet charity galas and political fundraisers to
numerous award shows including The Golden Globe®
Awards.
In addition to positions held at Princess and Cunard, O'Connor
is a past president and five term board member of the Public
Relations Society of America – Los Angeles Chapter (PRSA-LA). He is
also a graduate of the Protocol School of Washington's protocol officer training and
certification and is a member of Protocol Diplomacy International –
Protocol Officers Association (PDI-POA).
O'Connor is a graduate of Michigan State
University's School of Communication Arts &
Sciences.
Additional information about Princess Cruises is available
through a professional travel consultant, by calling 1-800-PRINCESS
(1-800-774-6237), or by visiting the company's website
at princess.com.
About Princess Cruises:
One of the best-known names in
cruising, Princess Cruises is a global cruise and tour company
operating a fleet of 18 modern ships renowned for their innovative
design and wide array of choices in dining, entertainment and
amenities, all provided in an environment of exceptional customer
service. A recognized leader in worldwide cruising, Princess
carries 1.7 million guests each year to destinations around the
globe ranging in length from three to 114 days. The company is part
of Carnival Corporation & plc (NYSE/LSE:CCL; NYSE: CUK).
Newsroom:
Additional media information is available at princess.com/news.
For further information contact:
Karen Candy, kcandy@princesscruises.com,
661-753-1540
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SOURCE Princess Cruises