David O’Connor is President of Franchise Management, Theatrical Brand Marketing, and Global Partnerships at Universal Pictures. O’Connor holds a unique hybrid role at the Studio serving theatrical, brand development and the broader NBCUniversal ecosystem. He leads a team of franchise, marketing and brand experts that work across all IP including kids & family content, media, research, digital, brand development, licensing, digital gaming and strategic alliances. Through his leadership, innovative and quality products for Universal’s portfolio of franchises drive presence and market share at retail.
O’Connor’s career at Universal spans over 25 years, during which he has played a key role in turning Universal properties into some of the world’s most beloved brands, including Despicable Me, Jurassic World, Trolls, Fast and Furious, The Secret Life of Pets, and Pitch Perfect, among others. O’Connor’s work on the Despicable Me and Jurrasic franchises in particular have set records for the studio. With Minions becoming the highest grossing animated franchise worldwide with over $3.7B at the global box office, O’Connor also guided strategies that led to over $6B in retail sales and oversaw the launch of five theme park attractions around the world, including an all-new fully immersive land that launched in Beijing and the new VelociCoaster at Universal’s Island of Adventures in Orlando. The ride was subsequently awarded Best Roller Coaster and Best New Attraction by Theme Park Insider and features a 155-foot-tall drop. In 2021, O’Connor’s work with Jurassic World continues to underscore the film’s cultural significance, ranking it among the top 5 live action entertainment brands, with the Jurassic World inflatable T. Rex costume becoming the #1 Halloween costume in America and the Jurassic World Evolution video game selling over 4 million copies to date. The game’s sequel, Jurassic World Evolution 2, has sold nearly 1 million units since its release in November.
O’Connor is also responsible for leading and developing Universal’s Symphony program on behalf of Universal Filmed Entertainment Group and its IP. Symphony is a project marketing initiative that leverages various divisions across the Comcast and NBCUniversal ecosystem to promote a single project. The program is a part of O’Connor’s overarching franchise strategy which places franchise management at the center of the studio – a first for any content company. He also oversees NBCUniversal’s Talent Council, a division dedicated to prioritizing and expanding opportunities within the organization’s ecosystem to drive enterprise value. The Council facilitates and encourages cross-company opportunities for content creators and expands creative footprints at NBCUniversal through new business opportunities, activations, brand expansions and fanship.
During his tenure, O’Connor has worked across theatrical marketing, brand development, integrated marketing, and national promotions, ultimately serving as Executive Vice President of Franchise Management and Senior Vice President of Brand Management and Marketing Services. Prior to joining Universal, O’Connor worked for Spelling Entertainment Group. He received his bachelor’s in Political Science and Communications from the University of Wisconsin, Madison.