Mr. O'Connor is a Managing Director in the Ares Credit Group, where he focuses on U.S. direct lending. Prior to joining Ares in 2024, Mr. O'Connor was a Co-Founder and Partner at AcePoint Capital, an investment firm specializing in private credit within the Sports, Media and Entertainment ("SME") sectors, where he was responsible for origination, structuring and execution of first lien and mezzanine financings as well as strategy and operations for the company. Previously, Mr. O'Connor was a Credit Portfolio Manager at 23 Capital, where he focused on underwriting lending opportunities in the SME sectors. In addition, he was a Director at Mizuho Bank and an Associate Director at Allied Irish Banks, where he focused on corporate and leveraged finance. Mr. OConnor holds a Bachelor of Business and Law (BBL) from University College Dublin.