Kelly O’Connor

Kelly has over 18 years of global experience in strategically building, growing and evolving businesses and brands – primarily in the investment, innovation and media ecosystems. A well-respected entrepreneur, seasoned leader and senior advisor, she has successfully built, incubated and operated multiple businesses and brands. From Wall Street to the White House to creating world-class Conferences, she has worked with some of the world’s most influential and relevant entrepreneurs, investors, executives, political figures, and thought leaders to foster innovation, ignite growth and promote ecosystem engagement.

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Kelly is the Senior Advisor to the Chairman of Ayon Capital, a purpose-driven family office. Working directly alongside the Founder, she provides high-level strategy, leadership and expertise to its comprehensive platform – including its portfolio companies, investments, and growth initiatives. She is also the Co-Founder of StageLight Group, an investment platform that provides strategic capital, advisory and services to companies that promote the democratization of access, ideas and opportunities. In addition, she is the Co-Founder, Creator and Executive Producer of SCALE Global – the world’s premiere thought leadership gathering where capital, innovation and purpose collide. Investment and advisory under StageLight include SCALE Global, Opto Investments, American BTC, Valar Atomics, BOMANI, HitRecord, Life is Beautiful, Zappos, and MODD Group – a real estate development firm.

Kelly has also served in the White House as the Chief Growth Officer & Senior Advisor to the CEO of the United States International Development Finance Corporation (DFC) – an agency dedicated to mobilizing private capital for development and advancing US foreign policy and national security objectives. In addition, she has ghostwritten, edited, and packaged numerous non-fiction books and publications – including 12 bestsellers.

Previously, Kelly was a Partner and Executive Director of Business Development and Strategy at SkyBridge Capital where she was instrumental in growing the firm’s assets to approximately $13B. A senior member of the Founder’s leadership team from 2010-2017, she co-led teams engaged in growth and brand strategy; new business development and experiential marketing; strategic partnerships and stakeholder relations; and communications and external affairs. Most notably, Kelly was a driving force behind leading and evolving, SALT, and served as Executive Producer, Editorial Director and Operator. Dubbed the “Davos of the Desert” during her tenure, she and her partners grew it into one of the world’s most prestigious finance conferences and pioneered the corporate live events model. She began her career as an Editor at John Wiley & Sons and at Columbia University working on Special Projects, Communications & Strategic Initiatives.

Kelly received a Master’s degree in Organization & Leadership from Columbia University. She also earned a B.A. in English Literature from Wagner College and graduated top of her class summa cum laude.

Please contact Kelly to learn more about SCALE Global by emailing her at kelly@stagelightgroup.com.