Hotel technology and marketing solutions company, Net Affinity, is entering a new era in the New Year with a leadership transition in the wings.
The company that operates across the UK and Ireland, will welcome the CEO of Dutch equity-backed Hotel Tech Group, Lauri Koop to the helm.
The announcement follows the impending departure of Net Affinity’s Founder and Managing Director, William Cotter, who will step down at year’s end.
It also comes following HTG’s acquisition of Net Affinity earlier this year, a strategic partnership that marked a new era of accelerated growth and innovation for the hospitality technology specialist.
Cotter, who founded Net Affinity in 2000, has led the company from its roots in Dublin to becoming one of the most respected names in hospitality tech, serving over 400 independent and group hotels across Ireland and the UK.
His focus in recent years has been on strategic development and laying the foundation for this next phase of growth.
Speaking on the transition, Cotter said: “After 25 years at the helm, the time is right for me to step aside and allow the next generation of leadership to steer Net Affinity forward.
“Lauri brings deep experience in SaaS and digital transformation, and I’m confident he will guide the business with fresh energy and strategic vision.
“I’ve already begun working closely with Lauri on the handover, and our clients can expect complete continuity and the same exceptional service and innovation they’ve always relied on.”
Koop brings more than two decades of international leadership experience in digital and SaaS industries.
Prior to joining HTG, he served as CEO of Aimwel, an international recruitment marketing platform, where he led European and US market expansion. His appointment signals HTG’s ambition to build a fast-growing, integrated technology platform for hoteliers.
Koop said: “Net Affinity has a fantastic team, a strong culture and a best-in-class product. My priority is to continue that momentum by working closely with our people, our clients and HTG’s wider leadership to unlock further growth.”
Under his leadership, Net Affinity is focused on strategic investments that will drive long-term success, including expanded development capacity, enhanced customer experience and closer integration with HTG’s broader product suite.
Plans are already underway to scale the business further in 2026, with a clear focus on enhancing the commercial performance of client hotels by leveraging the combined expertise of Net Affinity, Smarthotel and Hoteliers.com — all now part of HTG.
