Don Cronin is Bookassist's new CEO
Don Cronin has been announced as the new Chief Executive Officer at Bookassist, the Dublin-based international direct-booking expert that helps hotels drive more profitable bookings through a combination of technology and strategy.
An eight-year veteran of the company, Don brings deep strategic, product and operational expertise to the role, having previously served as Chief Operating Officer. He has held senior product, management, directorship and C-suite roles in a number of technology companies over the last 28 years.
A Vision Built on AI and Innovation
Don assumes the CEO role at a pivotal moment, one defined by rapid advances in artificial intelligence and a significant internal transformation at Bookassist in how it builds and delivers its products. On his vision for the company, Don commented: "The opportunity in front of us is simply extraordinary. AI is fundamentally changing what's possible in hospitality technology, from how hotels understand and convert demand, to how we build and deploy the products that serve them. At Bookassist, we've been investing hard in this shift, and what's coming is genuinely exciting. My focus is on translating that innovation into real competitive advantage for our hotel partners, helping them not just keep pace with change, but lead it."
Strengthening the Leadership Team
This latest announcement from Bookassist follows the very recent appointments of Martial Graslin as Vice President for Client Success and Martin Herbert as Vice President for Sales who also sit on the Executive Team along with founding (and current) CTO Dr. Robert Whittle. Bookassist has been busy reorganising and strengthening its Executive and Management teams as it positions itself for further growth in its key markets and further afield.
Smooth Leadership Transition
Don assumes the CEO role from Alan Threadgold, who operates as Group Leader overseeing the operations of several companies within the Vertus Group portfolio. The Vertus Group, a subdivision of Jonas Software in the Constellation Software Inc family, acquired Bookassist in late 2017.
Alan Threadgold held the CEO position at Bookassist since 2022 and will remain as an ex officio member of Bookassist’s Executive Team, while the founding CEO, Dr Des O’Mahony, who led the company from inception in 1999 up to mid-2022, also continues with Bookassist in the role of Chairman of the Executive Team. Bookassist thus retains considerable experience and expertise on its Executive Team with this smooth transition to a new era under Don’s leadership.
Alan commented, “Congratulations to Don on a well-deserved appointment. Having worked closely with him, I've seen first-hand his strategic clarity, his product instincts, and his ability to build and inspire a team. He takes the reins at a pivotal moment, hotels are under real pressure, and the right technology partnership has never mattered more. What excites me is that Bookassist isn't standing still. Don and his leadership team are innovating hard and delivering real, measurable revenue impact for clients. The best of Bookassist is still to come."
About Bookassist
Bookassist is a multi-award-winning and leading provider of online booking technology, distribution technology, web design and digital strategy services to the hotel industry internationally. Bookassist creates, manages and continuously optimises digital strategies for hotels and hotel groups. We drive our clients’ online business and seek to obtain higher and higher conversion to improve direct booking on our clients’ hotel websites.
About The Vertus Group
The Vertus Group is a global software holding company and operating group of Jonas Software, which is a subsidiary of Constellation Software, Inc. Headquartered in Markham, Ontario, Canada, the company specialises in acquiring and permanently holding vertical market software companies under a "buy and hold forever" model.
