Reward appoints former Mars executive to lead data and analytics division. September 3, 2026 4 minutes read Reward Appoints First Chief Data and Analytics Officer to Propel Innovations in Customer Engagement In a strategic move aimed at enhancing its data-driven capabilities, Reward, a distinguished customer engagement and commerce media company, has appointed Matthew Keylock as its inaugural Chief Data and Analytics Officer. This appointment signals Reward's commitment to innovation within the realms of data and analytics as the company seeks to refine its offerings in customer insight and hyper-personalization. Matthew Keylock, who is set to join the executive team, brings with him nearly thirty years of extensive experience in data, analytics, and artificial intelligence. His most recent tenure was as the global chief data and analytics officer at Mars Petcare, where he successfully built and led the company's data-centric functions across various business operations. Previously, Keylock held significant roles at Yoox Net-A-Porter Group and DunnHumby, further solidifying his expertise in leveraging data for commercial advantage. In his new role, Keylock will lead Reward's global data, analytics, and insight initiatives, establishing a robust foundation upon which the company can develop next-generation customer insights. Such capabilities are integral to Reward's ambition of delivering hyper-personalized and targeted marketing to its partners, which include some of the world's foremost banks and payment networks. "The role of data and insight is essential to the core of Reward's operational philosophy and a defining trait of our enterprise," stated James House, CEO of Reward. "With our proprietary transaction intelligence, we possess a profound understanding of consumer behavior, positioning us uniquely in the market as we evolve our services. Keylock's exceptional track record in transforming data into tangible commercial value will greatly enhance our capabilities." Matthew Keylock will collaborate closely with senior vice president of data and insights, Paul Jones, who joined the company in 2024 after a career involving roles at Royal Mail, Emirates, and Etihad Airways. Together, they will focus on advancing Reward's analytics strategy, aligning it with the company's overarching objectives for customer engagement and loyalty. Reward has forged partnerships with over 30 of the largest financial institutions and payment networks globally, including industry giants such as Barclays, NatWest Group, Visa, and Mastercard. At the heart of these collaborations lies Reward's sophisticated commerce media network, which serves to link more than 50,000 retail outlets with bank customers through tailored offers. Partners including Amazon, eBay, McDonald's, Deliveroo, and British Gas benefit from this infrastructure that enhances customer experience by delivering relevant promotions directly aligned with consumer preferences. With support from its parent company, Rezolve Ai, which specializes in artificial intelligence technologies, Reward is poised to intensify its efforts to transform data into insightful, value-driven solutions for financial institutions, brands, and retailers. The integration of AI with Reward's existing capabilities is anticipated to create a ripple effect of innovation, further solidifying the company's leadership position in the industry. House's appointment as CEO earlier this year set the stage for these significant changes, replacing Jamie Samaha, who transitioned to the role of CEO at DunnHumby. With House at the helm, the organization is navigating a path of substantial growth and evolution, adapting to the accelerating landscape where consumer expectations around personalization and engagement are continuously shifting. Matthew Keylock expressed enthusiasm about his new role, emphasizing the competitive advantages that can be realized through advanced data strategies and technological infrastructures. "Having led data and analytics functions across multiple global businesses, I recognize the immense potential to push the boundaries of customer intelligence and personalization that Reward holds. This is a truly exciting juncture for me, and I am eager to contribute to the company's mission of elevating customer engagement." As Reward embarks on this transformative journey, its commitment to leveraging comprehensive data insights reinforces its position within a rapidly evolving business landscape, where understanding consumer behavior is paramount. The company's focus on innovation promises to meet the demands of an increasingly data-inundated market, with Keylock's expertise expected to play a critical role in navigating these challenges. In conclusion, as customer engagement strategies evolve and competition among retailers heightens, Reward aims to remain at the forefront of the shift toward hyper-personalized consumer experiences, ensuring that the intersection of data and technology remains integral to its future success.

Former Reward, Prezzee and Mastercard executive Jamie Samaha takes on CEO role at dunnhumby. dunnhumby, a customer data science specialist owned by Tesco, reports that Jamie Samaha has been appointed Chief Executive Officer (CEO), effective from 20th July. He succeeds Josh Bottomley, who has decided to step down after three years. Ken Murphy, Tesco Group CEO, says: "Josh has played a pivotal role in growing dunnhumby during a period of rapid technological change, as the intelligence layer connecting retailers, brands and consumers. He has strengthened partnerships and expanded our impact worldwide, grown Tesco Media into an award winning media business and laid the foundations for long-term, scalable technology innovation. Josh leaves the business well positioned for the future and I'd like to thank him for his significant contribution. Bottomley says: "I've hugely valued my time at dunnhumby and am immensely proud of what the team has achieved over the past three years in creating value for leading retail and brand partners globally. We've built strong foundations for the future, and as the business enters its next phase of growth, I look forward to seeing dunnhumby go from strength to strength." Samaha joins dunnhumby from Reward, a company focused on commerce media, customer engagement, and data insights, where he served as CEO. Prior to that, he led Australian FinTech business, Prezzee, to scale in the UK and US and also built a career at Mastercard as Executive VP of Consumer Engagement Services. Murphy says: "We are delighted to welcome Jamie as the new CEO of dunnhumby. His strong track record of commercial execution combined with his experience at the intersection of data, loyalty, media and customer engagement makes him ideally placed to build on the progress of recent years and scale dunnhumby's impact for retailers and brands globally." Samaha says: "dunnhumby has an exceptional heritage, outstanding talent and deep partnerships with many of the world's leading retailers and brands. Retail and consumer markets are evolving rapidly, and few companies are better placed than dunnhumby to help clients navigate that change and unlock growth. I'm excited to join the team and build on the strong momentum as we shape the next chapter of dunnhumby's growth together." 2026 RTIH Innovation Awards The awards are now open for entries and celebrate global retail technology innovation in a fast moving omnichannel world. Our winners will be revealed at the 2026 RTIH Innovation Awards Ceremony, taking place at The HAC in Central London on Wednesday, 4th November. Our 2025 hall of fame entrants were revealed during a sold out event which took place at The HAC on 16th October and consisted of a drinks reception, three course meal, and awards ceremony presided over by award winning comedian, actress and writer Tiff Stevenson. In his welcome speech, Scott Thompson, Founder and Editor, RTIH, said: "This is the awards' fifth year as a physical event. We started off with just 30 people at the South Place Hotel not far from here, then moved to London Bridge Hotel, then The Barbican, and last year RIBA's HQ in the West End." "But I'm conscious of the fact that, to quote the legend that is Taylor Swift, You're only as hot as your last hit, baby. So, this year we've moved to our biggest venue yet, and also pulled in our largest number of entries to date and broken attendance records." He added: "This year's submissions have without doubt been our best yet. To quote one of the judges: The examples of innovative developments across both traditional and digital retail spaces were truly remarkable." Congratulations to our winners, and a big thank you to our sponsors, judging panel, the legend that is Tiff Stevenson, and all those who attended our 2025 gathering. Editor and Founder of Retail Technology Innovation Hub

New CEO at Reward following $230m takeover. Mastercard and BNP Paribas veteran to lead loyalty tech firm which was backed by BBC Dragon last year and acquired by Rezolve Ai in February James House has been appointed to lead loyalty tech firm Reward following its $230 million takeover by Rezolve Ai in February. Described as a leader in customer engagement and commerce media, Reward was founded in 2001 by Gavin Dein and operates across Europe, the Middle East and Asia. Its cloud-based API platform integrates content, advertising and commerce to deliver experiences for customers. It is behind many bank loyalty programmes seen today from brands such as Visa, NatWest Group and Barclays. Reward also works with the world's largest retailers such as McDonald's, eBay, Deliveroo and Amazon. Last year it won backing from Dragons' Den star Touker Suleyman, who struck a partnership that brought his clothing brand Hawes & Curtis into the company's global retail network. Reward - formerly known as Reward Insight - was recently bought by Nasdaq-listed Rezolve Ai PLC, a global provider of AI-driven conversational commerce and payments infrastructure. Now Mastercard and BNP Paribas veteran House, previously chief commercial officer of the firm, has been appointed to lead it. House is a highly experienced international technology and data executive with more than 25 years of experience building, scaling and exiting high-growth businesses across North America, Europe, Africa and Asia. As CEO of Reward, House will focus on scaling the company's international footprint, expanding its Finance Media Network, enhancing its intelligence capabilities and accelerating growth in major markets including the United States, Europe and the GCC. Daniel M Wagner, founder, CEO and chairman of Rezolve Ai, said: "James is a high-calibre international operator with exactly the experience we look for in leaders within the Rezolve Ai platform. "He has built and scaled technology and data businesses globally, understands how to turn intelligence into commercial growth, and knows this business well. "Reward sits at the intersection of banking, commerce and media, an increasingly valuable position as AI reshapes how consumers discover, engage and transact. James's appointment strengthens our ability to scale that opportunity internationally and accelerate execution across one of the most important parts of the Rezolve ecosystem." House added: "Reward has built a powerful platform with strong market positions, exceptional partner relationships and a clear opportunity to scale internationally. As part of Rezolve Ai, we now have the backing, ambition and broader AI commerce vision to accelerate that growth significantly. "The convergence of banking, media, loyalty and commerce is creating a major new category and we believe Reward is well positioned to lead in it. Our focus now will be on scaling into new markets, expanding the value we deliver to partners and helping shape a more intelligent and connected future for commerce." Jamie Samaha will stand down on 31st May 2026, having been in the role since 2023.