Barrows Connected Store has appointed James Hay as Global Chief Executive Officer, a leadership move that signals the company’s next phase of growth as retailers accelerate investment in connected, data driven in store experiences. The appointment takes effect January 1, 2026, and comes as retail media and in store digital engagement become increasingly central to omnichannel marketing strategies.
As Global CEO, James Hay will oversee Barrows Connected Store’s worldwide operations, leading teams across the United Kingdom, the United States, and South Africa. His mandate includes advancing the company’s vision for intelligent, connected store environments that enhance experiences for retailers, brands, and shoppers at the point of purchase.
“James is a natural leader and one of the most trusted operators in our business,” said Brent Taylor, Executive Chairman of Barrows Connected Store. “He has been instrumental in shaping Barrows Connected Store from its early days into the global platform it is today. His deep understanding of retailers, brands, and shoppers combined with his ability to lead with clarity, empathy, and conviction, makes him uniquely suited to lead our next phase of growth. I could not be more excited to see James step into the role of Global CEO.”
Marketing Technology Insights: Comscore Brings Advanced Audio Targeting and Measurement to The Trade Desk
Hay brings a long track record inside the organization. He previously led Barrows’ UK and European business as Managing Director and most recently served as Global Managing Director of Barrows Connected Store. His leadership has been closely tied to the launch, scaling, and international expansion of the connected store platform, earning him strong support across the company and the wider retail ecosystem.
Before joining Barrows, Hay built deep consumer and brand expertise through senior roles at global consumer packaged goods leaders including L’Oréal and Mars. That background has shaped his shopper first approach to retail media, blending brand storytelling with commercial outcomes inside physical stores.
Barrows Connected Store works with major global retailers such as Tesco and Kroger, helping transform physical locations into intelligent media networks. These environments allow brands to activate digital campaigns directly at the point of purchase, where nearly 85 percent of global retail sales still take place. As retailers seek alternatives to saturated digital channels, in store media is becoming a critical growth lever within the broader MarTech and retail media landscape.
Marketing Technology Insights: CraftStory Launches Image to Video AI for Long Form Human Videos
“This next phase of our journey is exceptionally exciting as we scale formative media solutions alongside technology that is redefining how in-store media works—operationally, commercially, and creatively,” said Hay.
Known for a service oriented leadership style, Hay emphasizes listening, empathy, and foresight while designing in store media strategies tailored to each retail environment. His approach focuses on aligning merchandising, media, and creative execution to deliver measurable value for retailers and brands alike.
With James Hay as Global CEO, Barrows Connected Store is positioning itself to deepen its leadership in connected retail and retail media, supporting the ongoing digital transformation of physical stores and driving more meaningful, measurable engagement at scale.
Marketing Technology Insights: Invoca Appoints Katherine Starros as SVP of People and Culture and Promotes Ben Sullivan to CRO
For media inquiries, you can write to our MarTech Newsroom at info@intentamplify.com
