Barrows Connected Store has appointed James Hay as its new global chief executive officer, effective 1 January 2026, as the connected retail specialist ramps up its international growth ambitions.
Hay will take responsibility for the full global Barrows Connected Store operation, overseeing teams across the UK, the US and South Africa. The company said the appointment will support its strategy to accelerate the rollout of “intelligent, connected store environments” designed to enhance in-store experiences for retailers, brands and shoppers.
Brent Taylor, Executive Chairman of Barrows Connected Store, said Hay has been “instrumental” in shaping the business from its early days into a global platform.
“James is a natural leader and one of the most trusted operators in our business,” Taylor said. “His deep understanding of retailers, brands, and shoppers… makes him uniquely suited to lead our next phase of growth.”
Hay has held senior leadership roles within Barrows, including managing director for the UK and European business, before most recently serving as global managing director. He also brings FMCG experience from senior brand and product management roles at both L’Oréal and Mars.
Barrows Connected Store works with major grocery and retail operators including Tesco and Kroger, transforming physical stores into digital media networks that enable brands to deploy campaigns at the point of purchase. The company highlighted that around 85 per cent of global retail sales still take place in-store, underlining the continued importance of physical retail in media and shopper marketing strategies.
Commenting on his appointment, Hay said: “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.”
The company said it expects to strengthen its position in connected commerce and retail media by accelerating growth linked to digital transformation in physical retail.
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