E2E Tech 100: How Reward's CEO is revolutionising customer loyalty with AI

Independent

a day ago

Origin and Mission
When I joined Reward as CEO, I stepped into a business with a strong sense of purpose – one instilled from day one by our founder, Gavin Dein. His vision was clear: help consumers make more of their everyday spending while enabling banks and retailers to build deeper, more valuable customer relationships. That sense of purpose still runs deep in our culture today.
My role has been to build on that foundation – scaling a mission-led business globally, without losing the heart that made Reward successful in the first place.
In the past two years we've continued our growth trajectory, growing revenues by approximately 50%, expanding into new markets, and enhancing our intelligence capabilities through the acquisition of Hospitality Data Insights (HDI). We also secured a strategic investment from Experian – a powerful validation of our model and long-term vision.
And importantly, we've now returned over $2 billion in rewards to customers. That's purpose and performance working together – real-world impact for consumers and measurable value for partners.
Scaling Purpose with Global Reach
As you expand into new regions across EMEA and Asia, how do you tailor Reward's technology and offering to different market dynamics and consumer behaviours?
Scaling globally isn't about replicating the same solution. Each market has its own cultural, regulatory, and behavioural nuances. What resonates in the Middle East may differ from the UK. That's why localisation is central to our model.
Our Customer Engagement and Commerce Media solutions are built for flexibility – allowing us to adapt reward structures, content, and strategies to fit local needs. But our core principle stays consistent: engagement built on trust, data, and relevance. We use data insights to personalise experiences, making them feel seamless and valuable – wherever our customers are.
Innovation
1. How do you see innovations in deep tech - such as AI, predictive analytics or data privacy tech — transforming the future of customer engagement and commerce media in the next five years?
2. The tech landscape is evolving rapidly. How has Reward adapted its platform and strategy to stay ahead of trends such as AI, commerce media convergence, and personalised loyalty experiences?
AI, predictive analytics, and data privacy tech are fundamentally reshaping engagement. Traditional points-based programmes no longer meet expectations. Customers want real-time, personalised value – aligned with their behaviour and needs.
Retail is also shifting. With third-party cookies disappearing and privacy rules tightening, brands need smarter, privacy-safe ways to reach consumers. Commerce media is emerging as a powerful new channel – and deep tech is the enabler.
AI now underpins how we personalise experiences and turn transaction data into actionable intelligence. For brands, that means targeted offers that drive loyalty and conversion. For retailers, it creates high-performing media channels. For banks, it enables next-level customer value.
We've embedded AI across our platform to help partners activate their data strategically and responsibly. Our Intelligence suite provides visibility into customer intent and competitor activity – driving confident, data-led decisions. We also help brands optimise every marketing pound – boosting ROI and reducing inefficiencies.
But we don't stop at customer-facing innovation. AI is also fuelling innovation within our business – from streamlining workflows and increasing speed to market, to enhancing internal decision-making and driving smarter, faster product development. It's a core enabler of how we operate and evolve as a business, ensuring we continue to deliver greater value to our partners.
Leadership and Vision
Do you draw inspiration from other leaders or business philosophies — particularly when it comes to navigating change and building culture in a fast-moving sector?
Early in my career, I had the privilege of working closely with a female founder who placed a huge emphasis on people, culture, and growth mindset. She showed me that performance and empathy can coexist – you can lead with strength while empowering your team.
That shaped my leadership approach. It's about clarity, integrity, and communication – being transparent about where you're going, consistent in your leadership, and always open to listening.
One of the biggest lessons I've learned as CEO is the value of focus. In a fast-growing, idea-rich business like Reward, there's no shortage of opportunities. But success often comes from saying no – staying disciplined, backing what moves the needle, and building a team that shares that clarity.
We're not just scaling a company – we're shaping a culture that reflects what we care about and will stand the test of time.
Future of Engagement and Commerce Media
Looking ahead, what are Reward's key priorities for the next three to five years? How do you envision your role in shaping the broader landscape of customer loyalty and commerce media innovation?
Our focus over the next few years is to deepen and expand our impact – geographically, technically, and strategically.
We're growing across Europe, Middle East and Asia, partnering with banks and retailers ready to rethink customer engagement. But it's purposeful growth – we're scaling with intention.
We're also doubling down on AI and intelligence, unlocking smarter insights into customer behaviour. Acquiring HDI last year was a big step – adding precision and depth to our capabilities.
And we're not done. There's more to come – from product innovation to strategic acquisitions. My role is to keep us focused on that bigger picture – leading not just in scale, but in how we think, operate, and deliver lasting value in a constantly evolving space.
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