In this episode, we interviewed James House - CEO of Reward, part of the Rezolve AI Group, a customer engagement and commerce media platform connecting global banks and brands, using transaction insight to deliver personalised experiences, measurable growth and lasting loyalty
James has spent 25+ years across marketing, technology, loyalty and data analytics - including founding 5one, which scaled into a global business acquired by BNP Paribas and later Mastercard, before joining Reward to help shape the next chapter of customer engagement
His core argument: AI is only as good as the data behind it - and as the technology commoditises, the competitive advantage moves to whoever owns the trusted intelligence layer underneath the agents
Key takeaways:
AI is only as good as the data behind it - the models are becoming commoditised, so the edge shifts to whoever owns the behavioural and transactional intelligence layer
Loyalty is demonstrated through behaviour, not membership - it's not more offers or more points, it's making every interaction feel genuinely relevant
The line on personalisation is trust - customers should always understand how their data is used and see real value back, and the moment that balance tips you've gone too far
Finance Media Networks are the growth story to watch - cross-merchant, cross-sector, cross-channel measurement that closes the loop Retail Media Networks' walled gardens can't
🔗 Connect with James
Who are you and what do you do?
I'm James House, CEO of Reward, part of the Rezolve AI Group - a customer engagement and commerce media platform connecting global banks and brands, using transaction insight to deliver personalised experiences, measurable growth and lasting loyalty.
I've spent 25+ years across marketing, technology, loyalty and data analytics, including founding 5one, which scaled into a global business acquired by BNP Paribas and later Mastercard, before joining Reward to help shape the next chapter of customer engagement.
You've just stepped into the CEO seat at Reward. How have the first four months been, and what's ahead?
Honestly, it's been about listening. I've spent time with customers, partners and our teams to really understand what's changing in the market and where we can add the most value.
AI has dominated almost every one of those conversations - especially since our acquisition by Rezolve AI. But the biggest takeaway for me is that AI is only as good as the data behind it. That's where Reward has a real role to play.
Looking ahead, we're doubling down on helping banks and brands turn trusted customer intelligence into more personalised experiences and better commercial outcomes. We're also seeing huge momentum behind Finance Media Networks, as brands look for more measurable ways to reach and engage customers. Excited to see where that goes over the next year.
AI has dominated almost every one of those conversations. But the biggest takeaway for me is that AI is only as good as the data behind it.
Walk us through one concrete way AI changes the day-to-day of bank-linked rewards - a real workflow, not the pitch
Personalisation is the clearest example. When a customer opens their banking app, AI helps us match the most relevant retailer offers based on their actual spending behaviour - not a generic list everyone sees. Someone who shops regularly at a particular retailer sees offers that reflect that, in real time.
It's a better experience for customers, stronger performance for brands, and another lever for banks to build loyalty. Everyone wins.
What's the most common thing senior leaders get wrong about loyalty and personalisation?
Too many people still think loyalty means giving customers more offers, or more points to collect.
It doesn't. Loyalty today is demonstrated through behaviour, not membership. It's about understanding what customers actually value and making every interaction feel relevant to them.
The businesses getting this right combine behavioural insight with a broader understanding of the customer - that's what turns personalisation from noise into something people genuinely appreciate.
Loyalty today is demonstrated through behaviour, not membership.
What's in your AI stack? The one tool you rely on every week?
Claude, without question. It has become part of my weekly routine - testing ideas, refining presentations, and challenging my own thinking.
What has struck me most isn't the technology itself, but the pace at which people have adopted it. That adoption curve tells you a great deal about how significant this shift is going to be.
Bank-linked rewards sit on some of the richest transaction data there is. What does AI let you do with it that wasn't possible before, and where should the line on personalisation be?
AI lets us make much better decisions from customer intelligence, and much faster than before, spotting patterns in spending and surfacing the right recommendation at the right moment.
As we move into a world of agentic commerce, where AI agents increasingly discover, recommend and transact on a customer's behalf, the technology itself is becoming commoditised. The real competitive advantage moves to whoever owns the intelligence layer underneath it - the behavioural, transactional and customer data that makes those agents accurate in the first place.
That's not a hypothetical for us, permissioned, transaction-level insight is about as trusted as data gets, because it's tied to real purchases rather than a proxy for them.
And that's where the line on personalisation sits too - trust. Customers should always understand how their data is being used and see real value coming back to them. The moment that balance tips, you've gone too far.
Where is your field in 12 months - one specific prediction?
Finance Media Networks.
Retailers are operating in a tough environment right now - budgets are being scrutinised more than ever, and every marketing pound has to prove its worth. In that context, being able to measure ROI properly isn't a nice-to-have, it's essential.
That's exactly where Finance Media Networks come in. They go further than Retail Media Networks' walled gardens - they track cross-merchant, cross-sector, cross-channel visibility that closes the loop on measurement. Brands invest with confidence, retailers can finally prove the value of their media, and banks deepen engagement with their customers. Everyone in the chain gets something they didn't have before.
As brands push for better customer measurement, I'd put money on Finance Media Networks becoming one of the major growth stories of the next 12 months.
Where should readers find you, and what should they read first?
LinkedIn is the best place to find me. I'll be sharing more on AI, customer engagement and where commerce is heading next. If you're interested in how AI is reshaping customer relationships, it's going to be a genuinely exciting year.
AI Central Voices is where the AI Central team sits down with the founders, executives, and builders shaping AI - going behind the scenes of how they operate, what they're betting on, and where the industry goes next.
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