VoCoVo ramps up US expansion push with appointment of Joe Szala as its new Senior Vice President

Retail communications specialist, VoCoVo, has announced the appointment of Joe Szala as Senior Vice President (SVP).

Szala will lead the company’s US operations as it accelerates its expansion in the North American market, building on its success with retailers in the UK and Europe.

As SVP, he will focus on enhancing VoCoVo’s sales operations and service delivery, whilst building stronger, more strategic relationships with key customers across North America.

Szala brings over two decades of experience in retail and grocery technology solutions. His career began with CPG brand marketing roles at ConAgra and Sara Lee and has since spanned key leadership positions at Aimia, Parcel Pending, Glympse and most recently Cust2Mate, where he served as SVP.

“I am honoured to join VoCoVo during such an exciting period,” says Szala. “The connected store is evolving rapidly, and VoCoVo’s solutions and expertise put them in a unique position to be a driving force behind this transformation. I am looking forward to working with the team to optimise current operations while spearheading growth and innovation to enable retailers in the US to truly harness the power of communication in their stores.”

VoCoVo’s expansion into the US follows its growth in the UK and Europe, where it supports retailers such as Iceland, Asda and Tesco in realising the connected store. The company also serves smaller stores through its VoCoVo Link solution, a purpose built headset device. Szala’s leadership will be instrumental in tailoring its strategies to address North American market trends.

Beth Worrall, Co-CEO at VoCoVo, comments: “Joe’s appointment is a pivotal step in our ongoing expansion into the US retail market. His deep understanding of retail dynamics and proven ability to drive growth will enable us to meet the unique requirements of retailers operating in the region and equip their teams with the solutions they need to feel connected and engaged. With Joe at the helm, we are confident VoCoVo will remain at the forefront of retail innovation.”

2024 RTIH INNOVATION AWARDS

VoCoVo was among the winners at the sixth edition of the RTIH Innovation Awards.

The awards, sponsored by Vista Technology Support, Scala, CADS, 3D Cloud, Brightpearl by Sage’s Lightning 50, Business France, and Retail Technology Show 2025, celebrate global tech innovation in a fast moving omnichannel world.

Our 2024 hall of fame entrants were revealed during an event which took place at RIBA’s 66 Portland Place HQ in Central London on 21st November, and consisted of a drinks reception, three course meal, and awards ceremony presided over by comedian Lucy Porter.

In his welcome speech, Scott Thompson, Founder and Editor, RTIH, said: “The event is now into its sixth year and what a journey it has been. The awards started life as an online only affair during the Covid outbreak, before launching as a small scale in real life event and growing year on year to the point where we’re now selling out this fine, historic venue.”

He added: “Congratulations to all of our finalists. Many submissions did not make it through to the final stage, and getting to this point is no mean feat. Checkout-free stores, automated supply chains, immersive experiences, on-demand delivery, next generation loyalty offerings, inclusive retail, green technology. We’ve got all the cool stuff covered this evening.”

“But just importantly we’ve got lots of great examples of companies taking innovative tech and making it usable in everyday operations - resulting in more efficiency and profitability in all areas.”

Congratulations to our 2024 winners, and a big thank you to our sponsors, judging panel, the legend that is Lucy Porter, and all those who attended last month’s gathering.