QSIC strengthens US growth with leadership hires & USD $25 million raise

QSIC has announced the appointment of David Haase as President of U.S. operations and Artem Lavrinovich as its first Chief Data and AI Officer.

The in-store audio platform, which leverages artificial intelligence and data intelligence for retailers and brands, is undertaking these leadership changes as part of its global growth strategy. The company states these additions will drive its expansion in the United States and advance its data and AI-driven offerings on a worldwide scale.

Executive changes

David Haase joins QSIC with a background including more than 25 years in scaling high-growth businesses and leading digital transformation initiatives within the retail sector. Previously, he held executive roles at Triad Retail Media and The Mars Agency. Most recently, Haase was CEO of the Americas for CitrusAd, now known as Epsilon Retail Media, where he contributed to the company's acquisition by Publicis Groupe's Epsilon.

"In-store is the next frontier of retail media, and QSIC is one of the few companies getting it right," said Haase. "They've built real momentum, and I'm excited to join the team at a critical time to help take that to the next level."

Artem Lavrinovich arrives from CoolerX and its spin-off RPM Labs, where he was instrumental in developing retail media capabilities. Lavrinovich also worked in Amazon's customer service and data science organisation, guiding strategy and execution across various aspects of customer engagement and demand. At dunnhumby, Lavrinovich was responsible for advancing pricing, promotions, assortment, and marketing strategies for several major retailers including Kroger, Best Buy and Macy's.

He will now oversee global data and AI strategy at QSIC, focusing on delivering personalised and automated experiences underpinned by measurable outcomes.

"QSIC is tackling two of in-store retail media's biggest pain points—measurability and friction—while simultaneously elevating the shopper experience through audio," said Lavrinovich. "Audio has tremendous potential for in-store retail media that is still largely untapped, and when you pair it with AI, the impact goes next level. Retailers can create more engaging, personalized and helpful interactions. The opportunity to join a team at the forefront of innovation drew me here, and we're just getting started with what's possible."

Company direction

Matt Elsley, Co-Founder and Chief Executive Officer at QSIC, stated the moves are aligned with the company's strategy to enter new markets and expand its technology solutions.

"Retail media continues to outperform, and in-store is the next major growth opportunity for the channel," said Elsley. "We have ambitious plans to expand into new markets and introduce new tech, and bringing on leaders like David and Artem helps us scale with people who have built successful retail media businesses before. Their experience will be essential as we push the boundaries of what in-store technology can do and accelerate innovation to deliver even better results for our partners."

QSIC reports it is on pace for another record year, buoyed by a USD $25 million funding round earlier this year. The company states it has expanded its team, won several innovation awards and strengthened its partnership with 7-Eleven, aiming to power Gulp Radio, 7-Eleven's commercial in-store radio network, in 12,000 locations by the year's end.

Expansion and awards

As part of ongoing global expansion, Lachlan Gow, currently President for North America, will now focus on the EMEA region. During his tenure in the U.S., Gow played a role in securing partnerships that QSIC says have contributed to the company's market presence.

QSIC received several industry accolades over the past year, including the RetailTech Breakthrough Awards for In-Store Experience Innovation of the Year, the P2PI Retail Media Awards, and was named "New Technology Solution of the Year" at Retail MediaX awards in May.

QSIC reports its client base includes global retailers across fuel and convenience, grocery, liquor, hospitality, fashion, and specialty sectors.