Private equity funding for anti-money laundering specialist

John Dobson

An Ilkley-based provider of Anti-Money Laundering (AML) software has won backing from a global investment firm.

SmartSearch has received growth equity investment from Marlin Equity Partners, which has £5.5bn worth of capital under management and a track-record of supporting and growing software businesses.

SmartSearch provides its software to 4,000 client firms and 40,000 users, enabling them to comply with the latest AML regulations and fulfill their Customer Due Diligence and Know Your Customer compliance obligations.

The company’s software is used by 40% of the top 100 accountancy firms, 25% of the top 200 law firms (including three of the top five firms), banks, mortgage intermediaries and estate agents. It enables organisations to carry out checks without requiring clients to provide identity documents. 

John Dobson, chief executive officer of SmartSearch, said: “We first met Marlin through an investment process we ran to find a partner. The high degree of interest in our business impressed everyone and Marlin stood out from the crowd.

“It was clear from our first meeting that Marlin has a deep understanding of our sector, our business model and they had done their homework. They quickly demonstrated how they could add value to our business, and we had a strong meeting of minds with a common goal.

“In SmartSearch we have created a unique AML compliance solution that enables our clients, with minimum effort and cost, to be AML compliant in the world’s most heavily regulated market.

“With Marlin’s help, we can dominate the UK market and create international versions of SmartSearch to serve new clients in markets around the world.”

Roland Pezzutto, a principal at Marlin, said: “SmartSearch’s robust regulatory compliance platform provides industry-leading accuracy rates and strong customer advocacy.

“With increasing regulatory scrutiny and the desire for seamless customer on-boarding, SmartSearch is well-positioned to capitalise on the rapid shift toward digital verification solutions and we look forward to collaborating with an exceptional management team to support the company’s rapid growth trajectory.”

Rothschilds & Co in Leeds worked on the funding deal as corporate finance advisers, with KPMG Leeds acting as accountants and Squire Patton Boggs, also in Leeds, providing legal advice.

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