Ripjar, a provider of AI-native screening solutions for anti-money laundering (AML) compliance and financial crime prevention, has appointed Matt Mills as its new Chief Executive Officer to lead the company’s expansion. Mills brings over fifteen years of experience scaling high-growth technology companies across banking, payments, automation, and security sectors. Prior to joining Ripjar, he spent a decade at Featurespace, where he served as Chief Commercial Officer and General Manager. During his tenure, Featurespace grew from twelve to over four hundred employees before its acquisition by Visa in 2024. Mills also led Innovation, Sales, and Partnerships for Aurasma, later acquired by HP, where he expanded the business to more than 10,000 commercial customers and partners over three years. Founded in 2013 by former members of the UK Intelligence Services, Ripjar enables financial institutions and enterprises to transform AML compliance through more accurate and efficient customer screening and an integrated, dynamic view of risk. The company’s platform, built on National Security grade technology with specialized, explainable AI, simplifies integration with its data-agnostic approach. It is currently deployed by over 200 businesses worldwide, including tier 1 banks and large corporations. Ripjar reports that its solution has led to a 99% reduction in data requiring manual review and a 5% increase in identified risk for its customers. The appointment comes as regulatory scrutiny intensifies, driven partly by the rollout of the EU’s Anti-Money Laundering Authority (AMLA), which heightens the risk of regulatory penalties for companies that transact with financial criminals. The World Economic Forum estimates that illicit proceeds from criminal activity account for 2-5% of global GDP, yet less than 1% of these funds are seized or frozen by law enforcement agencies. This environment places significant pressure on financial institutions and enterprises, as the first line of defense, to screen customers against sanctions, politically exposed persons (PEPs), and other watchlists efficiently and accurately. Mills’ appointment follows Ripjar’s inclusion in the Chartis RiskTech100 2026 Winners list, which benchmarks top risk technology providers, and the completion of a follow-on majority investment from Long Ridge Equity Partners in November 2024. Matt Mills stated, “I have been an admirer of Ripjar and its important work across screening and intelligence for some time. Ripjar has consistently excelled at protecting countries, banks and corporate entities. Financial institutions and enterprises are the first line of defence against financial crime. Our screening technology empowers them to make smarter decisions that defend their businesses and disrupt the crime economy.” Jason Melton, Partner at Long Ridge, the majority owner of Ripjar, commented on the appointment, stating, “Matt brings a powerful combination of deep domain expertise and a proven track record of leading and scaling innovative, high-growth businesses. Mills will accelerate Ripjar’s go-to-market strategy and global expansion to meet increasing market demand for smarter, more efficient customer screening solutions. We’re excited to welcome him onboard.”