This follows the completion of a majority investment by Triple Private Equity, as the business looks to continue their ambitious growth plans.

Phil brings a wealth of compliance, risk, and leadership expertise to the role, having held senior positions at the London Stock Exchange Group, Refinitiv, Thomson Reuters, and Experian.

He has been working as an external advisor to Triple and has worked with Triple’s founding partner, Ben Shepherd, for several years prior.

Phil will work with the existing executive team, to drive sustained growth in the firm’s stronghold professional services markets, while also expanding its sales across all regulated sectors.  

Commenting on his appointment, Phil said: “SmartSearch is at the cutting edge in the digital compliance market, and it’s an incredibly exciting time to join this growing business.

•   What's in store for the bridging and commercial markets in 2024?
•   Annual property asking price sees 12-month growth high says Rightmove
•   Langdon Capital is appointed to raise £2.6m for UK proptech company

“Organisations in regulated industries need to ensure they remain compliant in the markets within which they operate, while also keeping their customers safe from fraud and money laundering.

“These two challenges are intrinsically linked, and SmartSearch is perfectly positioned to help businesses rise to the challenge.

“I look forward to leading the organisation during this next period of growth.”

Martin Cheek, co-founder and managing director at SmartSearch, said: “SmartSearch was born to help protect people and businesses from money laundering and fraud.

“This remains at the heart of our business.

“Now, with this significant investment from Triple and the vast industry expertise Phil brings to the role, I look forward to making it even easier for our customers to stay compliant, while going even further to protect them from money laundering and fraud.”