London, UK, 30th June, 2025 – LHV Bank, has been awarded AI Solution of the Year at the ICA Compliance Awards 2025, with Chief Compliance Officer, Rob Neal, named Compliance Leader of the Year, hosted by the International Compliance Association. The awards recognise LHV’s commitment to compliance excellence, innovation in financial crime prevention, and dedication to raising industry standards as it continues to expand across markets.

The ICA Compliance Awards celebrate internal compliance and financial crime prevention teams that go above and beyond to collaborate, innovate, and inspire best practice.

LHV Bank was recognised in the “Compliance AI Solution of the Year” category for its innovative in-house tool, Project SARathon. Designed to streamline and enhance Suspicious Activity Report (SAR) processing, SARathon leverages intelligent automation and AI personas trained on UK regulatory frameworks to reduce manual workload, increase reporting accuracy, and cut SAR preparation time by 65 hours per week. Developed during an internal hackathon, the solution empowers LHV’s compliance teams to manage rising SAR volumes with greater precision and speed - marking a transformative leap in financial crime prevention and operational efficiency.

Rob Neal, Chief Compliance Officer at LHV Bank, was named Compliance Leader of the Year in recognition of his transformative leadership during a critical phase of the bank’s growth. Since joining the bank, Rob has redefined the role of Compliance as a strategic enabler - spearheading the successful launch of LHV’s new retail banking proposition, strengthening relationships with UK regulators, and embedding a culture of collaboration, empowerment and innovation. Rob’s ability to lead with clarity, integrity and commercial acumen has made him an industry benchmark for modern compliance leadership.

Rob Neal, Chief Compliance Officer, LHV Bank commented: “These award wins are a testament to the vision, commitment and collaborative spirit of our entire compliance function at LHV Bank. Whether it's harnessing AI to streamline regulatory processes or embedding a culture where compliance is seen as a strategic partner, we've worked hard to challenge convention and raise the bar. I’m incredibly proud of what the team has achieved - and even more excited for what comes next as we continue to build a modern, progressive compliance function that drives real value for the business and LHV customers.”