Napier AI is celebrating its 10th anniversary, reflecting on a decade of transformation in the global fight against financial crime. What began as a bold vision to modernize outdated compliance systems has evolved into a leading AI-powered regtech platform serving more than 100 financial institutions across the world. As the company enters its second decade, it stands as a testament to how innovation, collaboration, and purpose-driven technology can reshape one of banking’s most critical functions—anti-money laundering (AML) compliance.
When Napier AI was founded ten years ago, many financial institutions still relied on legacy rule-based systems and manual processes that were slow, inefficient, and prone to error. Today, under CEO Greg Watson’s leadership, the company has helped drive a fundamental shift toward intelligent automation. “The compliance landscape has changed dramatically,” Watson said. “AI is no longer a futuristic concept—it’s now essential for detecting complex financial crime patterns in real time while reducing false positives and operational costs.”
A cornerstone of Napier AI’s influence has been its annual AML Index, a comprehensive global report examining the role of artificial intelligence in combating money laundering. The publication has become a trusted resource for regulators, banks, and policy makers, reinforcing the company’s commitment to thought leadership and transparency in an industry increasingly demanding accountability from algorithmic systems.
Chief Data Scientist Dr. Janet Bastiman highlighted how regulatory expectations have evolved alongside technological advances. “Ten years ago, AI tools were often black boxes—powerful but opaque,” she said. “Now, regulators require explainability and auditability.” In response, Napier AI has embedded interpretability into its models, ensuring that decisions made by AI can be understood, challenged, and justified—a necessity in high-stakes compliance environments. This approach was validated through the company’s pioneering synthetic data collaboration with the UK’s Financial Conduct Authority, which enables safer testing and training of AI models without compromising sensitive customer information.
Customer collaboration has also been central to Napier AI’s growth. Louise O’Connell, Chief Customer Officer, emphasized the importance of co-creation in developing practical, scalable solutions. Through formal client councils, financial institutions actively contribute feedback that shapes product roadmaps and feature development. This close partnership model has led to innovations that address real-world challenges—and earned recognition, including multiple Celent Model Risk Manager awards for clients using Napier’s platforms.
While technology drives progress, Napier AI continues to place people at the heart of its mission. Stacy Lowe, Chief People Officer, noted that AI does not replace human expertise but enhances it. To support this vision, the company has established Centres of Excellence in Belfast and Kuala Lumpur, fostering global talent development, cross-regional collaboration, and continuous learning. These hubs are nurturing a new generation of compliance professionals who blend technical fluency with creativity, ethics, and resilience.
Looking ahead, Chief Revenue Officer Adam Flowers sees growing demand for compliance platforms that do more than meet regulatory requirements—they provide strategic advantage. “Banks aren’t just looking for risk mitigation anymore,” he said. “They want faster decision-making, better customer experiences, and operational efficiency. Our compliance-first, AI-powered approach positions us well for this next phase.” He stressed that future success will depend on three pillars: trusted AI, deeper partnerships, and real-time adaptability.
As Napier AI marks its 10th anniversary, the company is not only celebrating past achievements but setting the course for the next decade. With financial crime becoming more sophisticated and global regulations tightening, the need for intelligent, transparent, and collaborative compliance solutions has never been greater.
The journey so far underscores a powerful truth: the future of financial crime prevention lies not in choosing between humans and machines—but in empowering both. And as Napier AI moves forward, its leadership remains focused on building systems where trust, innovation, and impact go hand in hand.
Follow us on Instagram.
https://www.instagram.com/businessnewsng?igsh=ZXpweTdjOGF1ZXdu
