BOV honoured to be an ICA compliance award finalist

Bank of Valletta is delighted to be shortlisted for an ICA Compliance Award for Financial Crime Prevention Project of the Year. The ICA Compliance Awards celebrate the outstanding achievements, collaboration, and innovation of the compliance and financial crime prevention teams across the globe.

Following a thorough judging process, Bank of Valletta was shortlisted, ahead of the official awards ceremony to be held on 25^th June 2026.

The Financial Crime Prevention Project of the Year entry detailed the outstanding work of the Bank, showcasing its transaction monitoring transformation project and reflecting the material enhancements achieved in terms of strengthened controls, effectiveness, and the tangible benefits realised following the changeover.

Kenneth Farrugia, BOV Chief Executive Officer, welcomed the announcement that the Bank has been shortlisted as a finalist for this award. Commenting on the nomination, Mr Farrugia said: “This recognition is a strong affirmation of the Bank’s unwavering commitment to the highest standards of compliance, integrity and responsible banking. While our front-line teams remain fully focused on delivering core banking services, supported by dedicated specialist units, we attach equal importance to safeguarding the Bank’s reputation and protecting its brand. A robust and resolute approach to combating financial crime, alongside full compliance with an increasingly demanding regulatory environment at both local and international levels, remains central to our long-term sustainability. This commitment underpins the trust placed in us by our customers, shareholders, correspondent banks and international credit rating agencies.”

Ryan Caruana, BOV Group Chief Anti-Financial Crime Officer & MLRO, commented, “Bank of Valletta’s shortlisting as a finalist at the ICA Awards for Financial Crime Prevention Project of the Year recognises the Bank’s strong journey in enhancing and modernising its financial crime prevention framework. This achievement provides important external validation by the International Compliance Association of the Bank’s ongoing commitment to effective, robust financial crime controls.”

ICA’s President, Pekka Dare commented: “On behalf of ICA, I would like to personally thank everyone who entered the ICA Compliance Awards Europe. It gives me great pleasure to congratulate Bank of Valletta on being shortlisted as a finalist in the category of Financial Crime Prevention Project of the Year. All of the entrants represent the very best of what our industry has to offer, and I am looking forward to welcoming all our finalists to the awards ceremony on 25 June in London.”

The judging panel was made up of a diverse range of highly influential and respected figures within the compliance and financial crime prevention community. This includes: Lisa Bennett, Legal Compliance Director, Mastercard; Shyam Kotecha, Chief Compliance Officer, MLRO & Director, M T Finance; Jon Duffy, Senior Vice President, Corporate Assurance & Regulatory Affairs, Genting Casinos UK; Caroline Braddock, Ethics and Compliance Officer, Rolls-Royce; Anthony Davies, Senior Compliance Manager, AXA Health and more.