Emmanuel Cohen, better known as Manny, is the CEO & Founder of The Armadillo Group of companies. He has been working in tech solutions, FinCrime, forensic research & compliance industry for over 40 years. 

He is an expert in Tech solutions, corporate information, forensic research, on-boarding and regulatory compliance assistance, KYC, due diligence, money laundering regulations (AML) & credit data; corporate law, company secretarial; corporate administration, IP & brand protection. He regularly speaks on these topics at worldwide conferences including the Global RegTech Summit on “The need for automated KYC & DD” and “RegTech: The Golden Source”. He has written as a thought leader for online publications such as Retail Banker International, Private Banker International as well as Business Information Review. 

Manny is the innovator and owner of the ‘Armadillo’ RegTech and Anti-Money Laundering company database– which was the first database of company information on the web when it was launched in 1997. His latest innovation is the Armadillo Perpetual KYC system launched in December 2023 – this provides updates to changes in global corporate information on 500 million companies, and is linked with the Armadillo Sanctions, PEPs, Adverse Media, and Connections platform of 1 billion business & 5 billion adult individuals worldwide. This combination is the best tool in the prevention of money laundering and regulatory compliance for CDD and EDD on the market. He has also built up a worldwide network and launched Armadillo’s ground breaking global Regdocs system that can supply documents and registry data from every Companies registry in the world. Armadillo’s network can also supply information for Enhanced due Diligence on any entity in the world. 

He is also owner of Armadillo Legal a UK regulated law firm. 

The companies in his group are ISO 9001 & ISO 27001 certified, HMRC Compliance regulated as well as SRA regulated (UK Law Firm) and a RegTech100 business 2021-2024 - the 100 most innovative tech businesses in compliance in the world, also featured in the top 12 all 4 years running.

The Armadillo group specialises in Regtech and Compliance primarily around KYC/KYB for the onboarding of clients and suppliers. Clients are regulated firms such as banks, lawyers and accountants either directly or via channel partners that carry Armadillos’ products. Manny’s Armadillo also assists and advises corporates globally in keeping up to date with their AML compliance due diligence.  

In his non-business life, he represents the UK on the international Bobsleigh and Skeleton federation (IBSF) and is chairman of the ethics committee. He was the UK’s top amateur Bobsleigh driver 2008-2011.  A former director of ACRA (Associate of Company Registration Agents), he is a Freeman of the City of London and Master of The Worshipful Company of Woolmen, having taken over from the former Lord Major, Vincent Keaveny in April 2024. He is also a former Royal Air Force reserve officer and a member of the Company of Entrepreneurs. 

He has also been a gliding instructor, range and shooting officer and instructor as well as a marksman (sniper) in his own right, qualified mountain leader and Duke of Edinburgh award Gold assessor (also a Gold award holder). He is a fencer in Foil, Epee and Sabre having had his own fencing club in Shoreditch, near the City of London. Also, Chairman Arlesey Town football club 2008-2015 – winning 6 awards including the non-league league cup (out of 7000 non-pro clubs) and a director of British Bobsleigh 2008-2016. He is also a BSAC advanced scuba diver and day boat captain and a keen supporter and past patron of The Holocaust education trust, a cause he truly believes in. Currently he is working on developing a charity with the Woolmen to encourage innovation around the replacing of petrochemical plastics with that made out of sustainable materials including wool. 

He has 2 Children Georgina and Jamie and is married to Alesja.