Universal Merchant Bank has appointed Ms Justina Stella Laing as its Chief Operating Officer to lead the operational drive behind the bank's brand transformation agenda.
According to a press release issued by the bank on Wednesday, October 21, 2026, Ms Laing is an accomplished financial services executive with over 18 years of experience leading operations, strategy and large-scale financial initiatives across corporate and investment banking, project and infrastructure finance, syndicated lending and risk management.
She has managed complex, multi-billion-dollar portfolios and led financing and fundraising mandates exceeding US$2.6 billion, working with governments, central banks, development finance institutions, multinational partners and private-sector clients. She previously held senior roles at CalBank PLC and, more recently, provided financial advisory and consultancy services in the energy and agribusiness sectors.
Her career is distinguished by her ability to translate strategy into action. She has played pivotal roles in establishing new business units, fortifying governance and risk frameworks, implementing digital and process improvements, and integrating environmental, social and governance practices into core business operations.
Reliability as an operating discipline
The Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer of the bank, Dr Philip Oti-Mensah, said reliability is not a slogan but an operating discipline that must be built, measured and delivered every single day.
"Justina Laing has dedicated her career to transforming ambitious strategies into disciplined results across multi-billion-dollar mandates, new business units, and strengthened governance. As COO, she completes our leadership team and will ensure UMB delivers on its promises. This is precisely what is required to be Ghana's most reliable relationship bank," he said.
The bank said its transformation focuses on enhancing customer experience, improving operational efficiency and deepening client relationships, each of which is ultimately achieved or missed in operations.
As COO, Ms Laing will oversee the bank's operations, technology and process functions, driving efficiency, service quality, governance and risk discipline across the organisation.
Commitment to excellence
Beyond her executive career, Ms Laing serves as a Non-Executive Director on several boards and is respected for her integrity, collaborative leadership style and commitment to long-term value creation. She holds a master's degree in Agribusiness from the University of Florida.
"I am delighted to join the UMB team at this exciting stage of the Bank's journey. I look forward to working closely with my colleagues across the Bank to deliver excellent customer experiences, strengthen our relationships with customers, and contribute to UMB's continued growth and success. Together, I believe we can build on the progress already made and take the Bank to the next level," she said.
The bank said that since 1972, it has built its reputation on supporting its customers and communities when it matters most, and that with Ms Laing's appointment, it strengthens this legacy with the operational leadership required to continue delivering on this commitment.
Universal Merchant Bank is a leading indigenous Ghanaian bank with over 50 years of experience providing customer-focused financial solutions to individuals, businesses and institutions. It operates 35 branches nationwide, dedicated business centres, enhanced digital platforms including the UMB SpeedApp and a 24-hour contact centre.