Universal Merchant Bank (UMB) has appointed Justina Stella Laing as Chief Operating Officer (COO).
She will lead the operational engine driving UMB’s transformation, leveraging her proven track record of converting ambitious strategies into dependable results.
Justina 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 $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 ESG and sustainability practices into core business operations.
For UMB, this appointment underscores a core value of the Bank’s identity: reliability.
Reliability is an ongoing commitment delivered through well-executed processes, robust governance, capable personnel and systems that consistently serve customers. It is built into a bank’s operations—precisely where Justina’s experience will be invaluable.
Dr. Philip Oti-Mensah, Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer of UMB, commented on the appointment: “Reliability is not a slogan; it is 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.”
Turning Strategy into Delivery
UMB’s transformation focuses on enhancing customer experience, improving operational efficiency and deepening client relationships.
Each of these objectives is ultimately achieved or missed in operations—in how processes function, risks are managed, technology is used, and teams are led.
This is the foundation upon which Justina Laing has built her career. Her experience in establishing new business units, strengthening governance and risk frameworks and driving digital and process improvements provides UMB with an operator capable of converting strategic direction into daily, scalable performance.
As COO, Justina Laing will oversee the Bank’s operations, technology and process functions, driving efficiency, service quality, governance and risk discipline across the organisation.
Beyond her executive career, Justina Laing serves as a Non-Executive Director on several boards, offering strategic perspective and sound governance.
She is respected for her integrity, collaborative leadership style and commitment to long-term value creation.
She is also passionate about developing people and fostering environments where teams can perform at their best. She holds a master’s degree in Agribusiness from the University of Florida.
Commenting on her appointment, Justina Laing stated: “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.”
Since 1972, UMB has built its reputation on supporting its customers and communities when it matters most. With Justina’s appointment, the Bank strengthens this legacy with the operational leadership required to continue delivering on this commitment today and for years to come.