UMB appoints Justina Stella Laing as COO to advance its brand transformation agenda

Universal Merchant Bank (UMB) recently appointed Justina Stella Laing as its Chief Operating Officer (COO), a strategic move to advance the bank's brand transformation agenda. Laing brings a wealth of experience in the financial services sector, with over 18 years of leadership in operations, strategy, and financial initiatives across various industries.

She has successfully managed multi-billion-dollar portfolios and led financing and fundraising mandates exceeding $2.6 billion. Previously, Laing held senior roles at CalBank PLC and has provided financial advisory and consultancy services in the energy and agribusiness sectors. Her expertise in converting ambitious strategies into dependable results and her focus on reliability aligns with UMB's core values.

UMB's transformation strategy aims to enhance customer experience, improve operational efficiency, and deepen client relationships, all of which require strong operational leadership. Dr. Philip Oti-Mensah, UMB's Managing Director and CEO, emphasized that reliability is not just a slogan but an operating discipline that must be consistently delivered.

Laing's experience in establishing new business units, strengthening governance and risk frameworks, and driving digital and process improvements will be crucial in converting UMB's strategic direction into daily, scalable performance. In addition to her executive career, Laing serves as a Non-Executive Director on several boards, demonstrating her commitment to strategic perspective and sound governance.

She is known for her integrity, collaborative leadership style, and dedication to long-term value creation. Laing holds a master's degree in Agribusiness from the University of Florida. In her own words, Laing expressed her enthusiasm about joining the UMB team at this pivotal stage and her commitment to delivering excellent customer experiences, strengthening customer relationships, and contributing to UMB's continued growth and success.