On Saturday, September 12, 2026, Universal Merchant Bank (UMB) CEO Dr Philip Oti‑Mensah was presented with the Alumni Achievement Award at the 10th Anniversary edition of the 40 Under 40 Awards Ghana, held at the Kempinski Hotel Gold Coast City in Accra.
The award recognises alumni of the 40 Under 40 programme who have continued to lead, innovate and impact their industries over the past decade. Dr Oti‑Mensah, who was named among Ghana’s 40 Under 40 leaders in 2017 and 2018 while serving as the founding CEO of OmniBank, became the youngest bank founding CEO at the time.
With a career spanning more than twenty years in banking and development finance, Dr Oti‑Mensah has held senior roles including Deputy CEO of ProCredit Ghana, CEO of Union Savings & Loans and OmniBank, and Executive Director and COO of OmniBSIC Bank. He has also served as a Non‑Executive Director of ProCredit Bank Congo and as a management consultant to FINCA Bank in Tanzania.
Under his leadership, UMB has embarked on a strategic transformation agenda, expanding digital capabilities, strengthening customer experience and building a culture of speed, innovation and execution. The bank recently became the first in Ghana approved by the Bank of Ghana and the Securities and Exchange Commission to offer virtual accounts to businesses within the virtual asset ecosystem.
Dr Oti‑Mensah said the award was a meaningful recognition of his early achievements and the sustained impact of his leadership. He thanked the organisers and reflected on his journey, noting that awards celebrate individual achievement but also the broader purpose of supporting Ghana’s private sector growth.
