The Board of the Universal Merchant Bank (UMB) today announced Samuel Sakyi-Hyde as the acting CEO of the Bank. He is expected to continue to drive the growth strategy of the Bank, as the process of executive succession is secured, within regulatory and statutory guidelines.

Sakyi-Hyde is a leading Ghanaian banker with almost 3 decades of experience. His career track includes periods at UniCredit Ghana Limited where he served as the Chief Executive Officer.

He has since 2019 served as General Manager, Consumer Banking at UMB, where he is recognized and acclaimed for bringing the Consumer Banking Division of the Bank into the black for the first time in a decade.

Speaking on the appointment, Mr. George Smith Graham, Board Chairman at UMB said “Sakyi-Hyde comes to the role as part of the succession protocol being deployed, as Nana Dwemoh Benneh proceeds to retire from the Bank. It is a testament to the robust governance framework we have in place and it is anticipated that the growth strategy and trajectory we have in place will continue seamlessly.”

Samuel Sakyi-Hyde in his comments said “I am humbled by the appointment and look forward to contributing to the Bank’s 50-year heritage of positive impact in this market. Our brand is strong and the fundamentals of our business are healthy.  #UMBUnited will continue to vigorously pursue our growth strategy of achieving dominance in SME and prioritise a digital-led offering. Overall, I am glad to lead a team that has been committed to delivering a uniquely Ghanaian perspective to world-class banking, since 1972.”

UMB is a leading indigenous bank reputed for bringing a uniquely Ghanaian perspective to banking, since 1972. Headquartered in Accra and licensed by the Bank of Ghana, the Bank operates out of 35 branches across Ghana. Its strategic aspiration is to become a digital - 1st, SME-focused bank. The bank has pioneered several innovations in this market, including the UMB SPEEDAPP, one of the best-performing agnostic banking apps in the sub-region.