Universal Merchant Bank (UMB) has appointed Emmanuel Sackey as Group Head of Treasury, as it accelerates its strategic transformation and sharpens its financial markets capabilities.

The appointment forms part of UMB’s ongoing leadership evolution, following a series of senior appointments aimed at deepening expertise across key business segments and positioning the Bank for sustained growth in an increasingly dynamic banking and finance sector.

Emmanuel Sackey, a seasoned treasury and financial markets expert, brings over two decades of experience across Ghana and the wider African region.

He has built a distinguished career in treasury management, liquidity optimisation, foreign exchange markets, trading, and banking operations, with a strong track record of delivering sustainable growth, enhancing profitability, and ensuring regulatory compliance in complex market environments.

Prior to joining UMB, Emmanuel Sackey served on the executive management team at United Bank for Africa as Country Treasurer for Ghana and Regional Treasurer for Anglophone West Africa.

In these roles, he played a central role in executing group treasury strategies, driving regional performance, and strengthening governance and compliance frameworks.

His regional leadership experience also includes serving as Regional Treasurer for Eastern and Southern Africa, as well as Country Head of Treasury and a member of executive management in Tanzania.

During his tenure in Tanzania, Emmanuel Sackey led a significant turnaround of the treasury function, transforming a loss-making operation into an award-winning and consistently profitable business, delivering annual growth of over 100% through disciplined execution and innovative market strategies.

Earlier in his career, he held key treasury and banking roles at Bank of Africa Ghana and Amalgamated Bank Ghana, building a strong foundation in financial markets and banking operations.

Commenting on the appointment, Managing Director of the Bank, Dr Philip Oti-Mensah, said, "Emmanuel Sackey's appointment is a deliberate move to sharpen our competitive edge in financial markets.

"He brings a rare combination of deep market intelligence, execution discipline, and a proven ability to deliver superior performance in complex environments.

"As we scale our ambitions, his leadership will be instrumental in strengthening our treasury capabilities, optimising liquidity, positioning UMB as a dominant force in the market, and delivering sustainable value to our clients and wider stakeholders."

Emmanuel Sackey is a Chartered Banker from the Chartered Institute of Bankers, Ghana, and holds an MBA from the University of South Wales.

He earned a Bachelor of Science degree in Mechanical Engineering from the Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology (KNUST).

He completed his secondary education at Presbyterian Boys’ Secondary School (PRESEC), Legon. He also holds a Financial Markets Certificate from Yale University and an ACI Dealing Certificate.

Widely recognised for his strong leadership, strategic insight, and ability to build high-performing teams, Sackey brings deep expertise in treasury governance, risk management, and execution in financial markets.

His appointment underscores UMB’s continued investment in high-calibre talent and its commitment to strengthening core capabilities in treasury and financial markets as it expands its footprint across key sectors of the economy.