Dr. Philip Oti-Mensah, the Chief Executive Officer of Universal Merchant Bank (UMB), has urged graduates of the University of Professional Studies, Accra (UPSA) to prioritize building a life of character, usefulness, and meaning over the pursuit of titles. He emphasized that while a CV may list a person's work experience, their reputation reveals who they truly are. This advice was given during the First Session of UPSA's 18th Congregation Ceremony in Accra, where Dr. Oti-Mensah was the guest speaker.
Dr. Oti-Mensah stressed that in a world where qualifications are increasingly common, it is essential for graduates to strive for excellence, integrity, reliability, and the ability to get difficult things done. He noted that reputation is not built overnight, but rather through small, consistent decisions, such as keeping one's word, meeting deadlines, being prepared, treating people properly, and taking responsibility when things go wrong. These habits, he said, may seem ordinary but become extraordinary advantages when practiced faithfully.
The UMB CEO encouraged graduates to look beyond certificates and job titles and focus on the kind of people they become. He urged them to see Africa's challenges in education, healthcare, agriculture, financial inclusion, and infrastructure not as obstacles, but as opportunities. Dr. Oti-Mensah posed a crucial question: "When other people see a problem, ask yourself: what if this is an opportunity?" He emphasized that for a generation entering a world reshaped by technology, the question is no longer "Where can I find a job?" but "What value can I create?"
Dr. Oti-Mensah also advised graduates to study failure as carefully as success, pointing to survivorship bias, the tendency to focus on those who succeeded while overlooking the many people, businesses, and ideas that did not. He encouraged them to examine what went wrong and let it sharpen their future decisions, but never let failure become an identity. "A failed business is an event. A lost opportunity is an event. Neither defines who you are," he said.
The CEO emphasized that a career is not a race from one office to the next, but rather a journey with seasons for learning, developing judgment, and building relationships. He noted that the most valuable season is sometimes not the best-paid one, but the one in which one learns the most. Dr. Oti-Mensah also advised graduates to always remember those who had helped them, as success is rarely achieved alone.
Dr. Oti-Mensah reminded graduates that success is not complete if the people who helped them get there cannot feel some of its warmth. He added that it is a call to gratitude and responsibility: extending to someone else the hand once extended to them. He underlined that a reputation outlives the résumé and that titles disappear and organizations evolve, but a reputation can follow a person for a lifetime.
Ultimately, Dr. Oti-Mensah's message went beyond careers; he challenged graduates not merely to become executives, lawyers, or entrepreneurs, but people whose achievements mean something. As the Class of 2026 begins its next chapter, he left them with a charge that might outlast anything printed on their certificates: solve problems, learn from failure, pursue excellence, keep one's word, and build a reputation worth carrying one's name.
Key points
- Dr. Philip Oti-Mensah advises graduates to prioritize building a reputation over just a résumé.
- He encourages graduates to see Africa's challenges as opportunities and to focus on creating value.
- Dr. Oti-Mensah emphasizes the importance of character, integrity, and responsibility in building a lasting reputation.
