Managing Director
Corporate Advisory Group
Global Corporate & Investment Banking
MUFG
New York, N.Y.
Joanita Ricketts is a passionate advocate of diversity, equity and inclusion at Mitsubishi UFJ Financial Group (MUFG), one of the world’s leading financial groups. “I have been in banking for over two decades and continue to be the only Black or woman in the room in many instances. I have the opportunity and the platform to change that,” explains Ricketts.
She is a managing director in the Corporate Advisory Group within MUFG’s Global Corporate & Investment Banking division, providing strategic advice around multibillion-dollar M&A transactions and capital structure solutions to clients, and financial sponsor in the multiple sectors.
Aligned with her dedication to diversity, equity, and inclusion, Ricketts co-leads the Inclusion and Diversity Council for MUFG’s Global Corporate & Investment Banking and Global Markets divisions in the Americas; leads the Howard University recruiting team; serves as senior advisor to the firm’s Black employee resource group; and is a member of the firm-wide Executive Inclusion and Diversity Council. “I want to create more room for people like me to thrive,” she remarks.
Prior to joining MUFG, Ricketts was a founding member of the CleanTech investment banking group at Jefferies leading execution for over 30 transactions for clients in the U.S., Canada, China, and India. She also worked at Bear Stearns, Canaccord Genuity, Credit Lyonnais Securities, and Wachovia.
Ricketts earned a bachelor’s degree in business administration with a concentration in international business from Howard University and a master’s degree in applied economics from Johns Hopkins University. She is an avid traveler her passport bears stamps from more than 50 countries – and runner. “Running is my alone time with myself, my thoughts, my dreams. It is when I have my best conversations with God. It keeps me grounded, happy, and healthy. I also run to inspire others to seek balance and stay healthy,” she says.
