Dupe Olusola is the Managing Director/CEO of Transcorp Hotels Plc, which is considered to be the leading hospitality brand in Africa, and is the proud owner of the award-winning Transcorp Hilton Hotel in Abuja and Transcorp Hotels in Calabar. Before assuming her current role, she served as the Group Marketing Director at United Bank for Africa where she cherished working with an excellent team. Additionally, she held the position of Chief Executive Officer at Teragro Commodities Limited, a Nigeria-based agricultural company and the agribusiness subsidiary of Transnational Corporation of Nigeria Plc (now Transnational Corporation Plc) which she was appointed to in 2014.
Journey to Achieving Proficiency
Dupe always had a strong desire to make a positive impact on African economies by creating employment opportunities and addressing poverty. From a young age, she was drawn to watching CNN and keeping up with global events. This led her to study economics at the University of Leicester and then specialize in development Economics, focusing her thesis on the impact of aid and trade on growth in developing economies.
After obtaining her degrees, Dupe worked with Bloomberg and Northern Trust in the United Kingdom before returning to Nigeria. In Nigeria, she worked with SecTrust (now Afrinvest) and Africa’s leading Private Equity Firm SME Manager/African Capital Alliance. She then joined the Investor Relations department of the UBA group in 2008 before eventually becoming the Director of Resources at Transcorp in January 2010.
Transcorp Hotels Plc.
Transcorp Hotels Plc is a subsidiary of Transnational Corporation Plc, a diversified conglomerate with interests in the Power, Hospitality, and Oil & Gas sectors. Transcorp Hotels Plc was established in Nigeria on July 12, 1994, and is responsible for managing prestigious properties such as the Transcorp Hilton Abuja, Transcorp Hotels Calabar, and Aura by Transcorp Hotels, an online booking platform for homes, hotels, and experiences.
With over 30 years of experience in the hospitality industry, Transcorp Hotels’ brands are uniquely identifiable and collectively powerful. The company’s expanding portfolio of award-winning and innovative brands ensures superior guest experiences across its key locations and all touchpoints. The hotels have hosted numerous notable personalities, making them destination venues for business leaders and celebrities visiting Nigeria. Transcorp Hotels has undergone notable changes since its inception in 1994 and has achieved significant milestones.
Leading Nigerian Hospitality Service Provider
Transcorp Hotels Plc is a leading hospitality company in Africa and is listed on the Nigerian Exchange Group (NGX). The company owns the Transcorp Hilton Abuja, which is Africa’s premier business hotel. However, in response to the pandemic, Transcorp Hilton Abuja introduced innovative strategies that enabled it to cater to a wider range of guests, including those in the leisure segment, leading the way in serving the rapidly growing Bleisure market. The company also owns Aura by Transcorp Hotels, a rapidly expanding digital platform for booking hotels, apartments, and experiences. Launched in 2021 as part of the company’s asset-light strategy, Aura by Transcorp Hotels is helping to accelerate growth and expand into new markets. The platform currently offers over 5,000 rooms across different hotels and apartments nationwide, and the company is leveraging technology to drive further expansion.
Transcorp Hotels Plc works closely with various stakeholders and introduces innovative offers to improve demand while expanding its business. In 2024, the company is set to deliver a world-class event center at Transcorp Hilton Abuja, while also developing a new five-star hotel in the heart of Lagos, the economic hub of Nigeria. With its commitment to innovation, technology, and customer satisfaction, Transcorp Hotels Plc is well-positioned to maintain its leadership position in the hospitality industry in Africa.
Leading with Passion and Confidence
Dupe is a dynamic, fearless, and joyful individual who savors life both in and outside of work. She believes in seizing every opportunity to learn and gain fresh experiences to become the best version of herself each day, reflecting her personal values of excellence, integrity, and kindness, as well as her family’s values. Dupe is convinced that nothing is impossible and that there is always a way to accomplish any goal, no matter how difficult it may seem. She has a confident and determined attitude towards challenges and is always eager to build and maintain strong relationships. While she can come across as tough and straightforward at times, it is always for the greater good, as she refuses to settle for anything less than the best in all that she does.
At Transcorp Hotels Plc, Dupe’s role involves providing strategic direction for Transcorp Hotels, including developing strategies and advising leaders on how to achieve the company’s goals. The company has cultivated a culture of excellence and enterprise, with motivated and self-driven employees who are supported with great working conditions, career progression opportunities, and new challenges to keep them motivated. Dupe finds joy in interacting with colleagues and family and seeing daily growth.
Values to Maintain a Culture of Integrity
Transcorp Hotels Plc’s organizational culture is founded on three core values: excellence, execution, and enterprise, which are commonly referred to as the three Es. These values form the foundation of the company’s beliefs and actions. At Transcorp Hotels Plc, the team strives for excellence by delivering real results through effective performance. It believes that enterprise is essential to innovation, and that integrity is key to executing with excellence, which involves ensuring that all stakeholders are committed to achieving the company’s shared goal.
Transcorp Hotels Plc’s core values are integral to its daily operations, and the company is committed to upholding them in all aspects of its business, including its standards of practice, team onboarding, and induction processes. These guiding principles are not limited to Transcorp Hotels Plc alone, as they are shared throughout the entire Transcorp Group. This has resulted in a strong culture of integrity and innovation, which has played a significant role in the company’s ongoing growth and success.
Success for Dupe
Dupe recognizes that success is a subjective concept that varies from person to person. To her, success is all about striving to be the best version of oneself and constantly pursuing growth in all areas to achieve exceptional results. For her, achieving success has been about living a well-rounded life that encompasses social, emotional, mental, physical, and financial aspects. She has always been willing to break boundaries and challenge the norm, both individually and as part of a team, to meet and surpass set goals. Dupe also values being teachable and open-minded to new learning experiences, as she believes that anyone can impart valuable knowledge. Being authentic is equally essential to her, and she strives to remain true to herself and her values. With the support of her family and team, Dupe has accomplished a great deal, and she continues to set new goals for herself, aiming to attain even greater success.
Always Try to Learn New
The advice from Dupe to aspiring leaders is that their team is there to provide support and that their success is intertwined with the success of the team. To achieve success, they must continue to push boundaries and shatter any perceived limitations. They should be willing to embrace opportunities, even if they fear failure, as taking a chance is better than not trying at all. It’s important to recognize that no one can accomplish everything alone, and networking and collaborating with others who share similar goals is key to achieving optimal growth. Developing strategic partnerships is also important for success.
Written by Steve Sanchez.
