Dupe Olusola, until recently the Chief Executive Officer of Transcorp Hotels PLC, has emerged as one of the most compelling voices in Nigerian corporate leadership. Her time at the helm was marked by impressive financial transformation, as well as a deep commitment to authentic leadership and the advancement of women in business.
Under Olusola’s leadership, Transcorp Hotels experienced a remarkable turnaround. In 2019, the company recorded ₦20.4 billion in revenue. By 2024, that figure had surged to ₦70.1 billion. She led the company out of a post-COVID loss of ₦8.9 billion and into a ₦22.6 billion profit. Yet beyond the numbers, her tenure reflected a more profound mission empowering women to lead with clarity, confidence, and conviction.
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Olusola believes leadership is not just about competence, but about character, storytelling, and authenticity. She views personal branding as an expression of one’s values, voice, and vision. “It’s not something you create overnight,” she said. “It’s something you live out every day.”
She encourages women to lead from a place of truth and be intentional about aligning their real-life presence with their digital persona. “You must tell your story on your own terms,” she said. “Your brand should reflect who you truly are, not a curated version of what you think people want to see.”
A key theme in her message is the importance of knowing and communicating your value. Olusola urges women to conduct honest self-assessments and enter negotiation rooms fully prepared. “Oftentimes, women are shortchanged. That’s the reality,” she said. “The key is to arm yourself with the facts, your performance metrics, your wins, and your value-add to the organization.”
She advocates for cultivating a trusted 360-degree circle of feedback that includes peers, juniors, and seniors. “Sometimes the very thing you didn’t think you were good at is what others see as your superpower. Own it and run with it.”
In a business environment where many women are told to remain quiet about their accomplishments, Olusola is a strong advocate for intentional visibility rooted in authenticity. She acknowledges that many professionals shy away from building personal brands due to how it might be perceived in traditional corporate spaces. However, she emphasizes that one’s brand should grow naturally from who they are, not from external expectations.
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She began her own personal branding journey with a private social media account, only going public two years into her CEO role. “It wasn’t a performance, it was organic,” she said. “And because I stayed true to myself, I didn’t have to struggle with keeping up an image.”
To young women in business, Olusola offers a challenge stop second-guessing yourselves. She believes in the power of self-awareness and self-belief. “You’re in that room for a reason. You were hired because you’re good enough. Don’t let doubt make you shrink,” she said. “You can be excellent, visible, and bold. You can work hard and still show up in your full personality. That’s leadership. That’s legacy.”
