Tara Fela Durotoye

Tara Fela Durotoye R.O.I is an activator, inspiring communicator, and visionary business leader whose life’s work continues to empower women and entrepreneurs across Africa.

A pioneer of the Nigerian beauty industry, she founded House of Tara International, establishing the country’s first makeup academy, the first indigenous makeup brand, and the first national chain of makeup specialty stores. Over 25 years, she built a sustainable enterprise that set the standard for excellence and innovation before successfully transitioning leadership to a new Managing Director in 2024.

She is also the founder of the Building Beyond You Institute, a business development and legacy hub equipping founders, visionaries, and executives to build systems, institutions, and brands that outlast them. Through her platform SEEP Africa, she is driving an ambitious goal to tackle unemployment by training and placing over one million sales professionals and entrepreneurs in sustainable careers and businesses across the continent.

Mrs Fela-Durotoye’s impact has been recognised both nationally and globally. She is a recipient of numerous awards, including the National Award of Excellence for Social Impact and Job Creation, a recognition by the Vice President of Nigeria and has been named by Forbes among Africa’s 20 Young Power Women and 50 Most Powerful Women in Africa. She was also the 2022 awardee of the International Women's Entrepreneurial Challenge (IWEC). A Young Global Leader of the World Economic Forum, Tara’s passion for mentoring founders and entrepreneurs continues to inspire a new generation of business leaders.

A graduate of the Lagos Business School, with an executive leadership program from INSEAD, Yale University, and the Harvard Kennedy School of Government, she is a member of the Royal Order of the Iwere Kingdom (ROI).

Beyond her professional accomplishments, Tara is married to Fela Durotoye and mother to three sons. Her life is a shining example of purpose, impact, and legacy.