As she rises to the top, Owen Diana Omogiafo, the President and Group CEO of Transnational Corporation of Nigeria (Transcorp), keeps breaking down barriers.
After earning a bachelor’s degree in sociology and anthropology from the University of Benin, the Nigerian native went on to earn an MBA from Lagos Business School and a diploma in leadership from Harvard Business School, per the Duchess International Magazine.
Her career surged when she joined Accenture as a management consultant in 2004. After that, she changed careers and worked in banking, where she developed her operations management and strategic planning abilities. She eventually became Director of Resources at the United Bank for Africa (UBA), where she contributed to the development of the bank’s corporate strategy and culture.
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In July 2018, Omogiafo took over as Executive Director of Corporate Services at the Transnational Corporation of Nigeria (Transcorp Plc). In March 2020, she became the President and Group CEO of Transcorp Group, according to Nairametrics, making her the youngest CEO on the Nigerian Stock Exchange. Omogiafo was also the youngest and first female to occupy the position at Transcorp at age 39.
Beyond the corporate world, the mom-boss is an ardent supporter of women in leadership roles. Her message is that women can and should strive for the highest levels of corporate leadership. She does this by arranging mentorship programs and assisting women in navigating the difficulties encountered in male-dominated industries.
She also publicly supports the need for parent-friendly company practices, which is consistent with her larger goal of creating a welcoming workplace culture that values the many needs of its staff.
The 44-year-old, who was named one of Nigeria’s most influential businesswomen and one of Africa’s Top 100 Female CEOs, also became a member of the Chartered Institute of Personnel and Development in the United Kingdom, a Certified Change Manager with the Prosci Institute in the United States, and a member of the Board of Trustees of the Association of Power Generation Companies (APGC) in Nigeria. She is a member of the Institute of Directors (IoD), in Nigeria.
In her role as president, Omogiafo has guided Transcorp through projects to improve the distribution of energy with the help of technology and strategic partnerships. Producing measurable outcomes, she has gained acclaim as a leader capable of resolving complicated national conflicts.
She is still committed to her goal of making Transcorp the industry leader in profit and the model for corporate social responsibility in Africa.
With a $4 million stake in Transcorp Power Plc, Omogiafo’s leadership continues to inspire several businesses.
“From a very early age, I was made to believe that I can,” she told BusinessDay
“It is an honor to be part of something so great. Everyone did everything in togetherness and that made us all multitalented.”
