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Im Gespräch mit / Talking With Brigitte Handlos

Tara is the founder and CEO of „House of Tara International, “a professional cosmetics enterprise in Nigeria with 17 branches throughout Africa. She is a major force in the Nigerian female entrepreneurship community qualifying thousands of young Nigerian women to follow her steps as a cosmetic entrepreneur.

This might be one of the reasons why the Austrian Chamber of Commerce in Lagos became interested in her and invited her to an African-Austrian business talk in Vienna. Imma Baumgartner was so impressed by the inspirational keynote speech that she wanted to know more about Tara. Having dinner together resulted in their profound friendship.

„My sons will come back from studying abroad to Nigeria because we have a lot to do.“

Tara Fela Durotoye is among Africa's fifty most powerful women (Forbes) and a role model for many African females. When she walks through Lagos, Imma tells us, she is often recognized, and many call her Mama Tara. The economics graduate received several awards, such as “Most Outstanding Business Woman of the Year” in 2018. She has completed programs at Harvard and Stanford Universities and runs her own academy, where she shares her knowledge of entrepreneurship with thousands of young women.

She lives in Lagos, Nigeria with her husband and three children, with two sons currently studying in England and the USA respectively. „But they will return to Nigeria soon because we have much to do,“ says Tara Fela-Durotoye.

Imma went to Lagos in December 2021 and the two women bonded again. Imma Baumgartner, who originally comes from Tyrol and studied law in Austria, is a very successful businesswoman in her own right. Aside from running her own communications and event agency, she is the founder of her own fashion label „time4Africa“, producing Austrian fashion made from African fabrics.

Imma had fallen in love with Africa a long time ago. She used to live in Kenya for a while but returned to Austria for a career in law and politics. But her love for Africa took her on various trips around the continent. Now she says she is sure that „I am more a West African person“.

She participated in fashion shows in West Africa and constantly searched for new interesting fabrics there.

Fashion and cosmetics go very well together, so what can be more productive than cooperation between inspirational women like Imma and Tara? But listen for yourself!