James T Tarpeh II, MBA

James T. Tarpeh II is the Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of Tarpeh Global Initiative (TGI), where he is leading a bold effort to reshape the energy landscape in Liberia and across West Africa. A visionary change agent, Tarpeh is driven by a singular mission: to transform the balance of power—both literally through energy infrastructure and figuratively through economic access, opportunity, and self-determination. Under his leadership, TGI is advancing large-scale power generation, and infrastructure projects designed to fuel sustainable growth, unlock industry, and empower communities across the region.

Tarpeh’s journey to this moment is grounded in a multidisciplinary career spanning finance, real estate, and operations. He is the Executive Director of the Morehouse Real Estate Institute and an Adjunct Professor of Investment Finance and Real Estate Finance at Morehouse College, where he is building a premier pipeline of diverse talent into the commercial real estate industry. He began his career as a Marketing Analyst with AXA Advisors and later served as an Investment Advisor with Chase Securities, building a strong foundation in capital markets and client advisory. He went on to serve as a Commercial Banker with JPMorgan and Bank of America, structuring complex real estate transactions, and held both operations and real estate leadership roles with Waffle House, overseeing multi-state development. He also played a key role in launching an Amazon fulfillment center, bringing large-scale operational execution and infrastructure delivery expertise to his portfolio.

A proud Liberian American, Tarpeh’s work is deeply personal. He is inspired by the legacy of his parents—former Minister of Education, Etmonia David Tarpeh, and the late Ambassador Dr. James T. Tarpeh—whose lives were dedicated to service, leadership, and national development. Their example instilled in him a lifelong commitment to building institutions that uplift people and transform nations. Through TGI and his broader work, Tarpeh is not only developing infrastructure—he is helping to power a new future for Liberia and the continent.

A proud father of Johrdyn, Layla, Sidrah, and James Davis, James holds a Master’s in Business Administration with a concentration in Finance from Southern Methodist University in Dallas, TX, and a Bachelor’s Degree in Banking and Finance from Morehouse College in Atlanta, GA.