Tristia Harrison receives DBE for services to telecommunications

Tristia Harrison, Group CEO of TalkTalk Group has received a Damehood for services to telecommunications in His Majesty King Charles III’s New Year’s Honours List.

With over 20 years in the sector, and over seven as CEO of TalkTalk Group, the official citation refers to Tristia’s time “leading the UK’s only scale affordable broadband provider through the pandemic, providing critical national infrastructure to keep millions of customers connected.” It also refers to the “significant attention” she has dedicated to “recruiting, promoting and inspiring more women into the technology sector, something for which she was awarded an honorary doctorate from the University of Salford in 2022.”

Tristia’s commitment to charitable work was also reflected in the nomination, including her current role as Chair of Trustees at Crisis (the National Homelessness Charity) and over 10 years on the Board of Comic Relief, as well as her roles as Honorary Trustee at Ambitious about Autism and co-founder and CEO Board member at Internet Matters, the online safety charity.

In recognition, Tristia Harrison, CEO of TalkTalk Group, commented:

“I am humbled to have been nominated for this honour. I have spent over 20 years in Telecoms and as a team at TalkTalk we have been proud to champion affordable connectivity, invest in Greater Manchester and encourage more women into telecoms and technology.

“I have also had the great privilege to work with some extraordinary charities including Ambitious About Autism, Comic Relief, and Crisis (the National Homelessness Charity) where today I Chair the Board of Trustees.

“I would like to thank everyone at TalkTalk, in UK telecoms and across the various charities I’ve worked with for this prestigious recognition.”

Sir Charles Dunstone, Chairman of TalkTalk Group, said:

“Tristia has been central to UK telecoms over the last 20 years. She and the team have worked tirelessly to bring affordable connectivity to the UK and to challenge the status quo on behalf of customers. In addition, recognition of Tristia's work to invest in Greater Manchester and centralise TalkTalk’s activities there alongside encouraging more women into technology make this award extremely well deserved.

“Tristia has combined this career with work to support a wide variety of charities. Including most recently Chairing the Board of Trustees for Crisis (the National Homelessness Charity).

“On behalf of the Board, and everyone at TalkTalk I would like to congratulate Tristia for this richly deserved honour.”

Official citation: New Year Honours List 2024

TRISTIA HARRISON

Tristia has led TalkTalk, the UK’s only scale affordable broadband provider, through the pandemic providing critical national infrastructure to keep millions of customers connected; connecting Nightingale hospitals at pace - as well as ensuring colleagues and customers could work from home effectively.

She has dedicated significant attention to recruiting, promoting and inspiring more women into the technology sector, something for which she was awarded an honorary doctorate from the University of Salford in 2022.

She is also a Non-Executive Director at UK fashion retailer Next.

Tristia is the current Chair of Trustees at Crisis, the national homelessness charity, which has raised major donations while she has been in the chair. She spent a decade on the board of Comic Relief and advised on marketing campaigns for Sport Relief and Red Nose Day. She is also a co-founder and on the CEO board of Internet Matters, the children’s online safety charity. Tristia is also an honorary Trustee at Ambitious About Autism.