Tristia Harrison, chief executive of TalkTalk, has been announced as the new chair of trustees for national homelessness charity, Crisis.
Tristia brings years of PLC leadership, marketing and digital experience, as well as a passion for tackling inequality, having spent almost a decade as a Trustee at Comic Relief. She will join the charity’s Board of Trustees in July, before replacing outgoing chair Steve Holliday, whose term comes to an end in September.
This role builds on Tristia’s work at TalkTalk leading community engagement in the North West following the HQ move to Salford, supporting those living in poverty and from disadvantaged backgrounds including foodbanks and other projects.
Steve became Crisis’ chair in 2011 and during his nine-year term has overseen the expansion of Crisis’ services across Great Britain; the success of the ‘No One Turned Away’ campaign which resulted in the landmark Homelessness Reduction Act 2017; and the charity’s Plan to End Homelessness outlining how homelessness can be tackled for good across Great Britain.
Tristia’s appointment comes as Crisis steps up its efforts to end homelessness in the wake of the extraordinary efforts to provide safe accommodation to thousands of people sleeping rough during the coronavirus pandemic.
Tristia Harrison said: “I’m thrilled to be joining the board at Crisis, and to have the opportunity to make a real difference to people’s lives. I share the firm belief that everyone should have a safe and settled place to call home. During the pandemic we’ve seen that ending homelessness is not only possible, but something we can make a reality by working together. I look forward to joining the fantastic team and getting started on this vital work at such an important time.”
Jon Sparkes, chief executive of Crisis, said: “We’re delighted to announce Tristia’s appointment to the Board. Since the start of the outbreak, we’ve seen Governments, charities and communities take remarkable action to tackle homelessness and we’re excited to have Tristia join us at this crucial moment as we step up our efforts to end homelessness.
“I’d also like to say a huge thank you to Steve for playing such a pivotal role in helping to shape Crisis into the organisation it is today.”
Steve Holliday said: “Although it is with sadness that my term is finished, I’m pleased to be handing over the reins to Tristia. I’ve thoroughly enjoyed working with such a strong board of trustees and I’m so proud of the team at Crisis for its commitment to supporting people experiencing homelessness, and towards ending homelessness for good. This mission was what drove me to join Crisis in the first place. I look forward to continuing to follow and support Crisis’ work as they seek to bring about the end of homelessness in the wake of the coronavirus pandemic."
Notes to editor
About Crisis
Crisis is the national charity for homeless people. We help people directly out of homelessness, and campaign for the social changes needed to solve it altogether. We know that together we can end homelessness.
Tristia Harrison - Biography
Tristia Harrison will be appointed as Chair of Crisis in September 2020, after joining the board of trustees in July.
Tristia been the CEO of TalkTalk Group Plc since March 2017, having previously served as Managing Director of TalkTalk’s consumer business. TalkTalk is the UK’s largest provider of affordable broadband, serving 10 million consumers, 4.2 million premises and businesses of all sizes across the country.
She has developed TalkTalk’s community engagement programme in the North West since moving the business’ HQ to Salford in 2019, including partnerships with local foodbanks and other community projects to help disadvantaged families and children in the area. Tristia is an Independent Non-Executive Director at Next Plc and an Honorary Trustee at the national charity Ambitious about Autism. She is also a member of the CEO board and a founder member of the industry campaign against online harms, Internet Matters.
From May 2011 to June 2020, she served as a Trustee at Comic Relief, whilst there she chaired their Commercial and Technology board as well as advising on marketing and communications campaign for Sport Relief and Red Nose Day as well as most recently The Big Night In, raising funds for charities in the wake of COVID-19.
Tristia has held a number of senior management and executive positions in The Carphone Warehouse and TalkTalk Group, having first joined CPW in 2000.
Tristia is married with two teenage sons and splits her time between TalkTalk’s HQ in the North West, and London.