Tessy Ojo CBE

Tessy Ojo CBE is an inspirational and creative Civil Society Leader experienced in driving change and redefining outcomes for children and young people through innovative approaches to age old problems. She is the Chief Executive of The Diana Award - a charity legacy to Diana, Princess of Wales' belief in the power that young people have to change the world, with the right support. The charity's mission is to foster and develop positive change in the lives of young people. The charity benefits from the support of Their Royal Highnesses, The Duke of Cambridge and The Duke of Sussex, as well as the Office of the UK Prime Minister as a Patron. With over twenty years in third sector leadership and in-depth knowledge of working with young people and across the world, Tessy played a founding role in the building and sustainability of the charity, bringing strategic clarity and innovative approaches leading to a 360 degree turnaround of the charity's growth and global industry recognition. Tessy is a passionate humanitarian and campaigner who has gained international reputation for work around social inequality. At the heart of her work is the belief that with the right support and investment, young people are the best instigators for achieving real, sustainable change in their lives, their communities and the wider society. In 2019, Tessy became the very first British National to be honoured with The Prestigious Martin Luther King Award in Atlanta, in recognition of her innovative approach to leadership and humanitarian work. She was also named by British Airways, alongside other key notable leaders, as one of the top 100 British Leaders www.britishairways.com/100 Tessy seats on a number of non-Executive boards including Chairing the #iwill Leadership board alongside a young person, The BBC's Appeals Advisory Committee, Comic Relief, The Royal Taskforce on Cyberbullying and the UK Council For Child Internet Safety. Tessy has been married to her husband Stephen for 24years and together they have two children, aged 22 and 20.