TalkTalk boss Dido Harding steps down

Tristia Harrison, who is currently a managing director at the company and has worked for TalkTalk for seven years, will take over as chief executive

Ms Harding in 2015 ushered TalkTalk through a major cyber attack which divulged the personal data of thousands of customers (PA)

Shares in TalkTalk rose nearly 8 per cent on Wednesday after the company announced that chief executive Dido Harding is stepping down in May after seven years in the job.

Ms Harding said: “After seven extraordinary and fulfilling years, during which we have transformed TalkTalk’s customer experience and laid the foundations for long-term growth, I’ve decided it’s time for me to start handing over the reins at TalkTalk and focus more on my activities in public service.”

From May, Tristia Harrison, who is currently a managing director at the company and has also worked for TalkTalk for seven years, will take over from Ms Harding as chief executive.

Charles Bligh, who has been at the company for five years, will become chief operating officer. Both Ms Harrison and Mr Bligh have been on the board of TalkTalk since 2014.

Charles Dunstone will assume the role of executive chairman after stepping down as chairman of Dixons Carphone.

Ms Harding in 2015 ushered TalkTalk through a major cyber attack which divulged the personal data of thousands of customers and dealt a serious blow to profits. In the wake of that security breach, she attracted criticism for being awarded a huge rise.

On Wednesday, the company also reported a 5.4 per cent drop in third quarter on-net revenue.