Dr Tessy Ojo CBE

Global Civil Society Leader | Chief Executive, The Diana Award | Founder, Tessy’s Brunches | Board Director | Author

Dr Tessy Ojo CBE is one of the United Kingdom’s most respected and strategically influential civil society leaders. With more than 25 years of senior leadership across government partnership, global philanthropy, institutional governance and grassroots community building, she operates at the intersection of power, purpose and public trust.

She is Chief Executive of The Diana Award, the only charity established in memory of Diana, Princess of Wales. Under her leadership, the organisation has grown income by over 400 percent, expanded into more than 40 countries, and become an internationally recognised authority on youth leadership, wellbeing and social action.

Her work involves close partnership with senior government leaders, global corporations, foundations and members of the British Royal Family, helping steward Princess Diana’s humanitarian legacy into a modern global movement for young people.

In 2020, Tessy was appointed Commander of the Order of the British Empire (CBE) by Her Late Majesty Queen Elizabeth II in recognition of her national and international service to children and young people. In 2019, she became the first British national to receive the Martin Luther King Jr. Award in Atlanta, recognising her humanitarian leadership and commitment to justice and equality.

Strategic Leadership and Systems Change

Tessy’s leadership is defined by systems thinking and delivery discipline. Her early career in STEM and the private sector, including roles at IBM and Borders UK, shaped her commercial rigour and operational clarity. After completing an MBA in Third Sector Management and later a PhD in Business Administration, she transitioned into civil society with a deliberate focus on governance, accountability and sustainable growth.

Since becoming CEO in 2012, she has:

Transformed The Diana Award into a financially resilient, globally respected institution

Embedded youth voice across governance, strategy and programme design

Built long-term partnerships across government, philanthropy and corporate sectors

Positioned youth wellbeing as a leadership and policy priority internationally

Her ability to bridge institutional power and lived experience has made her a trusted adviser at the highest levels of public life.

Public Appointments and Governance

Tessy holds a number of senior non-executive and advisory roles. She is:

Co-Chair of the #iwill Fund Leadership Board, a flagship cross-sector partnership between government and civil society

A Board Member of Comic Relief

An Executive Member of the UK Council for Child Internet Safety

A former member of the BBC Appeals Advisory Committee

A founding member of the Royal Taskforce on Cyberbullying

Her governance work reflects deep experience in public accountability, cross-sector collaboration and balancing commercial, philanthropic and community priorities.

Founder, Tessy’s Brunches

Alongside her institutional leadership, Tessy is the Founder and President of Tessy’s Brunches, a growing global platform focused on women’s leadership, identity, confidence and belonging.

Through curated events, retreats and digital dialogue, Tessy’s Brunches creates psychologically safe spaces where women can tell the truth about ambition, transition and growth. The platform reflects Tessy’s belief that leadership must be both structural and personal. She works at boardroom level and community level simultaneously, ensuring that systems change and human transformation remain connected.

Author and Public Voice

Tessy is also the co-creator of ReWire, a transformative toolkit designed to support women navigating change, complexity and growth. Grounded in social and emotional learning, the framework combines reflective practice with practical tools for resilience and renewal.

She is a trusted commentator on youth culture, mental health, leadership, governance and the evolving role of civil society. Her voice carries both institutional credibility and lived authenticity.

Leadership Philosophy

At the heart of Tessy’s work is a clear conviction: sustainable change happens when institutions listen, when partnerships are built on trust, and when those closest to the issue are placed at the centre of solutions.

She leads with clarity, courage and care. She understands how power works, how systems move, and how culture shifts. Whether convening global partners, advising government, stewarding a royal legacy or mentoring women leaders, she brings strategic precision and moral conviction in equal measure.

Dr Tessy Ojo CBE is not only a commentator on leadership and social impact. She is an architect of it.