Dido Harding
Encyclopedia
The Hon. Diana "Dido" Harding is an English
businessperson
, the current Chief Executive of TalkTalk
.
Harding is the daughter of Lord Harding, and the grand daughter of Field Marshal
John Harding, 1st Baron Harding of Petherton
, who commanded the Desert Rats in World War II
. Raised on the family pig farm in Dorset
, she was educated at St Antony's Leweston
from 1978–85. She then graduated from the University of Oxford
in Philosophy, Politics and Economics, where she studied under Vernon Bogdanor
and alongside David Cameron
; and then at Harvard Business School
, gaining an MBA.
On graduation she joined management consultancy McKinsey & Company
. Leaving to become marketing director at Thomas Cook Group
, she was then appointed commercial director at Woolworths Group
. She then joined Tesco
within Sir Terry Leahy's
office as international support director, before being appointed commercial director of “added-value foods” in 2001.
Resigning her position in October 2007, she joined the Board of Directors
at Sainsbury's as Convenience Director
. She was named CEO of Talktalk, during the period when the group split its Carphone Warehouse retail operation from the group telecoms operation. She was appointed a non-executive director of British Land plc in January 2010.
In October 1995, she married John Penrose, now MP for Weston-super-Mare
. The couple have two children, and live in London
during the week, and Somerset on the weekends.
Harding is a keen horse racing
fanatic. A member of the Jockey Club
, in 1993 she borrowed £7,000 from her bank to buy an Irish thoroughbred, hoping to ride him in ladies' point-to-point races. In 1998, her horse Cool Dawn
won the 1998 Cheltenham Gold Cup
.
English people
The English are a nation and ethnic group native to England, who speak English. The English identity is of early mediaeval origin, when they were known in Old English as the Anglecynn. England is now a country of the United Kingdom, and the majority of English people in England are British Citizens...
businessperson
Businessperson
A businessperson is someone involved in a particular undertaking of activities for the purpose of generating revenue from a combination of human, financial, or physical capital. An entrepreneur is an example of a business person...
, the current Chief Executive of TalkTalk
TalkTalk
TalkTalk is a pay television, telecommunications and internet service provider company headquartered in London, United Kingdom...
.
Harding is the daughter of Lord Harding, and the grand daughter of Field Marshal
Field Marshal
Field Marshal is a military rank. Traditionally, it is the highest military rank in an army.-Etymology:The origin of the rank of field marshal dates to the early Middle Ages, originally meaning the keeper of the king's horses , from the time of the early Frankish kings.-Usage and hierarchical...
John Harding, 1st Baron Harding of Petherton
John Harding, 1st Baron Harding of Petherton
Field Marshal Allan Francis John Harding, 1st Baron Harding of Petherton, GCB, CBE, DSO, MC was a British Army officer and Governor of Cyprus from 1955 to 1957, Cyprus being a British colony at that time....
, who commanded the Desert Rats in World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
. Raised on the family pig farm in Dorset
Dorset
Dorset , is a county in South West England on the English Channel coast. The county town is Dorchester which is situated in the south. The Hampshire towns of Bournemouth and Christchurch joined the county with the reorganisation of local government in 1974...
, she was educated at St Antony's Leweston
St Antony's Leweston
Leweston School is a Catholic independent school for girls near Sherborne in Dorset, UK. It is the sister-school of St Teresa's School in Surrey. The school was founded as St Antony's school in 1891 by the Sisters of Christian Instruction....
from 1978–85. She then graduated from the University of Oxford
University of Oxford
The University of Oxford is a university located in Oxford, United Kingdom. It is the second-oldest surviving university in the world and the oldest in the English-speaking world. Although its exact date of foundation is unclear, there is evidence of teaching as far back as 1096...
in Philosophy, Politics and Economics, where she studied under Vernon Bogdanor
Vernon Bogdanor
Vernon Bogdanor, CBE, FBA is Research Professor at the Institute for Contemporary History at King's College London, and a Fellow of Brasenose College, University of Oxford. He is one of Britain's foremost constitutional experts and has written extensively on political and constitutional issues...
and alongside David Cameron
David Cameron
David William Donald Cameron is the current Prime Minister of the United Kingdom, First Lord of the Treasury, Minister for the Civil Service and Leader of the Conservative Party. Cameron represents Witney as its Member of Parliament ....
; and then at Harvard Business School
Harvard Business School
Harvard Business School is the graduate business school of Harvard University in Boston, Massachusetts, United States and is widely recognized as one of the top business schools in the world. The school offers the world's largest full-time MBA program, doctoral programs, and many executive...
, gaining an MBA.
On graduation she joined management consultancy McKinsey & Company
McKinsey & Company
McKinsey & Company, Inc. is a global management consulting firm that focuses on solving issues of concern to senior management. McKinsey serves as an adviser to many businesses, governments, and institutions...
. Leaving to become marketing director at Thomas Cook Group
Thomas Cook Group
Thomas Cook Group plc is a travel company created on 19 June, 2007 by the merger of Thomas Cook AG and MyTravel Group plc. At flotation on the London Stock Exchange 52% of the shares in the new company were held by the German mail order and department store corporation Arcandor and 48% owned by...
, she was then appointed commercial director at Woolworths Group
Woolworths Group
Woolworths Group plc was a listed British company that owned the high-street retail chain, Woolworths, as well as other brands such as the entertainment distributor Entertainment UK and book and resource distributor Bertram Books...
. She then joined Tesco
Tesco
Tesco plc is a global grocery and general merchandise retailer headquartered in Cheshunt, United Kingdom. It is the third-largest retailer in the world measured by revenues and the second-largest measured by profits...
within Sir Terry Leahy's
Terry Leahy
Sir Terry Leahy is a former CEO of Tesco, the largest British supermarket chain.He lives in Cuffley, Hertfordshire, with his wife, Alison and his three children.- Early life :...
office as international support director, before being appointed commercial director of “added-value foods” in 2001.
Resigning her position in October 2007, she joined the Board of Directors
Board of directors
A board of directors is a body of elected or appointed members who jointly oversee the activities of a company or organization. Other names include board of governors, board of managers, board of regents, board of trustees, and board of visitors...
at Sainsbury's as Convenience Director
Sainsbury's Local
Sainsbury’s Convenience Stores Ltd is a chain of 343 convenience stores operated by the UK's third largest supermarket chain Sainsbury's. Sainsbury's Local stores have different branding and fascia to the company's supermarkets.-History:In 1998, Sainsbury’s piloted its first Local store in...
. She was named CEO of Talktalk, during the period when the group split its Carphone Warehouse retail operation from the group telecoms operation. She was appointed a non-executive director of British Land plc in January 2010.
In October 1995, she married John Penrose, now MP for Weston-super-Mare
Weston-super-Mare
Weston-super-Mare is a seaside resort, town and civil parish in the unitary authority of North Somerset, which is within the ceremonial county of Somerset, England. It is located on the Bristol Channel coast, south west of Bristol, spanning the coast between the bounding high ground of Worlebury...
. The couple have two children, and live in London
London
London is the capital city of :England and the :United Kingdom, the largest metropolitan area in the United Kingdom, and the largest urban zone in the European Union by most measures. Located on the River Thames, London has been a major settlement for two millennia, its history going back to its...
during the week, and Somerset on the weekends.
Harding is a keen horse racing
Horse racing
Horse racing is an equestrian sport that has a long history. Archaeological records indicate that horse racing occurred in ancient Babylon, Syria, and Egypt. Both chariot and mounted horse racing were events in the ancient Greek Olympics by 648 BC...
fanatic. A member of the Jockey Club
Jockey Club
The Jockey Club is the largest commercial organisation in British horseracing. Although no longer responsible for the governance and regulation of the sport, it owns 14 of Britain's famous racecourses, including Aintree, Cheltenham and Newmarket, amongst other concerns such as the National Stud and...
, in 1993 she borrowed £7,000 from her bank to buy an Irish thoroughbred, hoping to ride him in ladies' point-to-point races. In 1998, her horse Cool Dawn
Cool Dawn
Cool Dawn was a National Hunt chaser of the 1990s who went from winning minor Point-to-Point races to winning the 1998 Cheltenham Gold Cup, the Blue Riband of National Hunt Racing.-1992/93 season:...
won the 1998 Cheltenham Gold Cup
Cheltenham Gold Cup
The Cheltenham Gold Cup is a Grade 1 National Hunt chase in the United Kingdom which is open to horses aged five years or older. It is run on the New Course at Cheltenham over a distance of about 3 miles and 2½ furlongs , and during its running there are twenty-two fences to be jumped...
.