Automotive charity Ben announces key changes
Automotive charity Ben has announced significant changes to its leadership team to steer a new strategic direction.
Martin Smith has been appointed as director of finance, governance and impact to oversee Charitable Impact on an interim basis, while Matt Wigginton has been named director of growth and development to lead fundraising and business development activity.
Meanwhile, Ellen Plumer has moved into the newly created role of head of awareness and experience. She has been with Ben for a decade, holding various senior management roles, and will now focus on significantly raising awareness and enhancing the user experience of Ben for all stakeholders.
Finally, Sarah D’Addio has been appointed as head of HR on a permanent basis after serving as interim HR manager since 2023.
Departures
The announcements come following the departures of Gary Burgham, HR director, and Zara Ross, former CEO. Jonathan Cox has also stepped down from his role as finance director.
Rachel Clift, CEO of Ben, said: “I want to extend my heartfelt thanks to Gary, Zara, and Jonathan for their outstanding contributions to Ben, especially during a time of immense change and transition. Their leadership and dedication have been instrumental in bringing us to this watershed moment in becoming a single-focused health and wellbeing charity dedicated to supporting the people who work, or have worked, in the automotive industry.
“I’m delighted to welcome Martin, Ellen, Matt, and Sarah to their new roles. They each bring unique strengths, deep knowledge, and an unwavering commitment to Ben’s mission.
“With our new senior leadership team in place, we are now very well-positioned to grow our impact and support even more people in our automotive family. I look forward to what we can achieve together in the next chapter of Ben’s evolution.”
