Ben has confirmed a series of senior appointments and leadership changes as it embarks on a new strategic direction focused exclusively on health and wellbeing for people working in the automotive industry.
Martin Smith has joined as director of finance, governance & impact, with responsibility for finance, technology, and data & insights. He will also oversee Ben’s charitable impact functions on an interim basis, working alongside chief executive Rachel Clift to support frontline support and specialist services. Smith brings more than 20 years’ experience in the charity sector, largely in finance director roles for benevolent organisations.
Matt Wigginton, a long-standing member of the executive team since 2015, has moved into the newly created position of director of growth & development. He will lead income generation through fundraising and business development, with a focus on strengthening industry engagement.
Meanwhile, Ellen Plumer has been appointed to the new role of head of awareness & experience. A decade into her tenure with Ben, Plumer continues to lead marketing, communications and outreach, while also taking on the expanded brief of enhancing stakeholder experience and raising awareness of Ben’s services.
In HR, Sarah D’Addio has been named head of HR after serving as interim HR manager since 2023. With over 20 years of HR experience, she brings a mix of strategic and operational insight from fast-paced environments.
The restructure follows the departure of HR director Gary Burgham and transfer programme director Zara Ross, both of whom played key roles in guiding Ben through the divestment of its care and village services. Finance director Jonathan Cox has also stepped down but will remain with the organisation temporarily to support the final stages of that transfer.
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.”
