The automotive industry charity Ben has overhauled its senior leadership team as part of its new strategic direction.
The charity provides financial support and facilities to people who are working or have worked in the automotive industry.
Ben has announced its former chief executive Zara Ross, who agreed to stay on for a short period as its transfer programme director after stepping down from the top job last year, has left the charity.
Gary Burgham, human resources director, has also stepped down, and Jonathan Cox, finance director, has resigned from his role but will remain with Ben for a period to support the final stages of the transfer process of its care and village services to new providers, the charity said.
Ben has appointed Martin Smith as its director of finance and he will lead the charity’s finance, technology, and data and insights teams.
Smith will also oversee charitable impact on an interim basis and work closely with chief executive Rachel Clift to support the operational delivery of Ben’s frontline support and specialist services, the charity said.
Matt Wiggington has been appointed as Ben’s director of growth and development.
“Since joining Ben in 2015, Matt has led the charity’s partnership and fundraising teams, drawing on extensive experience from both commercial and non-profit sectors,” the charity said.
“In his new role, Matt will lead Ben’s growth strategy for income generation through fundraising and business development activity, focusing on deepening engagement across the industry.”
Ellen Plumer has been appointed as the charity’s head of awareness and experience.
She has been with Ben for a decade in several senior management roles, most recently overseeing the charity’s marketing, communications and outreach activity.
Sarah D’Addio has been promoted to head of human resources role after being Ben’s interim HR manager since 2023.
“With over two decades of HR experience, spanning both strategic and operational HR, she brings a broad and balanced HR perspective, shaped by hands-on leadership in fast-paced environments,” the charity said.
Clift said each new appointment will bring “unique strengths, deep knowledge and an unwavering commitment to Ben’s mission”.
She said: “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.”
Clift paid tribute to the departing staff for their “outstanding contributions” during a time of “immense change and transition”.
She said: “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.”
A spokesperson for the charity said nobody had been made redundant in the course of the changes.