12:09 pm, August 14, 2024
Automotive industry charity Ben has appointed Rachel Clift as its new CEO.
She will step up from being the health and wellbeing director to take over from Zara Ross on November 1.
Ross, who has been Ben’s chief executive since July 2016, will be retiring.
During her tenure as CEO, Ross’s accomplishments have included navigating the organisation through major challenges including the pandemic, and overseeing a refit of Ben’s Town Thorns Care Centre.
She will continue to work with Ben, though, as transfer programme director, supporting the move of care and village services to new operators until it’s finalised.
Clift, who joined Ben in September 2018, said: ‘I’m thrilled to be assuming the role of CEO at Ben and I’m excited about leading the charity through its biggest phase of transformation yet.
‘I would also like to extend my sincerest gratitude to Zara for her support and dedication. I and all of us at Ben wish her good health and happiness in her retirement.
‘We look forward to revealing more about what’s next for Ben and our ambitious growth plans very soon.’
Rachel Clift has been appointed as the new CEO for automotive industry charity Ben
Steve Nash, CEO of The Institute of the Motor Industry and chairman of Ben’s trustees, said: ‘We are confident that Rachel will bring the expertise, inspiration, drive and leadership needed to steward Ben through its next strategic phase.
‘We look forward to working with her to achieve our ambitious goals and continue to support the automotive industry, its people and their family dependants.
‘I would also like to say a heartfelt and personal thank you to Zara for her unwavering commitment to Ben over the past eight years.’
Ross said: ‘Being CEO of Ben for the past eight years has been one of the most rewarding experiences of my career.
‘I have enjoyed leading such an ambitious charity which puts those we support at the heart of everything.
‘I’m confident that I’m leaving the organisation in very capable hands – I have no doubt that Rachel will rise to the challenge, leading Ben to even greater things for the future.
‘I will greatly miss my Ben colleagues, all Ben stakeholders and those in the wider automotive community – I wish you all the very best.’
In a statement, the charity said Clift had ‘significantly transformed its health and wellbeing offer to the industry, having almost tripled the charity’s reach and impact’.
It added that the trustees had ambitious plans to further treble the charity’s impact by 2030, focusing on the growing health and wellbeing needs of those who work in the automotive industry.
