Meet our senior leadership team

Rachel Clift has been Chief Executive Officer of Ben since November 2024, having joined the organisation in September 2018. With over 20 years of experience across health, work and wellbeing, Rachel leads and oversees the delivery of Ben’s mission to provide health and wellbeing support for those who work, or have worked, in the automotive industry and their families.

As CEO, Rachel has led the organisation through a significant period of transformation, including the successful delivery of a major divestment programme to reposition Ben as a charity solely focused on supporting the health and wellbeing of automotive people and their families. This has involved reshaping the charity’s operating model, developing a new strategic direction and ensuring Ben is equipped to meet growing and increasingly complex demand for its services, while maximising charitable impact and long-term sustainability.

During her time at Ben, Rachel has overseen substantial growth in service reach and impact, ensuring life-changing health and wellbeing support continues to be accessible to the automotive community at times of greatest need. Her earlier role as Health & Wellbeing Director provided a strong foundation in service innovation and system leadership, which continues to inform her strategic approach as CEO.

Rachel is a recognised subject matter expert in health, work and wellbeing. Prior to joining Ben, she held senior leadership roles including Head of Health & Wellbeing Services at Ingeus and Health Director at PeoplePlus, where she led large-scale integrated employability and workplace health programmes.

A graduate of the University of Birmingham with a degree in Physiotherapy, Rachel began her career in the NHS before gaining automotive industry experience as an onsite Physiotherapist for Peugeot at its Tile Hill plant in Coventry. Alongside her professional career, Rachel is a former Olympian, representing Great Britain at the Beijing 2008 Olympic Games, with over 140 international appearances for Great Britain and England women’s hockey teams.

Martin Smith is Ben’s Director of Finance, Governance & Impact. Martin leads the Finance, Technology, and Data & Insights team, as well as overseeing Charitable Impact for an interim period. Martin is also working with Rachel Clift, CEO, to support the operational delivery of Ben’s Support & Specialist Services.

Martin has worked in the charitable sector for over 20 years, primarily as a Finance Director for benevolent fund charities. He has focused on charity missions and supporting as many people as possible from those communities, helping them to navigate life’s challenges and live their best lives - something that aligns with Ben’s new vision and purpose.

Alongside Martin’s financial expertise, he has a wealth of experience leading organisations through strategic change, including digital transformation and supporting the development of new income opportunities to fund and grow charitable impact.

Matt is the Director of Growth & Development at Ben, where he leads all income-generating activities, including fundraising, events, corporate partnerships, commercial ventures, and the charity’s wellbeing solution, BenLife.

Matt became a member of Ben’s executive team in 2018, as Fundraising Director, and has played a pivotal role in driving strategic growth and strengthening industry engagement with the charity. Since joining Ben in 2015 as Head of Partnership Development, Matt has brought extensive experience in B2B sales and strategic partnerships across both the commercial and non-profit sectors. 

Matt’s background includes senior positions at the Royal Horticultural Society and Whizz-Kidz, alongside over 15 years in the travel sector. This blend of commercial acumen and charitable insight enables him to develop impactful partnerships and shape Ben’s growth strategy for the long-term.

Ellen Plumer is Ben’s Head of Awareness & Experience. Ellen has worked at Ben for 10 years, performing various roles across the charity, including Head of Service Development and Head of Employer Services & Partnerships.

Ellen also has over 20 years of experience working in the third sector. With a strong track record in strategic management, leadership development, and change management, Ellen is experienced in creating meaningful change that drives performance, engagement, and impact. 

Ellen is focused on increasing awareness, driving growth, and maximising Ben’s charitable impact. She spends a lot of time travelling across the UK, spreading the word about the vital support that Ben provides to the automotive industry’s workforce. Ellen is highly motivated by the mission to ensure everyone in the automotive sector knows that Ben is there to support them when they hit a bump in their road. 

Sarah D’Addio is Head of HR at Ben. She joined the organisation in 2023 as Interim HR Project Manager and is an accomplished HR professional with a strong focus on employee relations and organisational change. With over two decades of experience, spanning both strategic and operational HR, she brings a broad and balanced HR perspective, shaped by hands-on leadership in fast-paced environments.

Before joining Ben, Sarah spent more than 20 years at Ann Summers Ltd, where she was the only People Partner at the company. In this position, she was a member of the senior leadership team, supporting the business, which had over 1,000 employees. Sarah led and developed HR teams while partnering closely with board members and senior leaders to deliver on people strategies that aligned with evolving business needs.

At Ben, Sarah has played a pivotal role in supporting the transfer of five care homes and the re-organisation of Head Office functions. She has ensured a fair approach to change, balancing legal compliance and operational needs with a deep commitment to colleague wellbeing and organisational integrity.

Sarah Vance joined Ben in 2025 as PA & Assistant Company Secretary supporting the charity’s CEO, Senior Leadership Team and Board of Trustees as the organisation goes through a period of transformation and growth.

Sarah is a highly skilled Executive Assistant with over 35 years of experience, having worked in many pivotal roles during her career. Sarah has a proven track record of supporting senior leadership teams across a variety of sectors, including environmental charities, property and leisure, manufacturing, and telecommunications. She has a versatile skill set in executive support, governance, HR processes, office management, and financial administration.

Most recently, Sarah served as Executive Assistant & Clerk to the Board of Trustees at the Heart of England Forest, where she supported governance and compliance functions for this leading environmental charity. 

Known for her discretion, organisational excellence, and ability to adapt across diverse business environments, Sarah is passionate about creating seamless support structures that enable executive teams to lead effectively.