Ben to welcome new CEO, Rachel Clift, and thanks outgoing CEO, Zara Ross

Ben, the automotive industry charity, is pleased to announce the appointment of Rachel Clift as its new CEO, effective from 1st November 2024. Rachel will succeed Zara Ross, who has served as Ben’s CEO since July 2016 and has now decided to retire.

Zara Ross has been a pivotal leader in Ben’s history, steering the charity through significant transformation and growth over the past eight years. Zara’s tenure is marked by numerous accomplishments, including:

• Instigating significant strategic reviews with the Board of Trustees
• Navigating the organisation through some major challenges, including the Covid pandemic
• Minimising the impact of the Covid pandemic on the charity’s vital work and ensuring vulnerable stakeholders were safeguarded
• Establishing a culture of quality, support and innovation throughout the organisation
• Increasing efficiency through technological advancements
• Overseeing a major refit at Ben’s Town Thorns Care Centre.

Zara's vision and commitment have significantly shaped the direction of Ben, leaving a lasting legacy. The Board of Trustees extends its heartfelt thanks to Zara for her exceptional leadership and dedication.

Whilst Zara will be leaving the role of CEO on 31^st October 2024, she will continue to work with the organisation as Transfer Programme Director to support the transfer of care and village services to new operators, until that is finalised.

After a rigorous recruitment process which included external applicants, Ben’s Board of Trustees appointed Rachel Clift (Ben’s current Health & Wellbeing Director) to the role of CEO. Rachel will formally assume the role from 1st November 2024.

Rachel joined Ben in September 2018 and has significantly transformed its Health & Wellbeing offer to the industry, having almost tripled the charity’s reach and impact. Rachel’s proven leadership and dedication to the organisation make her ideally suited to guide Ben into its next chapter.

Ben’s Board of Trustees has 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. Under Rachel’s leadership, Ben is poised to further enhance its services and support thousands more industry people and their families.

Steve Nash, CEO of The Institute of the Motor Industry and Chair of Ben’s Trustee Board, 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.”

Zara 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.”

Rachel Clift 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.”

ENDS