Ben’s CEO discusses new appointments

After announcing the appointment of a new chairperson and four trustees, PMF sat down with Ben CEO, Rachel Clift, to ask about these appointments, discuss how the automotive charity is changing its approach to maximise impact, and learn of any exclusives ahead of the annual Ben Ball.

Jonathan Hewett has been appointed as the new chair of Ben, alongside trustees Darren Edwards, Georgina Hoare, Damian Oton, and Pia Wilkes CBE.

The chief executive of Thatcham Research, Jonathan brings “extensive leadership experience” to the role and has a “strong track record in strategy, innovation, and organisational development”.

Meanwhile, Darren is the former chief executive officer of Sytner Group, Georgina is the chief executive of the PDA Society, Damian is the chief commercial officer at Motability Operations, and Pia is the chief executive officer of the Vehicle Certification Agency.

When asked about how the structure of a chairperson, trustees, and her job of CEO works, Rachel responded: “The chair is my direct point of accountability and leads the board of trustees, who operate in a voluntary, governance-focused capacity. I act as the conduit between the board and the executive team, ensuring strategic plans are developed, approved, and implemented effectively.”

Rachel also spoke about her confidence in Jonathan and believes the two of them will work well together: “Jonathan, with a strong heritage in the motor trade and experience as a senior leader, is highly motivated by Ben’s mission. He balances this voluntary role with his position at Thatcham and will work closely with me on strategy, planning, and external engagement.”

Trustees are also appointed as volunteers, people who give their time back to an industry that has supported them. Rachel said those that serve as the chair or are trustees allow senior leaders to contribute purposefully and make a “tangible difference” to the lives of industry professionals.

How does Ben measure impact on the industry?

Ben’s mission is simple: to make a positive difference to people’s lives. Whether supporting someone in a crisis, providing care, or working with industry partners to improve the health and wellbeing of the workforce, the philosophy is the same. Whatever the department, whatever the role, Ben is here to support the automotive family – here for employees and their families.

But what does support look like in practice? Ben provides health and wellbeing support for life, including helping people with their mental health, physical health, finances, home life, relationships and so much more. Ben offers a free helpline as a first port of call for anyone needing support, SilverCloud – a digital CBT platform to support mental wellbeing, counselling, talking therapies, and life coaching for support with confidence, achieving goals, stress, overwhelm and work-life balance.

The charity also provides guidance and resources to help workers manage physical ailments and maintain general wellness. Financial support is also available with assistance with money worries, debt advice, budgeting, and emergency financial grants for essentials, like food and utilities.

On whether this strategy is working and how it is measured, Rachel said: “We measure our impact, not solely by volume or the number of people we support, but by the outcomes we achieve and the difference we make to people’s lives. We also focus on the systemic change we aim to bring to the industry around health and wellbeing.”

School’s out for summer

One of Ben’s campaigns is the Summer Families Project. Now in its fourth year, the project is designed to support families through the school holidays, helping to ease financial pressures, enabling them to make happy memories. Through the programme, Ben offers eligible automotive families help with food costs, bills, back-to-school essentials, and a paid-for family day out or activity.

The project was well underway when PMF interviewed Rachel, so it was an appropriate moment to ask how this particular campaign was progressing.

Rachel answered: “Feedback from those who have engaged with the project is phenomenal, but awareness remains a challenge. Many families in the industry could benefit more if they knew the support was available. We also run a similar project at Christmas, which tends to reach a wider audience.”

Where’s the money coming from?

Initiatives, like the Summer Families Project, are time-consuming and costly. Rachel acknowledged a balancing act is required to ensure more money can be raised to facilitate the additional projects that Ben wants to achieve.

She said: “We will need to grow our fundraising and engagement team to handle individual giving, corporate partnerships, and community events. Laying strong foundations over the next three years will allow us to increase our reach, double net fundraising, and triple our charitable impact by 2030.”

That means raising awareness to increase demand; Ben’s goal is to increase brand awareness from one in six to one in three industry professionals. The charity focuses on “lifetime connections” with individuals who can act as donors, ambassadors, and advocates for health and wellbeing.

Rachel explained further: “While raising awareness increases demand, we rely on a combination of fundraising income and returns from our reserves to support services. We also aim to provide preventative education and resources to minimise crises and influence employers to improve workplace wellbeing.”

One way Ben is increasing its awareness is by reinventing its event programme – by modernising and being progressive as a charity. This includes exploring regional events, new types of fundraising activities, and potentially hosting a health and wellbeing conference for the industry.

When asked about whether she and Ben wish to work closer with automotive aftermarket stakeholders, like Motor Factors, garages, and suppliers, Rachel was emphatic: “Yes! We are keen to work with people and businesses, providing talks, resources, and training to help them understand that Ben is here and they can utilise our support services for the benefit of themselves and their teams.”

Ben Ball not far away now!

For PMF, there are several events that mark the end of the year – Ben Ball is one of those. One of the most anticipated celebrations on the calendar, over 600 people will gather in the name of celebrating the sector and raising vital funds to help the charity continue but also expand its services.

This year, it will take place on Tuesday, 15 December, at the iconic London Hilton on Park Lane. Rachel revealed the 2026 event will highlight the real-life impact of Ben’s support, feature the return of Charlie Ross for the fundraising auction, live entertainment, and traditional 12 Days of Christmas song.

Rachel continued: “Ben Ball has a long-standing heritage of over 100 years and is a key fundraising event. It brings the industry together to celebrate, raise vital funds, and mark the beginning of the Christmas season. It is about connectedness, community, and raising awareness of the impact of the industry’s support.”

Beyond Christmas, though, what is Ben’s long-term vision? Rachel concluded the interview by responding: “Our strategic goals include raising awareness to one in three, doubling net fundraising, tripling charitable impact, and embedding health and wellbeing support throughout the industry.

“Achieving this requires internal transformation, external engagement, and consistent community building.”

Rachel acknowledged this would not be an easy task, but Ben’s leadership, experience, and knowledge mean it is well-placed to give it a good go!