Major not-for-profit financial services firm, Benefact Group, has announced the appointment of its next chief financial officer — responsible for 'spearheading strategic initiatives' to help grow the business and reach a target of raising £250 million for good causes.
Mark Bennett is officially appointed the position of CFO in December 2024, after acting in the position alongside his role of group chief actuary following the retirement of Denise Cockrem in July 2024, he will formally step into the role in January 2025.
Benefact — owned by the Benefact Trust, the third biggest corporate donor in the UK — is the parent company of specialist insurer Ecclesiastical Insurance and sustainable asset manager EdenTree, of which Mark will join the boards of both, pending regulatory approval.
He joined Ecclesiastical as an actuarial student in 2007 and has progressed through the ranks, graduating from the Group's leadership development programme to lead various actuarial teams — he also led the Group's regulatory internal model approval in 2018, as well as several initiatives that have been key to unlocking profitable growth.
Group chief executive officer of Benefact Group, and number nine on SoGlos's 50 most influential individuals in business in Gloucestershire 2024, Mark Hews, said: 'Mark’s career progression with the Group over the past 17 years is an inspiring story.
'At Benefact Group we offer careers with purpose, and we support and reward our talented people. I’m delighted to be able to appoint Mark and he will continue to drive our success in his new role.'
In his new role, Mark will be responsible for the Benefact Group's finance, risk, actuarial and premises teams, with the Group starting recruitment for the role of group chief actuary following Mark's appointment.
