The Benevolent CEO David Cox announces retirement

Drinks industry charity The Benevolent is preparing to bid farewell to its chief executive David Cox who will retire at the end of the year.

David Cox, CEO of The Benevolent, will retire at the end of 2017

Cox has held the position of CEO for almost five years, but boasts more than 32 years in total working in the drinks industry. He will be succeeded by 2013 and 2014 Benevolent chairman Chris Porter.

Cox first entered the drinks industry through his maternal family’s wine and spirit agency firm, Matthew Clark, working as export director in 1985.

When the firm was sold to Constellation Brands, Cox moved to Brown-Forman to help grown the US company’s wine division in Europe, before joining The Benevolent in 2013.

He plans to enjoy his retirement with his family, taking up cookery and photography, and playing more tennis.

Cox said: “When approached by the trustees of The Benevolent in 2013, I always knew that this role would represent an incredibly rewarding and very fitting end to an immensely enjoyable career in this fantastic trade of ours. This has definitely been the case.”

During Cox’s time at the helm of The Benevolent, the number of corporate partners has grown by more than 90% and revenue from annual donations has risen by more than 95%.

He has also helped introduce the “very relevant ‘emotional and practical’” style of support for drinks industry employees, in addition to the financial support the charity provides.

This new style of support also helped created the Here to Help campaign, which was designed to raise awareness of the charity throughout the wider UK drinks industry.

New era

Chris Porter will succeed David Cox as CEO of The Benevolent

Porter, who currently works as director of Porter & Laker, a division of JF Hillebrand UK, will be the first CEO from a logistics service background in the charity’s 131-year history.

“It was always going to take something very special for me to move anywhere after a very rewarding and enjoyable 34 years with two wonderful family businesses,” commented Porter. “The Benevolent is that something very special.

“It is a fantastic opportunity for me and represents everything that I believe in. I look forward to building on the terrific impact made by David Cox over the last four years, driving the charity further forwards as we develop our strategic goals.

“Above all, I look forward to The Benevolent being able to deliver help to a greater number of people in our national trade community who are in need and suffering hardship.”