At Benefact Group, we believe in the power of collective action – of business and individuals uniting for good. This event is more than a gathering; it’s the beginning of a movement. Our special breakfast event will explore how together, we can transform lives and support those in greatest need, particularly the homeless. Our panel will share stories of hope, highlight urgent needs in our community, and discuss the vital role we can all play in creating real, lasting impact.
Speakers and panel members
Jacinta Whyte, Deputy Group Chief Executive of the Benefact Group
Jacinta is Deputy Group Chief Executive of the Benefact Group, a member of the Board and has specific responsibility for the Group’s General Insurance businesses in the UK, Ireland, Australia and her home of Canada. In 2024 she celebrated 50 years in the insurance industry, starting her career at Royal Sun Alliance in Dublin, moving to Canada in 1988 and joining Ecclesiastical Canada, part of the Benefact Group, in 2013. Jacinta has tirelessly supported charitable causes throughout her career, driven in part by raising funds and awareness of the rare Brittle Bone Disease which her daughter has born with. She marked her 50th year in the industry by raising $200,000CAN to fund a research fellowship for the Canadian Brittle Bone Society of which she is chair and president.
Angie Peters, CEO of the Yonge Street Mission, Toronto, Canada, and Author of the book ‘Just Act’
Angie is an inspiring and collaborative leader in Toronto’s social sector serving the communities where she grew up. In 2003, she left her executive role in telecommunications to work towards the ambition to end poverty. She founded ZOË Alliance, an international social enterprise, before joining Toronto’s Yonge Street Mission in 2013 as President and CEO. In 2022, she hosted a Poverty Hack-a-Thon that has since inspired a city-wide multi-sector collaboration that is creating trust, action and momentum to build communities where everyone can thrive. In 2024 she published ‘Just Act’ a book bringing together all she has learnt about poverty and the approach she recommends we can all take to play our part in tackling it.
Mick Clarke, CEO of The Passage
Mick is a leading expert in social issues, poverty and homelessness. He started his career as a youth worker and has worked in charities tackling the symptoms and causes of homelessness for nearly 30 years. Mick was Head of Services for Depaul UK, one of the UK’s leading homelessness charities focused on youth. He moved to The Passage as Deputy Chief Executive in 2006, and in January 2009 was appointed Chief Executive. The Passage provides a range of services and supports thousands of homeless people every year. They were the first charity to highlight the links between modern slavery and homelessness.
Mark Hews, Group CEO of The Benefact Group
Mark Hews is Group CEO of Benefact Group, a diverse family of specialist financial services businesses, united by a common purpose to give all available profits to charities and good causes. Since his appointment in 2013 he has worked with an outstanding team to grow Benefact Group to become the 3rd largest corporate donor to charity in the UK, giving well over £200m to over 10,000 good causes, transforming lives and communities in the UK and abroad. Amongst other directorships, Mark is Chairman of the award-winning responsible and sustainable asset manager, EdenTree, and a Non-Executive Director of Spanish-based reinsurer Mapfre Re. Mark is also trustee and treasurer of The Windsor Leadership Trust which provides transformational leadership programmes for senior leaders across all sectors of society.
Dame Martina Milburn, Trustee, Windsor Leadership
Dame Martina Milburn is a trustee of the Windsor Leadership, a charity providing transformational, experience-led leadership development programmes for senior leaders across all sectors of society. Dame Martina trained and began her career as a journalist, established the Press and Communications function for the Catholic Fund for Overseas Development (CAFOD) and worked on a freelance basis for a range of national media. She then held various senior leadership roles in a wide range of charities including The Prince’s Trust; the Association of Spinal Injury Research, Rehabilitation and Reintegration (ASPIRE); National Citizen Service; Capital City College Group and the BBC Children in Need Appeal. Martina has also been the Chair of the Social Mobility Commission. She received a CBE for services to charity and honour of Dame Commander of the Royal Victorian Order (DCVO).
Dominic Christian, Global Chairman of Aon Reinsurance Solutions
Dominic Christian is the Global Chairman of Aon’s Reinsurance Solutions business and a member of Aon’s Global executive team. He previously served as the Co-Chief Executive Officer and Executive International Chairman of Aon Benfield and as the Chief Executive Officer of Aon UK Ltd. He is also the Chairman of the insurance industry’s positive climate collaboration ClimateWise, the Sainsburys Centre of Visual Arts, the former Chairman of the Lloyd’s Tercentenary Research Foundation and was President of the Insurance Institute of London in 2015–2016. He is a Director of The Bermuda Society, a Trustee of the StandUp Foundation, a member of the Race Commission and recently sat on the Dasgupta Government Review Panel on the Economics of Biodiversity. He also co-Chairs the University of East Anglia’s Campaign Advisory Board.
Host
Chris Pitt, Group Impact Director of the Benefact Group
Chris is responsible for positive social and environmental impact at Benefact Group, a family of specialist financial services businesses owned by a charitable Trust. The Group is the 3rd largest corporate giver to charity1 and Chris oversees over £2m of giving, namely through the Movement for Good awards which give small donations to a huge diversity of causes and large grants to charities close to the customers and communities of the Group.
Alongside giving Chris leads a Charity Support programme which gives free advice, support and resources to thousands of charities through webinars, events, resources and a podcast. He is also responsible for the Group’s climate strategy which commits to making a positive climate impact through how the Group invests, insures, gives and through its direct impact. Chris is a trustee of the NatureSave Trust and a member of the insurance industry initiative ClimateWise’s committee.
1 DSC – The guide to UK Company Giving 2023-24