Bell Equipment appoints new CEO

Ashley Jon Bell (Photo: Bell Equipment Limited)

Bell Equipment Limited has appointed Ashley Jon Bell, grandson of the company’s founder Irvine Bell, as the new Group Chief Executive Officer (CEO) effective from 1 January 2024.

This follows the resignation in July of the outgoing Group CEO, Leon Goosen, who leaves the company on 31 December 2023 after 16 years of service at the company.

The company says that Bell is well acquainted with the company having served as a non-executive director on the Board since March 2015 and has provided valuable input as a member of the Board’s Risk and Sustainability and Social, Ethics, and Transformation committees.

In 2009, Bell and his brother, Justin Bell, co-founded Matriarch Equipment, which aimed to create innovative equipment for various industries. Bell acquired Matriarch in 2019, as part of its strategy to revive its presence in the agriculture and forestry markets, and all products are now under the Bell brand.

Ashley Bell said, “I am fortunate to have grown up in an environment where Bell Equipment has been a central theme, and I am both honoured and excited to step up as Group CEO. I look forward to working with the entire Bell team, supported by our customers and suppliers, to ensure we execute our group strategy and make a positive impact for all stakeholders. I would like to extend my sincere thanks and appreciation to the Board for the trust and confidence they have shown in me taking on this role.”

Gary Bell, non-executive chairman of Bell Equipment, added, “Ashley joins a sizeable team representing the third generation of the Bell family actively engaged in the business and it’s heartening to see the next generation stepping up to play an integral role in the future of the company.”