Meet Our Business Development Board
Meet Our Business Board
James Hales
Chair, Business Development Board & Trustee, Ella Dawson Foundation
Partner, NorthEdge Capital
James is a Partner at NorthEdge Capital, joining in 2016 and leads the Origination team, Before NorthEdge, he spent seven years in Corporate Finance at Clearwater International as a Director responsible for generating mid-market opportunities across a wide variety of sectors and managing the Deal Origination team.
James brings deep expertise in identifying and structuring investment opportunities, spanning growth capital, management buy-outs, equity release, buy-and-build strategies and skills that translate powerfully into helping ambitious organisations like ours grow sustainably and strategically.
As Chair of our Business Development Board and a Trustee of the Ella Dawson Foundation, James plays a central role in shaping our growth strategy and ensuring we can reach and support as many young adults with cancer and their families as possible.
Hana Hassanbek
Member, Business Development Board
Manager, Legal and Business Affairs, CAA Brand Management & Co-Founder, A Founders Playbook
Hana is Manager of Legal and Business Affairs at CAA Brand Management. A qualified lawyer with over nine years of experience across both private practice and in-house roles, Hana brings a unique combination of legal expertise and business development insight to our Business Development Board.
An avid fundraiser, Hana has supported a variety of charities over the years through taking on personal challenges, most recently running the 2025 London Marathon as an Ambassador for the Ella Dawson Foundation.
Hana's connection to the Ella Dawson Foundation began in 2024, when she introduced Jane and Tasha Dawson to A Founders Playbook, a podcast she co-founded championing start-up founders and inspiring the next generation of entrepreneurs, leading to the Ella Dawson Foundation becoming a proud charity partner of the show.
With her legal background, fundraising spirit, and passion for business development, Hana will play a vital role in helping the Ella Dawson Foundation develop its business development strategy and expand its corporate partnerships and outreach.
Tom Rule
Member, Business Development Board
Executive Director, JPMorgan
Tom is an Executive Director at JPMorgan, where he has built broad experience across funding and liquidity, supporting strategic initiatives, financial performance, and long-term growth within a complex, global organisation.
Originally training as a Chartered Accountant, his career in financial services began in Product Control, gaining detailed insight into financial markets, risk, and performance drivers within trading businesses. For the last 10 years he has worked in Treasury. There, he has held a number of roles focused on balance sheet management, liquidity, and funding strategy, building deep expertise in how large financial institutions operate and grow sustainably.
Tom brings a combination of financial strategy, risk management, and execution expertise, with a track record of working with senior stakeholders to deliver complex programmes in highly regulated environments.
Alongside his professional career, Tom is a committed endurance athlete, undertaking a series of running challenges to raise funds and awareness for charitable causes. In 2026, he is completing four major endurance events in support of the Ella Dawson Foundation.
As a member of the Business Development Board, Tom is focused on supporting the Foundation’s growth ambitions, helping to strengthen corporate partnerships and expand its reach so that more young adults with cancer and their families can access the support they need.
We are delighted to have Tom’s experience and commitment supporting the continued development and impact of the Ella Dawson Foundation.
Nick Waugh
Member, Business Development Board
Commercial Property Director, Buccleuch Property
Nick is Commercial Property Director at Buccleuch Property, which he joined in 2003 to oversee all acquisition and asset management activities across the company's mixed-sector
investment portfolio of circa £200 million. He is also lead director for Queensberry Properties, a joint venture with Cruden Homes specialising in residential and mixed-use development throughout Scotland, including delivering the largest urban expansion in Scotland south of Edinburgh.
With a career spanning land and property management across Scotland, northern England, and the Midlands, Nick brings a breadth of knowledge across all property sectors — including commercial and residential development, site assembly, design and planning, finance, and delivery.
Nick has previously served as a Board Member of Scottish Enterprise in the South of Scotland and as a Council Member of the University of Edinburgh's SAC, further demonstrating his commitment to strategic leadership and community investment.
A passionate supporter of charitable causes, Nick has been instrumental in fundraising through the Buccleuch Property Challenge, which has raised over £240,000 for nominated charities to date with a highly successful 2025 Buccleuch Property charity partnership with Ella Dawson Foundation
We are delighted to have Nick's expertise and networks on our Business Development Board as we work to grow the reach and impact of the Ella Dawson Foundation.
Dave Jones
Member, Business Development Board
Fractional CIO & Co-Founder, Digital WoW
Dave is a Fractional CIO and co-founder of Digital WoW, bringing over 30 years of experience in IT and technology leadership, including more than 15 years at CIO level. He has led major IT and technology teams across the Construction, Manufacturing, Engineering, Facilities, and Service Management sectors.
Dave has an outstanding track record in delivering digital transformation for multinational and national organisations, with experience spanning Europe, the USA, South America, the Middle East, Asia, and Australia implementing solutions across multiple languages and business cultures.
He holds an MA in Leading Innovation and Change from York St John University and has been recognised as one of the UK's leading CIOs, being named in the CIO 100 in 2014, 2017, and 2018. Dave is also Chairperson of the UK IT Leaders Group.
We are thrilled to have Dave on our Business Development Board, where his remarkable breadth of experience and extensive networks will be invaluable in helping the Ella Dawson Foundation grow its reach and impact.