David Haigh

Biography

Haigh moved to Cornwall at a young age with his family. Haigh submitted articles for his local newspaper, The Cornishman, aged 13, before moving on to other media entities, including several years working as a programme assistant at BBC Radio Cornwall. Haigh gained a Bachelor of Laws from the University of Southampton in 1999, adding the Legal Practice Course from the College of Law a year later. He was admitted as a solicitor in England and Wales in September 2002.

Politics

Haigh was an active member of the Conservative Party in the St Ives constituency and helped raise funds for the Party at community events. Haigh was later elected a member of the Vauxhall Conservative Association Executive Committee and unsuccessfully stood for the Oval ward in the Lambeth Borough Council elections in 2006.

Continuing his political engagement in Dubai after joining GFH Capital, he helped to launch "Gulf Tories", and as its Vice-Chairman, saw it become an official part of Conservatives Abroad. He stepped down from the Gulf Tories in 2013.

Career

Haigh worked as a solicitor in London until 2005. He moved to the British Virgin Islands in 2005, and then to Dubai in 2006, where Haigh worked in investment banking, private equity and venture capital, as well as legal, regulatory and operational affairs.

Haigh had a high-profile legal career in Dubai and was nominated for the Lawyer Magazines Lawyer of the year award and Legal Week Magazine In-house counsel of the year two years running in 2013 and 2014.

Leeds United

Haigh led GFH Capital's negotiations with the then-owner of Leeds United, Ken Bates, for the acquisition of the club. The agreement was formally announced at a press conference at Elland Road on 20 December 2012. Haigh joined the Leeds United Board and in February 2013 was made a Director. On 1 July 2013, Haigh was made Managing Director of the club following the departure of now Football League CEO Shaun Harvey.

On 11 April 2014, Haigh resigned as Managing Director following the purchase of the club by Massimo Cellino, whom Haigh had introduced to the club.

Arrest

In May 2014 Haigh was arrested for financial irregularities in operation of Leeds United Football Club. It was later clarified that his arrest related to allegations of fraud and embezzlement from his time at GFH Capital and didn't relate to activities at Leeds United. According to Dubai Police he is alleged to have embezzled AED23.7 million (about USD6.7 million) from his former employers. The irregularities were discovered during a routine internal audit. Haigh claims that he was lured to Dubai under false pretences by GFH and their lawyers Gibson Dunn and Peter Gray. Haigh was due to return to the UK following his earlier case when GFH on the day of Haigh’s released filed a criminal complaint against Haigh that he abused them on Twitter, whilst he was in jail. The case took 6 months and 7 hearings.

Acquittal

Haigh was acquitted in March 2016 and returned to the UK a few days later on Good Friday where he gave a series of television and press interviews setting out the treatment, torture abuse and unfair trials he suffered.

Private Prosecution

Whilst in Dubai Haigh hired leading English Barrister Alun Jones QC and Thom Dyke and Keystone law Alison Bradley and Mark Spragg to file a private persecution against GFH and their former lawyer Peter Gray of Gibson Dunn for alleged Human Trafficking and fraud. Haigh withdrew the application when he lost access to lawyers. Since his relapse Haigh has taken the case to judicial review at the High Court in England and has stated that he is committed to following through with the private prosecution

United Nations Complaint

Haigh’s hired WikiLeaks lawyer Melinda Taylor and Alun Jones QC to take the UAE to the United Nations for breaches of his human rights including, torture, Unfair trial, Arbitrary detention and discrimination on grounds of sexuality.

Charity

In April 2013 Haigh completed a 250 km arctic charity husky trail for the Make A Wish Foundation to raise funds for Make A Wish which supports his niece, Sienna who lives with the genetic disorder Homocystinuria (HCU).

Haigh was also an ambassador for Make a Wish Foundation and established a foundation to help victims of suicide in Brazil following the suicide of his former partner in Brazil.

Haigh established Du Justice, a charity to provide funds to those in Dubai jails that cannot afford legal representation or food.

Anti- Homophobia in Sport

During Haigh’s leadership Leeds became the very first Stonewall Diversity Champion in English football, championing gay equality within the club and Football. At the same time former Leeds United player and LA Galaxy player Robbie Rodgers launched his Beyond It anti-discrimination charity at Leeds United. The initiatives were widely applauded in England but criticized by the clubs Muslim owners.

Sport Capital

In November 2013 Haigh, together with the main shirt Sponsor Enterprise Insurance and Massimo Cellino, formed a consortium called Sport Capital to purchase the majority of the shares in the club from GFH Capital. Haigh is said to have fallen out with GFH Capital after they sold the club to Massimo Cellino and not sport Capital. Sport Capital Launched a £33.5 million claim against GFH Capital. Following the failure of the acquisition Sport Capital remained a financier of Leeds United.