Member News
An award winning businessman, who lost one of his best friends while rough sleeping, has been appointed chairman of a leading homelessness charity.
Newcastle’s Abu Ali has taken on the role at the helm of CEO Sleepout, which to date has raised over £6m to support causes across the UK helping people in poverty, or experiencing homelessness.
For Abu, the position is particularly poignant.
Having supported CEO Sleepout since the charity’s inception, his involvement deepened following the devastating death in 2013 of his childhood friend Lee Haplin.
Aged just 26, Lee’s body was found in a derelict building in Newcastle while he was making a documentary to raise awareness about homelessness.
Fast-forward more than a decade, and Abu is hoping to continue Lee’s legacy.
“I went through school with Lee, and his death cut through our friendship group. We were young and it was the first time we’d all lost a friend,” said Abu.
“It was a global story, and in Lee’s memory, I wanted to raise funds in the hope we could help to finish his documentary and leave a legacy for him.
“Ultimately, that brought CEO Sleepout into my life and since then, Lee’s memory has always been a big part of what’s driven me to make a change through the charity.”
A chartered accountant, Abu is a partner at FRP Advisory and in 2018 was named the North East’s Emerging Dealmaker of the Year.
He will replace the charity’s founder, Andy Preston, who will remain with CEO Sleepout as a trustee.
For Abu, the new role is a chance to make his own mark.
“Andy’s done a phenomenal job of building CEO Sleepout, and the impact it is making is immense, and I want to build on that and really kick the charity on,” he added.
“We’ve had thousands of fundraisers who have raised millions of pounds, but despite that, the issues it tries to tackle are just getting worse.
“We have more homeless people in Britain than at any point in history, and poverty has become normalised. We can’t let that continue.
“So, while homelessness is a big issue we tackle, I’d like to see how we can focus more on tackling poverty and the other issues that lead people to losing their homes.”
And with Abu at the helm, CEO Sleepout is eyeing up a record 12 months.
Having raised a phenomenal £750k last year, that growing strain on services means the charity’s aim is to hit £1m in 2026.
That drive starts on March 23, with the first sleepout of the year in Kent.
It is followed by six sleepouts in a month, from Aberdeen down to Brighton – along with two North East events in Middlesbrough and Alnwick.
“Abu knows CEO Sleepout inside out and has been with since day one,” said CEO Bianca Robinson.
“His vision and connections in the business world will only help us raise more money, which sadly, has never been needed more.”
And for Abu, the message to business leaders is simple.
“The reality is the business community has the power and resources to deliver lasting change, and through CEO Sleepout, leaders can leave a legacy,” he added.
“What we want in 2026 is more business leaders to step up and sleep out.
“They have the influence and connections to raise the levels of money that makes a real difference, and we really want more leaders to give up just one night and change lives forever.”
And Andy Preston added: “Abu will be a brilliant chair. I’ll never forget the support he gave me over the years when I was an exhausted volunteer, running the charity on my own.”
