From purpose
to precision
Every company has a beginning. Ours started with a personal mission, evolved through listening to what clients needed, and sharpened into something focused and technical.
A personal mission that became a company
Haijahr was born after our founder, Ashley Johnson, was made redundant. Rather than chasing the next pay cheque, he chose to build something meaningful. Something that put people first.
As a father of two NICU babies, Ashley saw a gap that most people miss: charities doing incredible work but struggling to connect with businesses that could support them. He set out to bridge that gap, helping businesses integrate social responsibility into their operations in a practical, measurable way.
The name Haijahr comes from how Ashley's son Luca greets him each morning. It is a personal reminder that true change always starts with people.
Ashley Johnson
Founder & Senior Technical Lead
Listening to the market
What started as CSR consultancy evolved into something we did not expect. The demand spoke louder than any business plan.
Haijahr is founded
We launched as a CSR consultancy for UK SMEs, helping businesses build practical social responsibility plans and deliver them with confidence. Our flagship services included CSR coaching, fractional CSR leadership, and launch strategies.
Technical demand surges
Over 15 months, a clear pattern emerged. Clients were not just asking for CSR support. They needed software, platforms, and engineering talent. Our technical services were in far higher demand than anything else in the portfolio.
Guseto and Lysander launch
We built and launched our own proprietary platforms. Guseto, a guided selling tool for e-commerce, and Lysander, a multi-tenant CRM with built-in ERP. Real products, proving our engineering capabilities to the market.
Full technical pivot
We made the bold decision to close our CSR department and go all-in on what the market wanted most: elite in-house software development and augmented engineering teams for enterprise clients. That is where we are today, and we have never been more focused.
Our values did not change, our focus did
The principles that drove our CSR work still drive how we build software and serve our clients today.
Purposeful Impact
Everything we build has a reason. We focus on sustainable, lasting value rather than quick wins.
Collaboration
We work alongside our clients, not at arm's length. Whether embedded in your team or building internally, partnership is how we operate.
Transparency
No black boxes. We are upfront about how we work, what we charge, and what we deliver. Trust is earned through honesty.
Sustainability
We build for the long term. Clean code, maintainable architectures, and responsible practices in everything we do.
Community
Our roots are in community impact. That has not gone away. We still believe business should leave things better than it found them.
Innovation
We do not follow templates. Whether it is a new product or a client engagement, we find creative, effective solutions.
Leadership team
The people steering the ship. A growing team with plans to expand soon.
Ashley Johnson
Founder & Senior Technical Lead
Over 24 years of senior development experience across a wide range of companies. Ashley founded Haijahr to build something meaningful and today leads technical direction, architecture decisions, and client relationships.
Tabea Johnson
Co-Founder & Project Manager
Co-founded Haijahr alongside Ashley and manages project delivery across the business. Tabea keeps timelines on track, stakeholders aligned, and the team focused on what matters.
Alexander Dawson
QA Lead & Admin Assistant
Owns quality assurance across Haijahr's products and supports day-to-day operations. Alexander keeps standards high and things running smoothly so the team can focus on building and delivering.
What engineers and delivery leads say about working with Ashley
Before founding Haijahr, Ashley spent over 24 years leading teams and delivering large-scale projects as a senior developer. Here is what former colleagues have said.
Ashley possesses an exceptional depth of programming knowledge. Their ability to break down complicated technical concepts and communicate them effectively to non-technical stakeholders has been invaluable. Thanks to Ashley's contributions, we were able to deliver multiple large-scale projects for Verizon on time, with remarkable quality.
Hannah Simone Musgrave
Project Manager, 15gifts
One of the most talented and dependable Senior Backend Developers I've ever had the pleasure of collaborating with. His rare combination of technical brilliance and emotional intelligence made him a cornerstone of our team's success. His contributions played a key role in the success of several large-scale projects.
Anthony Lukin
Senior Frontend Engineer
Ashley brings a wealth of experience, good generalist knowledge, and a can-do attitude that drives projects through to delivery. He takes ownership of issues and doesn't allow them to fester. We have worked together on the Verizon Bayou project with great success.
Dave Banks
Senior Developer, 15gifts
His ability to get up to speed with unfamiliar languages didn't stop him getting tasks done on time. He could see in advance possible problems or edge cases that could impact development. If you want a team player that is going to get the best for the business and for the people, then Ashley is your best choice.
Manuel Alberto Fernandez Rico
Back End Developer, 15gifts
Ashley has been an absolute star to work with. Diligent, reliable, and determined to get things right, he has been a supporting pillar of the company's success. His kind and easy-going attitude has made him able to garner the respect of all those who worked with him.
Tony Aldridge
Senior Developer, 15gifts
A fine web developer with refreshing creativity and an attention to detail. His practical approach allows him to produce working applications quickly. His broad range of expertise and experience in many industries give him unique versatility. I recommend him without hesitation.
Matthies Johansen
Former Colleague
Want to work with us?
Whether you are looking for engineering talent, want to explore a partnership, or are interested in joining the team, we would love to hear from you.