NLDS Overview
New Leaf Data Services is a leading provider of financial, business and industry data for emerging markets in North America. We offer comprehensive and unique benchmark services for public and private organizations, and financial institutions through our Cannabis Benchmarks and Hemp Benchmarks divisions.
Jonathan Rubin
CEO
Jonathan has more than 25 years of business experience in regulated and unregulated commodity markets, including 15 years in commodity data services advising on strategy, financing, M&A, sales, partnerships, and new business creation.
He co-founded and launched New Leaf Data Services, LLC and its Cannabis Benchmarks® division in February 2015 to bring transparency and efficiency to cultivators, dispensaries, investors, traders and other cannabis market participants through validated, standardized benchmark price assessments.
Over the past decade, Jonathan directed the turn-around of the energy commodity analytics business acquired by S&P Global Platts from The Financial Times; provided due diligence on the acquisition of a globally recognized commodity information service valued at $1.5 billion; and co-launched The Petrochemical Standard, a commodity price reporting agency serving traders of petrochemical futures, which was acquired by a subsidiary of the Daily Mail and General Trust.
He began his career as a System Planning Engineer at Southern California Edison Company where he led a variety of electric system planning initiatives. Following his tenure at Edison, he spent more than a decade as a management consulting advising diversified energy clients on improving their strategic position, operational efficiency and organizational effectiveness.
Jonathan earned an M.S. in Energy Management & Policy from the University of Pennsylvania, a Diplôme d'Ingénieur in Energy Economics & Management from the French Institute of Petroleum, and a B.A. in Biological Science from Rutgers College.
He co-founded and launched New Leaf Data Services, LLC and its Cannabis Benchmarks® division in February 2015 to bring transparency and efficiency to cultivators, dispensaries, investors, traders and other cannabis market participants through validated, standardized benchmark price assessments.
Over the past decade, Jonathan directed the turn-around of the energy commodity analytics business acquired by S&P Global Platts from The Financial Times; provided due diligence on the acquisition of a globally recognized commodity information service valued at $1.5 billion; and co-launched The Petrochemical Standard, a commodity price reporting agency serving traders of petrochemical futures, which was acquired by a subsidiary of the Daily Mail and General Trust.
He began his career as a System Planning Engineer at Southern California Edison Company where he led a variety of electric system planning initiatives. Following his tenure at Edison, he spent more than a decade as a management consulting advising diversified energy clients on improving their strategic position, operational efficiency and organizational effectiveness.
Jonathan earned an M.S. in Energy Management & Policy from the University of Pennsylvania, a Diplôme d'Ingénieur in Energy Economics & Management from the French Institute of Petroleum, and a B.A. in Biological Science from Rutgers College.
Ian Laird
CFO & General Counsel
Ian has 35 years of finance experience as a lawyer, investment banker, private equity investor and entrepreneur. He is currently CFO and General Counsel of New Leaf Data Services, LLC, a data analytics company, which he co-founded in 2015. From 2009 to 2017, Ian was a co-founder and partner at American Working Capital, a merchant banking firm that provides investment banking services and capital to middle market private companies. From 2007 to 2009, he was a principal of The Yucaipa Companies LLC, a multi billion dollar investment firm, where he was responsible for sourcing, structuring and executing private equity investments. Previously, he was a managing director at Duff & Phelps, an international investment banking firm, where he focused primarily on middle market M&A and corporate finance.
In 1989, Ian founded Old Mill Partners, Inc., a merchant banking firm that specialized in large-scale, non-recourse project financings in renewable energy, waste recovery, pulp and paper, infrastructure and mining, raising more than $1 billion in capital. From 1986 to 1991, he was a co-founder, officer and director of the Toll Road Corporation of Virginia that developed the Dulles Greenway, the first modern privately financed toll road in the United States. From 1985 to 1989, he was a managing director and then head of investment banking at J. J. Lowrey & Co., a boutique investment banking firm, and the president and co-founder of First Principal Corporation, an affiliated management buyout firm. During this period, he led the acquisition of Argo-Tech Corporation, the leading manufacturer of fuel pumps for jet engines, from TRW Inc. in a $150 million management buyout.
Ian started his career as an attorney at Cadwalader, Wickersham, and Taft. He received his B.A. with honors from Middlebury College, and his J.D. from Washington & Lee University Law School where he was a member of the law review.
In 1989, Ian founded Old Mill Partners, Inc., a merchant banking firm that specialized in large-scale, non-recourse project financings in renewable energy, waste recovery, pulp and paper, infrastructure and mining, raising more than $1 billion in capital. From 1986 to 1991, he was a co-founder, officer and director of the Toll Road Corporation of Virginia that developed the Dulles Greenway, the first modern privately financed toll road in the United States. From 1985 to 1989, he was a managing director and then head of investment banking at J. J. Lowrey & Co., a boutique investment banking firm, and the president and co-founder of First Principal Corporation, an affiliated management buyout firm. During this period, he led the acquisition of Argo-Tech Corporation, the leading manufacturer of fuel pumps for jet engines, from TRW Inc. in a $150 million management buyout.
Ian started his career as an attorney at Cadwalader, Wickersham, and Taft. He received his B.A. with honors from Middlebury College, and his J.D. from Washington & Lee University Law School where he was a member of the law review.
Full Team Bios available here.