Leadership Network members
Ellie Copeland
Ellie Copeland’s career has been shaped by curiosity and a willingness to take on diverse challenges.
Originally trained as a mechanical engineer, she quickly moved towards more human-centred and strategic work — from yacht design engineering, to market research and insights, to her current role in marketing and commercialising new fruit cultivars at VentureFruit.
Over recent years, Ellie’s professional and personal interest in Asia has deepened. She has worked across fresh produce and FMCG categories, conducting qualitative research in China, South Korea and Vietnam to help inform brand and market strategies.
In 2024, she travelled to China as part of a New Zealand China Council delegation on sustainable food — an experience that reinforced her passion to build stronger connections and perspectives in the region.
Outside of her professional role, Ellie serves on the council of the Food and Fibre Youth Network. Earlier in her life she pursued a high-performance sailing campaign alongside her studies, striving for the 2016 Rio Olympics — an experience that taught her resilience and the value of collaboration, even if it didn’t end on the podium.
Through the Leadership Network, Ellie is looking forward to continuing to challenge her own thinking, learning from others’ perspectives, and contributing to the evolving relationship between New Zealand and Asia.