Julia-Rose Ellis

Marketing & Communications Manager

Working alongside Te Akau Director Lady Karyn Ellis MNZM, Julia-Rose Ellis leads Te Akau’s marketing and communications across New Zealand and Australia. She is responsible for brand direction, media strategy, sponsorship and commercial partnerships, owner communications, major campaigns and marketing that supports the continued growth of Te Akau’s ownership and syndication business.

Julia-Rose has worked with Te Akau for well over a decade and has played a central role in developing how the organisation presents itself and communicates with owners, partners, supporters and the wider racing industry. Her experience includes working closely with Te Akau’s trainers and management team in Singapore and, today, with the teams in Matamata, Riccarton and Cranbourne.

She directs Te Akau’s marketing programme across its racing, bloodstock and ownership activities, managing media relationships and placement, developing sponsorship opportunities and leading the promotion of new syndications. Working across the leadership, racing, bloodstock and syndication teams, Julia-Rose ensures Te Akau’s commercial priorities, achievements and ownership opportunities are communicated with clarity and consistency throughout its trans-Tasman operation.

Her understanding of ownership is also grounded in personal experience. Julia-Rose syndicates one or two yearlings each year through her own networks, introducing friends, younger people and first-time owners to the industry. These syndicates have shared significant success, including victory in the Karaka Million with On The Bubbles, Group One wins and many memorable experiences both on and away from the racetrack.

Julia-Rose also established the Te Akau Tangerine Army Racing Partnership 1 around Out Of The Blue, creating an accessible entry into ownership and a strong community around the horse. Her firsthand experience as a syndicator and owner informs her approach to owner communications and her commitment to bringing a new generation into racing.

In 2020, Julia-Rose led the Te Akau team recognised with New Zealand Thoroughbred Racing’s Award for Contribution to Media, Digital and Content.

Her focus is on protecting and advancing the Te Akau brand, strengthening its media and commercial relationships and ensuring its marketing contributes meaningfully to the organisation’s growth across New Zealand and Australia.