Rachel Taulelei (Ngāti Raukawa ki te Tonga, Ngāti Rārua) is a prominent business leader and a leading advocate for the Māori economy, values-based business models and New Zealand's food and beverage industry. Graduating from Victoria University of Wellington with a Bachelor of Laws, Rachel started her career with New Zealand Trade & Enterprise, eventually serving as New Zealand Trade Commissioner in Los Angeles.

In 2006, she founded Yellow Brick Road Ltd, a sustainable seafood company providing responsibly caught premium seafood to establishments nationwide. Her dedication to kaitiakitanga, has been evident in her roles at Yellow Brick Road, as CEO of Māori-owned food and beverage company Kono, and now as co-founder of Oho, a business design and brand strategy firm.

Rachel has spent two decades promoting Aotearoa as a top producer of food and beverages. Recognitions for her contributions include a Sir Peter Blake Leadership Award in 2012, honoured as a Member of the New Zealand Order of Merit in 2015, and awarded a Prime Minister’s Business Scholarship in 2017. She was named Māori Woman Business Leader at the University of Auckland Aotearoa Māori Business Leaders Awards in 2018 and was the receipt of a KEA World-class New Zealand award in 2019.

Rachel's leadership extends to various board positions, including Chair of the Wellington Regional Stadium Trust (Sky Stadium) and Moana New Zealand. She also serves on the boards of the Warehouse Group, ANZCO Foods, Sealord, the Young Enterprise Trust, and Queen Margaret College, whilst also acting as an advisor to venture capital firm Movac.