Ell, a former carpenter who was born in Merriwa in the Hunter region in New South Wales, founded Leda Group, a privately owned property development company in 1976. The company's head office is located in Sydney; and it has Business interests in Queensland, New South Wales and the Australian Capital Territory. Included in Ell's property portfolio are residential developments at Pimpama, Queensland; and at Cobaki Lakes, and Kings Forest, New South Wales. He has raised plans to develop a cruise ship terminal, including three liner berths plus a superyacht marina, three resorts and an option for a casino at Tugun. Ell has commercial property interests in shopping centres at Ipswich Riverlink, Victoria Point and Morayfield in Queensland; and at the Tuggeranong Hyperdome in Canberra. In 2012 it was reported that Leda had developed properties worth a total of more than A$3 billion since Ell established the group in 1976.