Douglas Berry Copland was born on 24 February 1894 in Otago, New Zealand. Copland was a founding member and first President of the Economic Society of Australia and New Zealand 1925-28, and editor-in-chief of the society's journal 'Economic Record' 1925-1945. From 1924-1939 he was Dean of the Faculty of Commerce at the University of Melbourne but later accepted a secondment to Canberra as Commonwealth Prices Commissioner 1939-1945 and as economic consultant to the Prime Minister 1941-1945. He was appointed Australian Minister to China in 1946. Copland returned to Canberra and on 11 May 1948 became founding Vice-Chancellor of the Australian National University (1948-1953). He retained his role as an economist and began a long involvement with the Commonwealth Immigration Planning Council (1949-68) in which he gave advice concerning the Snowy Mountains Hydro-electric Authority and urged closer economic ties with the USA. In 1953 he was appointed High Commissioner to Canada. Copland died on 27 September 1971 at Kyneton, Victoria.