Taking a Passion for Music to a Global Stage

Mercedes Brown, Class of 2010

“Hope favours the bold – and that’s exactly what my career has taught me.”

For Mercedes Brown, a love of music has become a career that spans continents, cultures and some of the world’s biggest artists. As International Marketing Director at Warner Music Group, she helps shape global campaigns for internationally renowned musicians, combining creativity, strategy and collaboration to connect artists with audiences around the world.

Looking back, Mercedes credits LEH with giving her the confidence to take risks, embrace opportunities and turn a lifelong passion into an international career.

Portrait of a woman with long dark hair, gold hoop earrings, wearing a dark top, against a white background with a purple vertical stripe.

Turning a childhood passion into a career

Music was always at the heart of Mercedes’ school experience. From music lessons with Mr Yeo Sat-Soon to guitar sessions with Freddy D’Albert, LEH nurtured both her creativity and her ambition. Forming a school band with friends only strengthened her determination to find a future in the industry she loved.

“I felt that the Arts were truly valued at LEH… that environment helped build the resilience, perseverance and self-belief that have carried me through the challenges of adult life.”

Although she jokes that many music executives are ‘failed musicians’, Mercedes quickly realised that her talents lay not in performing, but in championing artists and bringing their music to audiences across the globe.

Promotional banner with the word 'PinkPantheress' in bold yellow text and a glittery-hat singer mid-song in a turquoise background.

Taking learning beyond the classroom

Mercedes entered the music industry the way many successful careers begin, with curiosity, determination and a willingness to start at the very beginning. After leaving school, she volunteered at live events, joined fan communities and secured an internship at Roadrunner Records, where she immersed herself in every aspect of the business, “My first real opportunity came with an internship… I learned that making a great cup of tea can surprisingly take you far.”

She went on to build experience across record labels, artist management, production, publicity and global marketing, developing a broad understanding of the industry before joining Universal Music, Sony Music and eventually Warner Music Group.

Today, as International Marketing Director, Mercedes works on worldwide campaigns for globally recognised artists, helping shape how music is experienced across different cultures and markets. Among her recent projects are international campaigns supporting PinkPantheress and Dua Lipa’s Radical Optimism Tour, collaborating with teams across multiple countries to bring ambitious creative ideas to life.

Mercedes believes LEH prepared her for far more than exams. The school’s ethos encourages students to challenge themselves, embrace new experiences and develop resilience, qualities that have proved invaluable in one of the world’s most competitive creative industries.

“We were constantly encouraged to push ourselves, take risks and develop a well-rounded skill set.”

Equally important was the belief that hard work is recognised and that creative subjects deserve the same respect as any other discipline.Those lessons continue to shape the way she approaches leadership, collaboration and innovation today.

Creativity without borders

One of the aspects Mercedes enjoys most about international marketing is its ability to bring people together. Every campaign requires collaboration across languages, cultures and time zones, ensuring artists can connect authentically with audiences around the world, “There’s something really powerful about being part of a network across time zones, all aligned with the same goal.”

For Mercedes, that’s what makes the work so rewarding: helping creative talent cross borders while staying true to each artist’s unique vision. Her journey demonstrates that success isn’t always about following a traditional path. Sometimes it’s about pursuing the thing you care about most and having the resilience to keep going until opportunity arrives.

Fearless Futures

What would Mercedes’ advice be to current LEH students?

If you’re passionate about something, don’t be discouraged by how competitive it seems. Be prepared to start small, stay curious and keep showing up. Every experience, no matter how modest it feels at the time, helps build the skills and relationships that shape your future. Above all, persistence matters.

“Never give up. Persistence is everything… You need resilience, adaptability and a genuine passion.”