Elizabeth Brown
CITIZENSHIP
United States
HINRICH SCHOLARSHIP
London School of EconomicsLondon, United Kingdom
Executive Global Master’s in Management, Class of 2025
CURRENT EMPLOYMENT
Head of PartnershipsBuilding Markets, New York, United States
“I am committed to championing equity and sustainability in global trade. I believe that true progress lies in the creation of inclusive trade systems that uplift small businesses while ensuring the preservation of our planet's precious resources.”
Scholar background
Elizabeth is a global strategic relationship leader with 15 years of experience in fundraising, partnerships, and communications. She currently serves as Head of Partnerships at Building Markets, a global NGO advancing inclusive economies though support services to small business owners affected by crisis and marginalization. In this role, she leads the development and implementation of the funding and communication strategies to support the organization’s growth.
Previously, Elizabeth participated in facilitating trade between Ethiopian suppliers and US buyers by founding a company in Africa which developed market linkages for textile and leather products. She also held leadership roles at several organizations including Chief Development Officer at Wedgwood Circle and Associate Director, Policy Brands Roundtable at Atlantic Media Company, National Journal Group.
Elizabeth earned a bachelor’s degree in Government Studies at Georgetown University.
Personal statement
Around the world today, inequality is growing at an unprecedented rate with a wide-ranging host of consequences. Key to building economies that work for all is the inclusion of small businesses in markets around the world. Small businesses account for 99% of firms and create 70% of all jobs globally. They are the backbone of the world’s economy and when included in sustainable supply chains, they have the power to create massive positive social impact. On the other hand, they often lack the resources of large companies leaving them vulnerable to disruption and often unable to access markets or the capital to grow.
At Building Markets, my mission is to help build inclusive economies for small businesses so that all people have the opportunity to rise. By pursuing an Executive Global Master’s in Management (EGMiM) at the London School, I aim to deepen my foundation understanding of management theory and strategy to deepen my leadership skills. EGMiM’s coursework will offer me the tools and foundations to think critically about funding and marketing strategies, my core functional areas, but also the models, services, and partnerships needed to build equity in global supply chains.
I am honoured to be a Global Trade Scholar and delighted to join the Hinrich Foundation’s impressive network. I’m eager to engage with other scholars and alumni to network, learn, and share perspectives on building sustainable global supply chains.