Ian Brown has had a long association with business, firstly in his role as director in the family business of Graham and Brown and latterly as Chair of the Blackburn with Darwen  Hive Business Network. His involvement at Graham and Brown gave him responsibilities in the operational and logistical aspects of the company, before leading on matters of Corporate and Social Responsibility. In 2002 he led the development of the company`s first CSR report, which was recognised by the Global Reporting Initiative of the United Nations for its fresh approach to CSR reporting. In 2012 he was awarded North West

Director of the Year by the Institute of Directors.
In his role as chair of the Hive Business Network he facilitated the creation of partnerships between local businesses and the education providers in Blackburn with Darwen to improve knowledge of current and future skills. He is also a director of Growth Lancashire and chair of the Education Partnership Trust.

His role in Prometheus is in the business development aspect and brings a wealth of experience to this role.