Brooks Browne is retired but remains active on the issues of global food security, climate change and biodiversity conservation.
Up until May of 2013, he served for ten years on the non-profit Board of Winrock International, which he chaired for almost six of those years. Winrock works in 65 developing countries to empower the disadvantaged, increase economic opportunity, and sustain natural resources. It enables its clients to pursue productive livelihoods to earn their way out of poverty. It is especially focused on global food security and how that is impacted by climate change.
From 1991 to 2010 until its merger with Ares Capital, he was a board member of Allied Capital Corporation (then ALD-NYSE). He was designated as a Financial Expert on the Audit Committee (which he chaired for 15 years), and served on the Compensation Committee; he was also a member Governance and Executive Committees.
From 1993 to 2002 he was President and CEO, Environmental Enterprises Assistance Fund, in Arlington, VA. This was an experimental non-profit formed to stimulate the growth of environmentally beneficial private sector companies through private equity investing in developing countries. EEAF managed or co-managed five for-profit private equity funds which exceeded $150 million. Sample investees included companies in renewable energy, energy efficiency, organic agriculture, and recycling and non-timber forest products. EEAF wound down operations in 2006 when it was unable to generate the promised rate of returns on its funds.
From 1984 to 2003 he was the President and COO, Allied Capital Advisers, Inc., Washington, D.C. (see above); there he managed this NASDAQ-traded investment advisory company which was the advisor for seven private equity funds.
From 1976 to 1984 he was a Managing Director, Overseas Private Investment Corporation, in Washington, D.C. He led a team of finance professionals who provided project-finance debt to U.S. companies implementing investments in developing countries.
Mr. Browne began his career at Citibank. He has an M.B.A., Harvard Business School; and a B.A. from Williams College. Since 2004 Mr. Browne has undertaken volunteer assignments for conservation in Peru (Macaws), Botswana (Nile crocodiles), Cuba (Giant Iguanas), and Brazil (Jaguars), and in 2013 he spent two weeks volunteering at CCF. He also spent two weeks observing caribou in the Arctic.