Derrin Brown is a globally recognised Event Strategist, Lighting and Audio Designer, and critical thinker specialising in immersive environments and large-scale storytelling. With over 25 years in the industry, he has been named one of the Top 20 Regional and Top 100 Global Event Influencers in both 2023 and 2024.
As CEO of the Australian Events Industry Collective, Derrin drives national collaboration and champions innovation across Australia and New Zealand’s event ecosystem. During the COVID hiatus, he founded The Mandala Social, now rebranded as The Global Alchemy, delivering pioneering immersive projects with State Economic Development Authorities and redefining the intersection of experience and place.
His portfolio spans commercial, cultural, and diplomatic work, from international brand activations and UNESCO heritage projects to major public spectacles, art festivals, and sports ceremonies. Globally recognised for his expertise in lighting and audio design, Derrin is also known for creating projection mapping immersive installations that transform spaces and engage audiences. He has led creative and technical teams for Cirque du Soleil, the Sydney Opera House, Princess Cruises, and major governments, and played a key role in the 2022 NOOR Riyadh Festival, which achieved six Guinness World Records.
Derrin’s Australian highlights include Sydney Mardi Gras, White Night Melbourne, Australia Day on Sydney Harbour, and the Timor-Leste Independence Day Handover Ceremony with the United Nations. He has collaborated with institutions such as The Royal Ballet, New York Philharmonic, FIFA, and The Blue Man Group, and contributed to U.S. presidential campaign events and World Expo showcases.
A mentor, creative advisor, and Senior Producer, Derrin sits on the Advisory Board of Riverside Theatres and judges the Eventex and Australian Event Awards. He is currently researching espresso café culture across Southeast Asia and Oceania, exploring how place, narrative, and experience converge.
A builder of worlds and challenger of norms, Derrin brings cultural intelligence, technical expertise, and imagination to every project. When not in production mode, he’s with a double shot espresso, following Liverpool FC—YNWA.