Olya Petrakova Brown

Olya Petrakova Brown, MBA, FRSA

Programme Director, MA Creative Industries | University of Exeter

I am Programme Director of the MA Creative Industries at the University of Exeter, where I lead a multidisciplinary, practice-led postgraduate programme designed to prepare students for leadership in the global creative economy. My work sits at the intersection of creativity, innovation, and strategic enterprise.

With over 15 years of professional experience in Los Angeles, I have worked as a performer, director, producer, and cultural leader—running performing arts centres and producing work for stage and screen. This hands-on industry experience underpins my teaching and research in creative strategy, audience engagement, and entrepreneurship.

I hold a degree in Applied Mathematics (St Petersburg University) and an MBA (Maharishi International University), specialising in systems thinking, innovation management, and sustainable business strategy. This unique combination of creative fluency and analytical rigour enables me to bridge artistic practice with organisational leadership and impact-driven design.

My work spans cultural entrepreneurship, innovation strategy, and creative production, with collaborations across media, publishing, design, and live performance. I am a Fellow of the Royal Society of Arts (FRSA) and passionate about inclusive leadership, experiential learning, and empowering emerging creatives to turn ideas into action.