Erik is the Head of Brand & Events at Coalition, Inc. in San Francisco, California. He says of his Mountbatten experience, “Being able to travel so extensively was transformative, but the true impact was the global perspective it baked into my professional DNA. It shifted my worldview from local to international, which has been the cornerstone of my career in brand and events. It taught me how to connect with people across cultures—a skill that is invaluable in marketing.”

Current Role: Head of Brand & Events at Coalition, Inc. San Francisco, California

What and where did you study before your Mountbatten internship?: Lewis & Clark, International Affairs

What made you apply for the Mountbatten program?: The opportunity to live abroad in one of the world’s truly great cities was too good to pass up.

Describe your sponsor company and your role within it: I spent my Mountbatten year at Deutsche Bank on the commodity operations team.

What was the highlight/most memorable moment of your working experience during this year: Learning the ins and outs of commodities trading

What was the social highlight/most memorable moment during this year: Traveling throughout Europe with great friends including a trip to Romania in the depths of winter and a bus trip throughout Turkey.

Please share a little wisdom/philosophy that you acquired during your internship: Adaptability is the ultimate superpower. My year in London taught me that you don’t need to be an expert on day one to succeed; you just need the curiosity to ask the right questions and the grit to navigate unfamiliar systems.

Upon reflection, what do you consider has been the biggest impact of your Mountbatten year: Being able to travel so extensively was transformative, but the true impact was the global perspective it baked into my professional DNA. It shifted my worldview from local to international, which has been the cornerstone of my career in brand and events. It taught me how to connect with people across cultures—a skill that is invaluable in marketing.

What happened after completing the year – what did you do next: I pivoted into brand strategy working on clients like Nike, National Geographic, Symantec and others.

Where are you now in your working life and what do you do: I am currently the Head of Brand & Events. I spend my days leveraging creativity to ‘break through the noise’ in an increasingly crowded marketplace. My role is to ensure our brand isn’t just heard, but felt, by creating experiences and identities that have genuine emotional resonance.

Do you have any future plans that you would like to realize & what are they (career & social)?:
Career: I want to continue leading brand transformations that prioritize human connection and creative disruption. My goal is to be a mentor for others looking to bridge the gap between analytical operations and creative strategy.
Social: My biggest, and most rewarding, project is raising my three children to be curious, global travelers.

What would people be surprised to learn about you?: Living in SF has made me really weak and I can never live in a place with proper winter again.

Is there any other information that you would like to be included?: I’m always happy to connect with other Mountbatten alums if I can be of help.