By Brittany Bailer
The Warner Music/Blavatnik Center for Music Business at Howard University today announced Howard alumnus Tarik Brooks (B.A., ’97), president and Combs Enterprises, as its inaugural Executive in Residence for the Fall 2022 semester. In this position, Brooks will serve as a mentor to the center’s 20 fellows as he hopes to empower the next generation of cultural leaders. Combs Enterprises, a portfolio of game-changing companies founded by Sean “Diddy” Combs, is committed to inspiring greatness, celebrating excellence, and building a lasting impact.
“I’m honored to work with the Warner Music/Blavatnik Center to prepare Howard students for careers in music and entertainment,” said Brooks. “My goal is to accelerate the trajectory of the fellows in the program, the same way Howard and my mentors have done for me.”
Every semester, a different music business executive will serve as the center’s executive in residence. Brooks will be on campus at the Howard University School of Business, at least once a month, to speak to students interested in working in the music industry. For students admitted to the center’s fellowship program, Brooks will provide personal mentorship and assist in securing post-graduation employment.
“It is such a blessing to have Mr. Brooks join us this semester to mentor the next generation of music business professionals. It’s so important to give our students the opportunity to learn directly from industry experts, especially Howard alum. Tarik’s years of experience and wealth of knowledge in the industry will surely be a huge inspiration to our students,” said Jasmine Young, director of the Warner Music/Blavatnik Center for Music Business.
Brooks is a seasoned executive with more than 22 years of experience driving large scale business transformations across several industries including hospitality, spirits, and media. As the president of Combs Enterprises, Brooks oversees all business operations and investments owned by Sean “Diddy” Combs. This diverse portfolio includes CirocVodka, DeLeon Tequila, REVOLT TV, Bad Boy Records, Love Records, Sean John, AquaHydrate, Capital Preparatory Schools and more. Brooks oversees Sean Combs’ investment strategy and leads all new business development. Combs invests in companies whose missions align with that of Combs Enterprises, including Thirteen Lune and REC Philly. Brooks also led the launch of Our Fair Share, a platform that helped minority owned businesses access capital through the Paycheck Protection Program (PPP).
Prior to Combs Enterprises, Brooks was the Chief Operating Officer of the Account Management and Trading department at Bridgewater Associates, a global investment management firm with approximately $160 billion under management. He also previously served as the Executive Vice president at RLJ Companies, a portfolio of companies led by legendary investor Robert L. Johnson, where he led the development of several businesses including gaming/nightlife ventures in the Caribbean and the completion of RLJ Kendeja, a resort hotel in Monrovia, Liberia.
He is a graduate of Howard University and Harvard Business School.
On October 20, 2022, at 11 a.m. the center will host a VIP reception at the Blackburn Center Ballroom. The reception will celebrate the icons and legends in the music industry who have graduated from Howard. Brooks will be in attendance and will be honored at the reception among others. Also in attendance will be Young Guru, chief engineer for Jay-Z and director of the Music Technology, Entrepreneurship & Production program at the Roc Nation School of Music, Sports & Entertainment, Julian Petty, executive vice president of Warner Records, members of the Blavatnik Family and Blavatnik Family Foundation Social Justice Fund board members.
