The Highlanders board, which includes the four new shareholders in the franchise, met last weekend to discuss the new coach and the process to go through in appointing someone.
Highlanders chief executive Roger Clark did not return calls yesterday but already speculation has begun on who will take over the reins from Jamie Joseph.
Joseph has signed with Japan and will finish at the end of this season, bringing the curtain down on six years with the Highlanders as head coach.
Traditionally, these positions have been well signalled and New Zealand Rugby has been heavily involved in getting the coach it wants into the franchise.
One only has to look at the Hurricanes job a few years ago when Mark Hammett was rushed into the position by the national union when he was receiving overtures from Australian franchises.
That did not go entirely well but what happens with the Hurricanes is unlikely to be repeated by the Highlanders.
The private ownership of the Highlanders, secured late last year, will mean the national body will not have as much of a say on who gets the job.
The board, which is chaired by independent member Doug Harvie, will, in the end, have the responsibility of selecting the new coach.
It has no affiliation with New Zealand Rugby although the national union does pay the wage of the head coach.
The coach - whoever that might be - will have some big shoes to fill, given the Highlanders won the Super rugby title last year.
The team also has to contend with its neighbouring franchise, the Crusaders, on the lookout for a new coach.
The Crusaders are bound to look internally and the likes of Tabai Matson and Scott Robertson must be a strong chance to take the job.
Brown has hosed down speculation of him taking the Highlanders position, saying he was just concentrating on this season and had not given the head coach role any thought.
There is a thinking he wants to stay as an assistant, gain more experience and continue with a back-room role.
But becoming a coach is just as much to do about timing than it is with ability.
Brown has coached in Japan, coached Otago for three years and is in his third year with the Highlanders.
If he does not want the job he may be passed over and his time will not come again.
A new coach may look to bring in his own staff and Brown, along with others such as Scott McLeod and Clarke Dermody, would be on the outer.
Talk surfaced this week about Robbie Deans coming back as the next Highlanders coach.
Deans (56) is coaching the Panasonic Wild Knights in Japan which does have connections with the Highlanders franchise.
Not having a coach confirmed for next year usually leads to players being unwilling to commit beyond this season.
But the Highlanders have not run into any of those troubles. Forwards Elliot Dixon, Brendon Edmonds and Dan Pryor have all signed deals for next season and beyond in the past few weeks.