He has just finished his second year as Otago coach, and will continue on in that role next year, as well as in his new Highlanders position.
Brown (38) said in the end it was not a hard choice in accepting the role with the Highlanders.
''It was an easy decision. This is where my heart is - with the Highlanders and Otago. I want to help and I think I can,'' Brown said.
''I'm pretty excited. It is something that seems part of me. So to be involved with both of those sides is, I guess, what I want to do as a coach.''
Brown was approached by Highlanders coach Jamie Joseph about the position and did not take long to decide to come on board.
With his appointment, Scott McLeod and Jon Preston, who both came on board last year, would move to new roles.
McLeod would be in charge of defence, Joseph would look after the set piece and Preston would work on individual player skills.
Two years ago, Brown was still playing for both the Highlanders and Otago in a first-class career which started in 1995.
He admits the transition to coaching at a high level has come at a rapid speed but he believed he had done enough to coach at a higher level.
''It has come pretty quick but I have been coaching for seven or eight years now. I have got a pretty good understanding of rugby.
''I have played professional rugby for 17 years and I've had a lot of experience and worked under a lot of good coaches. I think I have got what is needed in a professional era.''
Brown was an original Highlander, when Super 12 rugby started in 1996, and played for the side through until 2004.
He then came back in 2011 as an injury replacement, and had played 90 games for the franchise.
His job as attack coach was just that - working on the side's attack, and getting it to score plenty of tries.
''I'm just going to work with the other coaches and make sure our attack is right and we are doing the right things on attack.
''It's about making sure the players understand what we want to do on attack.''
Joseph was keen to get Brown involved.
''I've been impressed with Browny's performances with Otago over the last couple of years,'' Joseph said.
''The team has played with a lot of character and he has shown a great ability to get the best out of his players.''
Brown has been involved with Japanese rugby since 2004 when he went north to play for the Sanyo side.
Sanyo was bought out by Panasonic and he became part of a team which was a perennial contender in the Japanese competition.
Brown, a technical adviser for the Panasonic side, will head to Japan for a few weeks next month but will be back in Dunedin in December, when the Highlanders start training for next season, and he will not return to Japan.
The Highlanders struggled last season despite a roster of All Blacks and experienced players, eventually finishing 14th after winning just three games.
Many of those seasoned players and internationals have left, and Brown is excited to be working with some young players.
''Last year I was not part of the Highlanders. I'm just looking forward to this season. It is footy, it is exciting. It's always fun working with a bunch of young guys.''
He said it was not necessarily a pathway to becoming the head coach when Joseph's contract ended at the end of next season.
''Further down the line, I will be coaching Otago and nothing is going to change there.
''I'm just looking forward to this challenge and then the Otago challenge next year as well.''
