Sir David Brown was an English industrialist who became the managing director of the gear and machine tool business called David Brown Limited and David Brown Tractors. He also became the owner of the car manufacturers Lagonda and Aston Martin as well as the shipbuilder Vosper Thorneycroft.

Brown attended the Rossall School and King James' Grammar School in Almondbury.

After he left school at the age of 17, he started working as an apprentice in his family's business, David Brown & Sons (Huddersfield). The company was founded by his grandfather, David, who specialized in transmission components.

He was sent to Europe, Africa, and the United States to study factory conditions and business methods. This eventually led him to establish a steel and bronze foundry in Penistone where there was severe unemployment. The business became successful and the group was able to create precision casting for numerous industries.

Upon the death of his uncle Perry, he became the company's director and eventually the managing director. The company was able to significantly expand its operations because of his leadership.

After acquiring the coachbuilder Tickford, he concentrated all of the manufacturing of Lagonda and Aston Martin at the Tickford premises in Newport Pagnell.

However, due to the financial difficulties that the David Brown Corporation faced, the company was forced to sell its tractor division and Aston Martin Lagonda to different buyers.

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