Matt McFadyen
World Adventurer and Speaker

Matt McFadyen grew up in suburban Sydney fascinated by the mysteries of life beyond the confines of his home and familiar surroundings.

In December 2003, Matt McFadyen 'the adventurer' was born when, at the tender age of 22 years, he set sail for Antarctica in the company of five like-minded adventurers.

Taking a 43-foot yacht across the most dangerous ocean on earth was no easy task. Having to navigate fields of icebergs while beset by storms of mammoth intensity, Matt was forced to draw on every ounce of courage and perseverance he could muster as nature surely tested his resolve and that of his fellow adventurers.

The meticulous planning and preparatory work that had taken two years to complete paid off in January 2004 when the team reached Commonwealth Bay Antarctica. For four days the hardy adventurers explored the pristine wilderness that is Antarctica. A life changing experience for any person let alone one so young as Matt.

On the return voyage Matt again experienced the raw force and power of nature. The small craft was pounded by a massive storm 550 nautical miles south of Tasmania. Waves of up to fifty feet high swept across the yacht knocking it over several times. The whole crew had to struggle for their life's as the waves continued to knock the boat over. This harrowing experience and the raw power of nature inspired and motivated Matt to further adventures.

He has since become the youngest Australian to ski to the North Pole, having made several last degree expeditions.

When not exploring the Polar Regions Matt makes his living as one of Australia's most sought after motivational speakers. His presentations focus on his years of exploring the ends of the earth and the hardships and lessons learnt while pitting himself against some of the most extreme conditions this planet has to offer. Matt's presentations come complete with some of the most stunning visuals you will encounter.

As a young adventurer, speaker and leader Matt is second to none. His achievements at such a young age are testimony to his hard work and motivation.

Program content, which is customized for each audience:

Based on his 54 day Southern Ocean sailing expedition in 2004 where at 22 he was the youngest in a crew of 5. He focuses on not only the highs and lows associated with the expedition but the 2 years of planning and preparation involved in getting an expedition like this off the ground and the sacrifices one makes to achieve the goals set before them.

Matt also speaks about the intense physical and mental hardships faced out at sea including the boat being knocked upside down and being washed overboard in 50 foot seas.

The key concepts he can weave into the presentation include:

Leadership styles

Raising to new challenges

Motivation

Decision

High Performance

Team dynamics

Trust

Communication

Crisis Management

Overcoming boundaries

Clients comments:

"Our brief was to inspire. Our challenge was to be more courageous. Matt was the embodiment of both those things. Grounded, accessible, honest and real.....and yet overwhelmingly impressive and charismatic. He left his mark on our team and will continue to do so for a very long time. When we extend our comfort zone, it will be in large part to him!" Nicole Sparohott UNILEVER AUSTRALAISA

"Matt's presentation was terrific. He cleverly articulated to our executive team the mission, challenges and ups and downs of a polar expedition. He did this in a manner which grabbed the attention of everyone in the room, through his confidence and ability to get everyone emotionally involved with the enormity of his task to get to the North Pole. Importantly also, the learning's coming out of Matt's presentation were applicable at both a personal and business level; which meant that Matt's presentation was not only engaging, but also generated real value." Simon Brookes  TELSTRA

"Matt's presentation was engaging and relevant. Not easy to capture and hold the attention of an audience of 300 plus senior executives, but Matt did just that. Many people have since commented to me about the personal and business learning's they took away from the session. Matt was professional, easy to do business with and responsive to our specific needs."  Peter Jamieson   TELSTRA

"Thank you for your presentation to the Visa staff in Singapore, you totally encapsulated the room, inviting the audience to share in your journey, moving from highs to lows and giving the audience an insight into both the physical and mental strength that it takes to turn a dream into reality.  Challenging the audience to accomplish their own goals whilst underpinning the importance of teamwork, the presentation was extremely well received, relevant both in the work place and at home and thought provoking. Your life experiences are testament to your determination in your life journey and we wish you all the best with your future endeavours." Bruce Mansfield General Manager, Australia and NZ  VISA INTERNATIONAL

"Matt had our entire DDB/Continental team enraptured as he gave a very personal account of how his idea was born, the meticulous planning that went into getting it to the ‘start line', and the amazing highs and lows he experienced during the actual voyage. He answered tough questions from the group and always tried to draw relevance back to why he was presenting to us in the first place. Matt is a truly inspiring and engaging speaker - we're still talking about him several days later!" Kate O'Brien, Group Account Director  DDB Sydney

Travels from: California

For more information or to book Matt McFadyen for your event, click here.