Attitude defines success
Matt Hall is renowned as one of the best pilots and fighter pilots in the world. His is a formidable Australian story of resilience and the pursuit of excellence. Matt grew up in a machinery shed outside Scone, New South Wales, with no running water and a stretcher bed. He went on to become aviation and Air Force royalty.
Matt shares authentic lessons lived through his mind-blowing aviation stories and near-death experiences. Hyper-intelligent, with a photographic memory, he leaves audiences in awe of just how much one man can achieve in a single lifetime.
Matt is a retired Wing Commander, Top Gun fighter pilot and Chief Combat Instructor, having served on active duty with both the Royal Australian Air Force (RAAF) and the United States Air Force (USAF). He is a distinguished combat veteran of Iraq and decorated for heroism under fire while protecting US Marines.
In 2009, Matt became the first Australian to compete in Red Bull Air Race. On debut he placed third in the series and went on to accumulate seven wins and 25 podiums. After finishing second in the world championship three times, he cemented his place as the most successful air race pilot of the modern era by winning the world championship in 2019.
Matt is a man who truly knows how to get it done and how to manage risk when the stakes are at their highest. Today, he is an international Red Bull pilot, author of the biography The Sky Is Not the Limit, CEO of Matt Hall Racing and CEO of Afterburner Australia.
What audiences will leave with:
Matt brings to audiences lessons forged in environments where preparation, judgement, teamwork and the high-performance under pressure have real consequences. He shares how he thinks, how he makes clear decisions and manages risk, builds teams that perform when it matters, recovers quickly from setbacks and relentlessly improves through honest, habitual debriefing.
Matt challenges audiences to reconsider the limits they place on themselves. His life is powerful proof of what can happen when ambitious goals are matched with discipline, resilience and relentless endeavour.
On stage, Matt is funny, fast and honest. Audiences leave inspired by what Matt has achieved and equipped to think differently about what they can achieve themselves with practical tools for business and life.
Talking Points
Big Dreams, Small Margins
Matt’s story, from a machinery shed in Scone to Iraq and winning world championship. Realising potential, excelling under pressure, building a dream team, debriefing all the way and recovering from adversity.
Big Dreams, Small Margins
High Performance Leadership
Leadership through the lens of a fighter pilot and Red Bull Air Race world champion. Integrity, accountability, rapid decision-making, killing complacency and building trust via the debrief.
High Performance Leadership
High Performance Safety and Risk Management
One of the most practiced safety and risk managers in the world, Matt Hall shares relatable anecdotes and his highly formed view and calculations of risk management as an individual, team and leader.
High Performance Safety and Risk Management
Team-building workshops
Matt runs military missions within keynotes to increase audience engagement, team collaboration and demonstrate fundamental debriefing techniques.
Team-building workshops
MC, fireside or panel
Matt hosting your event, or in conversation. Suits awards nights, annual lunches and sessions where a moderated format works harder than a keynote.
MC, fireside or panel
Video
Keynote speaking showreel
Matt Hall epitomises the core elements of a true champion and gentleman. He is one of the most polished and engaging event speakers you will ever meet. Matt Hall brings to life his fascinating story from humble beginnings to unimaginable goals. Matt is a third-generation pilot whose life in aviation has seen intense military combat, multiple near-death experiences and immortalisation in the fastest motorsport on the planet. Matt is the reigning Red Bull Air Race world champion. He placed third in his world championship racing debut in 2009 becoming the first rookie in history to make it to the podium. Matt has since accumulated seven wins and 25 podiums, making him the most successful air racing pilot in the modern era. Former wing commander in the Royal Australian Air Force, a combat veteran of Iraq with USAF medals for heroism under fire in his F-15E Strike Eagle fighter jet, Matt takes his audience into a world where the stakes are high and the margins are extremely slim.Daniel Ricciardo x Matt Hall | Sea Cliff Bridge Australia
"Do you reckon you can keep up?" Matt Hall and Daniel Ricciardo take on Sea Cliff Bridge.0:02 / 0:34 Red Bull Aerobatic Experiences - Matt Hall Racing
Designed and performed by Matt Hall, Red Bull Air Race world champion and his highly disciplined team of former RAAF and elite aerobatic pilots. Jump in the front seat and experience mind blowing stunts from barrel rolls to tumbling end over end and speeds of 370+kpmh. You choose how much you cruise and how much time you spend upside down!Matt Hall - Speaker Reel
Matt Hall - Corporate Speaker
Corporate speaking showreel
Making your work life your passion
Amazing aerobatic flying over Sydney Harbour on New Year's Eve 2015
Matt spoke unbelievably at Qantas' marquee Safety and Risk Conference. He held the attention and respect of a highly accomplished and senior audience. His lessons on risk management are inva ... keep reading Qantas
Matt Hall is our go to athlete for Red Bull corporate keynotes. He is the consummate operator, unbelievable life story and a premium representative of our brand.
Glencore has engaged Matt Hall for safety and risk management keynotes across many departments over many years from apprentices, to seasoned miners and operations to leadership. Matt's presentation is not only educational and resounding in its many learnings, but very entertaining for what can be a dry topic!
QBE booked Matt Hall a number of times. We were so impressed by his ability to captivate an audience that we engaged him as the QBE Airmanship Ambassador. The risk mitigation and risk management take away from Matt's presentations is so thought provoking that it can be applied to any industry or vocation. I recommend Matt highly as a guest speaker, whether it is in the area of airmanship, risk management, motivation, situational awareness or simply entertaining tales from his inspirational life story.
Matt promotes a culture of duty, continuous improvement and accountability. The emphasis on debriefing in a non-judgmental, rankless, and nameless approach, focusing on what's right rather than who's right was particularly well-received. It was an extremely valuable presentation.
We engaged Matt Hall to enhance our company's risk management capability and what we received was far beyond what we could have ever expected. Our experience with Matt made us more inquisitive about how great we could really become. Matt's real-life experiences, the knowledge he imparted and the "I'm just the same as you" approach left us all reflecting and acting on the opportunities that we have to be safer people and more importantly the reasons why. Matt introduced a common and down to earth risk management language that still echoes around our work environment. I would encourage any organisation to talk with Matt and his team if you are looking for a way to inspire and motivate a mind-set.
Senior ANZ executives hosting the CFO conference expressed Matt's brilliance. He was something completely different from the usual speaking spot and the change really hit the mark.
Matt Hall left an indelible mark on our sales team's culture. We are committed to bringing his mind and mindset into all parts of our business.
Matt Hall spoke recently at our annual conference, his presentation was both enthralling and inspiring. His story of courage and perseverance captured the interest of our attendees and in fact caused many to comment on how valuable his speech was. Matt spoke with such intensity and passion, he drew the audience in and painted a vivid picture of his experiences. His determination throughout his career, although unique in its character, is something that we can all aspire to.
