Presence is what happens when clarity meets courage.
Matt Hetherington is a multi-award-winning performer and sought-after communication coach who brings stage mastery into the boardroom.
With a career spanning major theatrical productions, live concert performances, and corporate events,
Matt has built a reputation for commanding presence, vocal power, and an ability to truly hold a room. His award-winning work in musical theatre and live performance has seen him captivate thousands of audience members, a skillset he now translates into high-impact communication training for leaders and teams.
Drawing on performance psychology, behavioural insight, and structured communication frameworks, Matt helps professionals develop clarity, confidence, and authority in the moments that matter most, from high-stakes presentations to everyday leadership conversations.
As both a dynamic MC and keynote speaker, Matt blends storytelling, humour, and practical tools to create experiences that are engaging, energising, and immediately actionable. His sessions leave audiences not just inspired, but equipped, with techniques they can implement straight away.
Whether on a theatre stage or at a leadership conference, Matt’s work centres on one core principle. Presence is not personality. It is a skill that can be learned, refined, and mastered.
Matt has won two Australian Green Room Awards and the prestigious Helpmann Award (Australia's Tony Award) as lead actor in a Musical in productions such as; The Full Monty, Dirty Rotten Scoundrels, Next to Normal and Hair. He was also a live finalist in season one of The Voice – Australia.
In 2022 he performed a season of The Who’s – Tommy at the Palais in St Kilda playing Captain Walker and then followed it up with a critically acclaimed reprisal of Dan Goodman in the Broadway hit Next to Normal. Matt recently played impresario Harry M Miller in Judy Australia – 1964 as a part of Melbourne’s Midsumma Festival. Whilst in the US, Matt guest starred in the critically acclaimed TV comedy The Detour on the TBS network.
He is one of the most sought-after live acts in Australia, both as a feature solo artist and fronting his own band, The Matt Hetherington Band ‘MHB’. He spent many years regularly performing with various acts in and around New York City, including the highly acclaimed live show Shaken Not Stirred featuring the music of James Bond.
Matt has starred in over 15 major theatre productions in Australia such as The Who’s - Tommy, North by Northwest, Next to Normal, South Pacific, Hair, Rocky Horror, Flower children (The Story of the Mamas and Papas), The Last 5 Years, Sweet Charity, Damn Yankees and Sugar.
Matt also played a principal role ‘Eddie Starr’ in the Alliance Theatre (Atlanta) world premiere of the new Broadway-bound musical Becoming Nancy.
In addition to his theatre credits, Matt has guest starred in numerous TV programs such as; The Detour (US – TBS), City Homicide, The Dr. Blake Murder Mysteries, Stingers, Marshall Law and Sea Change.
Matt has also been featured singing at some of the biggest sporting events in Australia such as the AFL Grand Final (Australia's Super Bowl), the Cox Plate (Australia's Kentucky Derby), the 2012 National Rugby League State of Origin and the John Newcombe Medal for Tennis Australia.
Talking Points
Communicating with Confidence
Communicating with Confidence blends stage craft with leadership strategy. Matt Hetherington draws on decades of performance experience to show professionals how to hold attention, project authority, and connect authentically. This keynote delivers actionable techniques that transform the way leaders speak and influence.
Communicating with Confidence
Bringing Emotional Intelligence into the Boardroom
Bringing Emotional Intelligence into the Boardroom
Bringing Emotional Intelligence into the Boardroom
Presenting with confidence and power.
In Presenting with Confidence and Power, Matt Hetherington reveals the mechanics behind persuasive, high-impact presentations. Through structured frameworks and behavioural insight, he shows professionals how to eliminate uncertainty, sharpen their message, and project calm authority in high-stakes environments.
Presenting with confidence and power.
MC& Host
Matt Hetherington is a multi-award-winning performer and highly sought-after communication coach who brings exceptional presence, polish, and intelligence to the MC role. Drawing on an elite career across major theatre productions, live broadcasts, and corporate events, Matt commands the room with confidence and warmth, keeping audiences engaged and events running seamlessly. He blends sharp facilitation, humour, and strong vocal control with an acute ability to read the room and adapt in real time. The result is MCing that elevates Speakers, reinforces key messages, and ensures the event feels cohesive, energetic, and professionally led from start to finish.
MC& Host
Video
Matt Hetherington: Acclaimed vocalist, actor and MC
A professional singer for over 20 years, Matt Hetherington has performed as a feature vocalist throughout Australia and around the world as both a soloist and with his band. An award-winning musical theatre actor, Matt has won three Green Room Awards and a prestigious Helpmann award. As a vocalist Matt is regarded as one of the best live acts in Australia. He has a powerhouse rock voice and is an electrifying showman. A much sought after live performer, he has made many appearances as a guest vocalist on programs such as GMA, IMT and Hey Hey It's Saturday. A hard working and talented artist who has spent many years crafting his skills as a vocalist and performer, Matt is a much respected and proud member of the Australian music scene. Matt is not just a talented musician but also a dynamic event MC.
