Face fear
Explore how to work with fear and channel that energy into focus, motivation and action.
Featured Speaker
Mark
Mark
Mathews
Big wave surfer and award-winning keynote speaker. Mark turns lessons from the world’s most dangerous waves into practical tools for facing fear, adapting to change and performing under pressure.
12 and 13 November 2026Gold Coast Convention & Exhibition Centre8am to 6pm
3×Consecutive Oakley Big Wave Awards
60ft+Waves ridden
ResilienceTools for high performance
Fear. Resilience. Performance.
Thrive Under Pressure.
Lessons from the world’s biggest waves, brought into everyday life.
Why Mark Changes The Room
From Big Waves To Big Moments.
Mark Mathews is a big wave surfer turned award-winning keynote speaker whose career has been built on chasing the world’s most dangerous waves. He turns the lessons from those moments into tools that help others thrive under pressure.
Across his surfing career, Mark has won three consecutive Oakley Big Wave Awards and ridden waves over 60 feet high, often in conditions where a mistake can mean serious injury or worse. Those experiences shaped his deep understanding of fear, resilience and high performance.
On stage, Mark fuses jaw-dropping surf footage with practical strategies to help audiences face fear, adapt to change and perform when it matters most. His clients range from global tech giants like Google and SAP to international sporting teams, Olympic coaches and local primary school kids. His mix of adrenaline-charged storytelling, actionable takeaways and relatable humour connects with people from all walks of life.
A proud father of two young daughters, Mark balances the unpredictability of chasing monster swells with school drop-offs and bedtime stories. That mix of high stakes and everyday life gives him a unique ability to connect with the people in the room.
“Turning fear into excitement, drive, motivation and not letting it govern your life. No one knows that better than Mark.”
Chris Hemsworth
What Mark Brings
Face Fear. Find Your Focus.
Drawing on big wave surfing and life beyond the ocean, Mark combines memorable stories with practical ways to respond when the pressure rises.
Adapt to change
Build resilience for unpredictable moments, drawing on lessons from an environment that never stands still.
Perform under pressure
Bring a clearer mindset to the high-stakes decisions and everyday challenges that matter to you.
Mark Mathews At SWISHCON26Meet The Moment.
Meet The Moment.
Move Forward.
12 and 13 November 2026 at Gold Coast Convention & Exhibition Centre, 8am to 6pm.