Matt Dawson: Scrum Half

Matt Dawson was a scrum half and a key part of the England rugby team that won the 2003 World Cup. One of England’s most capped players of all time, he’s now as well known for his media appearances from A Question of Sport to Masterchef.

As a player, Matt played over 70 times for England, and famously his pass in the dying moments of the World Cup final resulted in the kick that won the game. He also captained England and played on three Lions’ tours. As part of the world-beating team he was involved in a revolutionary set-up that introduced new ideas and professional attitudes. He witnessed first-hand the organisation and team structure, the handing of responsibility to individuals and coaches; the culture of team and player accountability and the analysis of performances.

After Rugby

Since his retirement, Matt has developed two parallel careers: in media and in business. In the former he’s a regular commenting on live matches for BT Sport and BBC 5Live. He’s also one of the longest serving team captains on the BBC perennial A Question of Sport where his banter with opposing captain Phil Tufnell has become a popular feature of a show that’s been on air for over four decades.

Matt Dawson: Businessman

In business, Matt balances two jobs; working with commercial property company The Instant Group, and with facilities management giants Sodexo. Working in these areas has given him an insight into businesses, how they run, the expectations of clients; and how to deal with everyday challenges from getting groups to work together to accountability for results.

Matt applies lessons from the pitch and dressing room and combines them with his commercial knowledge; to deliver messages on everything from staff engagement to leadership culture.

Masterchef Winner

Constantly challenging himself, he won his series of Celebrity Masterchef (which has seen him develop a sideline in food-related books and shows including Mitch and Matt’s Big Fish); and finishing runner-up in Strictly Come Dancing. He’s also appeared on Would I Lie To You?, The Wright Stuff, and celebrity editions of Who Wants to Be a Millionaire? and The Chase.

Awards Hosting

As well as serious business insights Matt is also an accomplished presenter; adding humour and understanding to awards and to conferences. He also pairs up with his QoS sparring partner Tuffers for an evening of light-hearted chat and anecdotes.

Testimonials

“Matt was a lively and engaging speaker and we were very happy with his presentation. He adapted his talk to our specification and was great to listen to!” Histon & Impington Junior

“The RBS Group, and specifically the Dorset Property Team, were fortunate to have secured the services of Matt to attend our Annual Dinner…Matt was a huge success……his willingness to engage with some of the Banks 150 guests during the pre dinner reception, coupled with his entertaining and informative speech ensured this was a very successful evening for the Bank and its customers.” Head of Property Finance, RBS

“You must know from the reception that you received and the enormous reaction demonstrated by your audience that the McCarthy Stone team were delighted with your presentation. The balance between hard-faced experience and the motivational theme regarding teamwork was superbly expressed and demonstrated the overall theme encompassing teamwork was exactly the message we needed. They were inspired by your presence & presentation which they are all still discussing. Hopefully we can tailor in some presentations by yourself in the future but meanwhile many thanks again”. Executive Sales Director, McCarthy & Stone

“I would also like to extend a sincere thank you to Matt, for being absolutely the best celebrity guest imaginable..”  Tim Waples UK General Manager Doosan Infracore

“An amazing performance, there was a fantastic buzz and atmosphere in the room” Grant Thornton

“Amazing, the best speaker ever, super friendly! We couldn’t have imagined that he would be anywhere near that great and happy to engage with our sponsors, guests, audience and the children at the club. He never complained about the amount of autographs/photos that were asked of him (and there were lots!) and he made every person feel special. Hard act to follow for next year, made every person feel special – a rare quality! Hard act to follow for next year.” Jersey Construction Council

“Absolutely brilliant from start to finish. The feedback from everyone was that he was the best part of the event. A number of them had seen various speakers before and said that he was leagues above them and would have loved to hear him go on for longer. Definitely read the brief which was provided to him and made sure to tailor his talk around this. The audience loved him with standing ovations both before and after he came on stage.” Reed and MacKay Travel Ltd

“Fantastic. Right from the briefing call Matt made a very personal connection – got the messages nailed and delivered relevant content. On the day he got to know the execs very quickly and was very supportive throughout, backing up their messages, engaging and bringing people together – very smart. We wouldn’t hesitate to use him again.” Fujitsu