Matt has been a climber and mountaineer for over 30 years and has worked in extreme and remote environments for more than 25 years. He is the founder of both a guiding business and a climbing gym, giving him a deep and practical understanding of the application of safe working practices in demanding outdoor environments.

His qualifications include the Mountain Instructor Certificate (MIC), Mountain Instructor Award (MIA), International Mountain Leader (IML), Winter Mountaineering and Climbing Instructor, BRAWA Coasteering Training, Swiftwater Rescue Technician, and FREC 3. He also holds a degree in Outdoor Education. Alongside his instructional background, Matt is an experienced rigger and safety advisor, trusted to design and deliver technically complex systems in high-risk settings.

Matt has over 10 years full time experience guiding on the Skye Cuillin and has played a key role in the development of coasteering and canyoning on the Isle of Skye, pioneering commercial operations, discovering and assessing new sites, building robust safety systems, and training instructors to run these activities safely. His extensive experience in white-water kayaking, canoeing, and bodyboarding, spanning three decades, underpins a strong and practical understanding of dynamic water environments.

Earlier in his career, Matt worked as a mountain safety advisor and rigger in Kurdistan, where he designed and installed high-angle rope systems for seismic survey operations. These skills have since been applied to designing, building, and rigging complex rope-based challenges, as well as delivering safety for cast and crew on high-risk TV and film productions.

Matt has led expeditions and worked across the Congo, Georgia, Nepal, India, Ethiopia, Svalbard (Spitsbergen), Norway, Siberia, and Kyrgyzstan, and spent several years with Venture Trust in Applecross, helping deliver personal development programmes for young people at risk.