Matt Ferrier
Australian Bravery Award Recipient & Aquatic Education Specialist (Bangkok)
Surf Lifesaver • Commendation for Brave Conduct • Swim Coach Asia Co-Founder • International Aquatic Educator
Matthew James Ferrier is an Australian lifesaver, decorated rescue responder, and internationally recognised aquatic education specialist based in Bangkok, Thailand. He is the recipient of the Australian Commendation for Brave Conduct for rescuing a man caught in a dangerous rip at Marcoola Beach, Queensland, on 12 April 2005, an act formally honoured by the Governor-General in the 2023 Australian Bravery Decorations.
With more than 20 years of experience in swim teaching, water safety, youth leadership, and emergency response training, Ferrier has become one of Southeast Asia’s leading voices in practical, culturally sensitive aquatic education. He is the Co-Founder of Swim Coach Asia (SCA), a regional training organisation that delivers swim teacher, swim coach, and lifesaving qualifications to international schools, clubs, and organisations across Asia.
Ferrier currently serves as a senior swim educator at the leading international school in Bangkok, where he leads curriculum development, instructor training, and high-impact water-safety initiatives. His teaching philosophy is shaped by real-world experience—combining surf lifesaving principles, risk-aware decision-making, and evidence-based coaching methods that are immediately applicable across all age groups and cultural contexts.
He holds a Bachelor of Teaching (University of Central Queensland), IGCSE PE Assessor certification, and instructor/assessor qualifications in Swim Teaching, Swim Coaching, and Pool Lifeguarding. He has taught over two thousand educators across Southeast Asia and has led specialised workshops in resilience, emergency response, first aid, and youth leadership.
Ferrier’s work is grounded in the belief that water safety saves lives before rescues happen, and his career reflects a lifelong commitment to empowering communities with the skills and confidence to prevent drowning. His professional mission continues to be shaped by his lifesaving roots in Australia, his decorated rescue experience, and his ongoing work building safer aquatic programs across Asia.
