About
Secure your next
guest speaker from Melbourne
Melbourne-based emcee and guest speaker Brett de Hoedt has an intriguing CV. Before becoming a guest speaker and master of ceremonies he worked in Melbourne as a journalist at Truth, New Idea, The Melbourne Weekly and contributed to The Sunday Age. He wrote opinion pieces for the Sydney Morning Herald, ABC Radio National and gameshow questions for the shortlived Celebrity Squares.
He was a radio producer before hosting for years on Melbourne’s 3AK and 3MP, racking up airtime on the microphone tackling the issues of the day with newsmakers from politics, business, sports and entertainment.
He was a television publicist with the Seven Network handling doyen Bruce McAvaney and Seven News Melbourne as part of his portfolio.
In 1999 he founded communications agency Hootville Communications which handles media, marketing and communications. Hootville generates media coverage, creates campaigns, websites and video. It also delivers six training workshops.
Before he was a guest speaker…
Brett can deliver a range of keynotes.
Brett loves chairing a panel discussion or debate.
He can run separate networking / ice-breaking events / trivia quizzes.
Have Brett deliver training.
Added Value
An emcee with range
Brett’s worked for industries ranging from global philanthropy to waste water management via education, sports, retail, mental health, employment, disaster management, social enterprise and primary health.
He hosts posh networking events, rowdy industry awards, serious national conferences, anxious crisis meetings and celebratory public events.
This facilitator, travelling from Melbourne, has worked for clients in the government, nonprofit and corporate sector.
He’s introduced and interviewed government ministers, CEOs, Olympians, convicted criminals, sex workers, scientists, celebrities and various fancy people.
He loves chairing a panel discussion, a trivia quiz, throwing in a keynote or training session.
He’s far more experienced with sensitive issues than other emcees - domestic violence, disability, mental illness, unemployment and homelessness are all issues he’s tackled as an emcee, journalist and communications consultant.
Relationships
Most of his business is repeat or referral business.
As an emcee and public speaker Brett has several (professional!) long-term relationships.
He’s worked 18 Communities in Control conferences and he’s on a 17 year roll with Disability Employment Australia’s national conference. He’s been working in New Zealand for eight years running.
Melbourne-born, he works across Australia and New Zealand.
An emcee with style
Brett’s got quirk, curiousity and abundant energy.
This emcee is lightning fast on his feet, often places his tongue in his cheek and has a polished manner.
Above-average curiosity secures enviable general knowledge so you can rely on Brett to launch the Q&A sessions and keep it running if your audience falls mute.
Clients uniformly find him low-maintenance. Event organisers - just imagine not writing a script, booking travel or catering to any dietary requirements.
An emcee with hobbies
Brett has made overseas volunteering sorties to India, Sri Lanka and Ghana with Habitat for Humanity and other charities.
In 2018 he co-founded Our City, Our Square which defied Apple and the Victorian Government to keep a proposed Apple superstore out of Melbourne’s Federation Square.
In 2019 Brett created the award-winning podcast The Hardest Word which is unique among its 2,000,000 peers. Each episode features a real person making a real apology.
The show has gained media coverage and contributions globally.
It is aired on UK and Swiss radio. It has twice been nominated in the Australian Podcast Awards.
He serves on the board of his local neighbourhood house the Prahran Community Neighbourhood Centre.
He is a constant gardener, passionate dachshund enthusiast, gifted eater and would-be Wimbledon champion.