From 6000 feet underground in a South African gold mine to the boardrooms of global businesses, Rael Bricker has lived the entrepreneurial rollercoaster—and turned every twist into a lesson in excellence. Over more than three decades, Rael has built, scaled, and led businesses across education, finance, mining, and venture capital. His unique perspective—combining an engineer’s precision with a strategist’s vision and a storyteller’s heart—has made him one of Australia’s most engaging and insightful business speakers.

Today, as the founder of The Excellence Project, Rael inspires audiences around the world to harness optimism as a strategic advantage. His message is clear: excellence isn’t an outcome—it’s a mindset. Through his keynote presentations and workshops, Rael helps leaders and teams align culture with strategy, embrace change with confidence, and take small, deliberate steps that lead to extraordinary results.

Rael’s journey defies convention. After beginning his career deep underground as a mining engineer, he moved into the education sector, founding a private education business that grew to over 4,000 students. Later, he built a financial services group that has settled more than $3 billion in loans—and personally sold over $1 billion in mortgages from stage. He has listed companies on international stock exchanges, navigated global market shifts, and led teams through rapid change.

But his story took a profound turn in 2013. While training for a marathon, Rael suffered a major health scare that required the insertion of two stents to clear blocked arteries. That moment of vulnerability became his turning point—fueling his mission to live with purpose and to help others do the same. As Rael often says, “I was given a second life—and I’ve made it my purpose to help others make the most of theirs.”

Rael combines academic depth with entrepreneurial grit. He holds an MBA and an MSc in Software Engineering, is a Certified Speaking Professional (CSP)—the highest earned designation in global speaking—and a Fellow of the Mortgage and Finance Association of Australia (MFAA). He’s also a Member of the Australian Institute of Company Directors (AICD), and Past Chapter President of Professional Speakers Australia (WA).

Beyond the stage, Rael is the author of “Dive In – Lessons Learnt Since Business School” and host of The Excellence Podcast, where he interviews leaders and innovators from around the world on culture, leadership, and the future of work. His research spans interviews with over 85 organisations in 25 countries, offering a global view on what drives excellence in the modern workplace

Every presentation Rael delivers is deeply customised to the client’s needs. His style is authentic and warm, blending humour and insight with powerful storytelling. He doesn’t just inspire—he equips people with tools to act. Whether he’s speaking to executive teams, frontline leaders, or cross-functional audiences, Rael brings energy, relevance, and humanity to the room.

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