Mathew Pound

Business Development

Mathew is a founding partner of the popular WA-born hospitality group, Varsity.

Varsity, which was conceptualised with mates Fabian Bucher and Ben Maher and founded on a shared vision to ‘create a space that always promises to deliver good times’, began as a unipub/restaurant at the former Broadway Tavern site in Nedlands, and now boast 7 venues with over 300 people employed in the group.

Matthew, whose entire working life has centred around a kitchen or bar, credits an appreciation for local Western Australian produce, strongly-valued supplier relationships and early adoption of social media as being integral to Varsity’s success.

A natural story teller, Matthew drove the Varsity brand’s culture and profile heavily using social media at a time when few brands were doing so. He successfully tapped into the digitally-savvy university market and, over time, significantly grew Varsity’s reach and audience through online collaborations and campaigns, turning it into what is today regarded as one of WA’s most loved F&B brands.

The recent acquisition of Varsity Group by Melbourne based Signature Group has opened up prospects and freedom to apply the skills learned over the 9 year period to other industries and areas. Driven largely by the opportunity to capitalise on an underdeveloped aspect of the Property Industry and to be a part of a family owned and run business with the potential to combine the knowledge of Barry Pound, his father with over 30 years' experience in the Real Estate Industry and Michael Pound, his younger brother a Curtin University Honours graduate in City/Urban, Community and Regional Planning and over 10 years' experience.