[1] Mather was educated at S. Thomas' College, Mt Lavinia from 1963 to 1974 where he was School Prefect, Captain of Swimming, Vice – Captain of Basketball, Water-Polo and was awarded college colours in 1st XV Rugby (Playing under the captaincy of Peter Vanniasingham alongside Stefan D'Silva, PL Munasinghe and Professor Devaka Fernando), Swimming, Water Polo and Basketball.

His teachers and house masters in the boarding school included Rev Duleep De Chickera and Quentin Israel.

Mather has been Associate Dean (Research Degrees) in the Faculty of Business and Economics and an associate professor at Monash University, Melbourne while also holding visiting appointments at the London School of Economics and the University of Liverpool Management School.

Prior to becoming an academic, he trained and qualified as a chartered accountant with Ernst and Young in London and subsequently spent eight years with PwC in London and West Africa including 18 months as a general practice partner in West Africa.

He has also assisted his alma mater S. Thomas' College, Mt Lavinia by conducting rugby coaching workshops in Sri Lanka.