Andrew Butcher is an Australian businessman, former spokesperson for Rupert Murdoch, an accomplished race car driver, and a partner in corporate advisory firm and political lobbyist, Bespoke Approach.
Butcher became Rupert Murdoch's long term primary spokesperson after he accepted a position as Senior Vice President of Corporate Affairs at News Corporation in New York City.
His career in the media had begun with a job as a copyboy at the Melbourne Sun, from which he later emerged a journalist. Butcher worked from Tokyo as a North Asia correspondent, from New York as a business correspondent for The Times and from Canberra as chief political reporter for the Herald Sun. He was the executive director of Communications and Media Relations at Telstra, prior to establishing his own businesses, Butcher & Co, and later Bespoke Approach. In the latter venture, Butcher has worked closely with former Australian politicians Nick Bolkus, Alexander Downer and Kevin Foley as a corporate advisor.[1] [2]
Butcher is a Director of the Australian American Association, and continues to provide occasional comment to the media on the affairs of Rupert Murdoch and News Corporation.[3] [4]
In March 2014, The Australian revealed that Butcher was being paid $600 an hour by the ABC to repair its damaged relationship with the Abbott government and stem criticism from News Corporation[5] which attracted further commentary from opinion-writer Andrew Bolt.[6]
Butcher and his wife, Sara James, worked with other families in Australia to found GETA, Genetic Epilepsy Team Australia, which raises awareness through an annual conference. Butcher and James also founded KCNQ2 Cure. Since 2015, they have put together the annual KCNQ2 Cure New Horizons in Science Dinner to celebrate world-leading scientists and raise money for a cure. Butcher's commitment to these causes extends to another passion - the race track. He drives a BMW M3, complete with Genetic Epilepsy signage, winning races at Bathurst and on the Phillip Island Grand Prix Circuit while raising funds and awareness to help find new treatments and a cure genetic epilepsy.
Butcher is from Muckleford, near Castlemaine in country Victoria. His partner is American journalist, Sara James and the couple have two children. On his friendship with Rupert Murdoch, Butcher told Australian Story that he "got along famously with Rupert. I was lucky enough to not be in awe of him. I found him to be very Australian.".[7] Butcher is a lifelong member of the Muckleford Cricket Club.