Peter Butcher

Peter Butcher (August 6, 1947) is a British diplomat. From 2005 to 2009 he was the Ambassador to Turkmenistan.

Butcher attended the University of Bath, graduating in Development Studies. He entered the Foreign and Commonwealth Office in 1974. After serving as a desk officer until 1979, Butcher served in Peru and Spain. In 1983, he was transferred to Mumbai, India, as a commercial secretary, before serving in Whitehall, working on commercial relations with South Asia.

From 1990 until 1993, Butcher served as Deputy High Commissioner to Lesotho. After a posting to St Vincent and the Grenadines, and another job in Whitehall, he was appointed Deputy Governor of the Falkland Islands in 1996. Between 2000 and 2003, Butcher served as Deputy High Commissioner to Mozambique. In 2005, he achieved his first posting as head of a diplomatic mission, in Turkmenistan.

Foreign and Commonwealth Office career timeline

• 2005-2009: Ambassador to Turkmenistan
• 2000-2003: Maputo, Deputy Head of Mission
• 1997-1999: FCO: Department for International Development: Know How Fund, Head of Western Balkans Section
• 1996-1996: Port Stanley, 1st Secretary
• 1994-1996: FCO: Latin America Department, Head of Southern Cone Section
• 1994-1994: St Vincent and the Grenadines
• 1990-1993: Maseru, Deputy High Commissioner
• 1987-1990: FCO: South Asian Department, Desk Officer
• 1983-1987: Mumbai, 2nd Secretary Commercial
• 1983-1983: Madrid, resting
• 1979-1983: Lima, 2nd Secretary (Political and Aid)
• 1978-1979: FCO: Central African Department, Desk Officer
• 1974-1978: FCO: Research Department, Desk Officer (East Africa)