David Butcher has been Chief Executive of the Hallé Concerts Society since 2020. He led the orchestra through lockdown and has overseen a period of rapid development for the orchestra, including the critically acclaimed appointment of Kahchun Wong as the Hallé’s new Principal Conductor and Artistic Advisor, succeeding Sir Mark Elder who has been made Conductor Emeritus. During his tenure, the orchestra’s repertoire has expanded to include work with artists as diverse as Thomas Adès, John Adams, Honey Dijon and Jonny Greenwood, with new Rush Hour and contemporary music series garnering capacity audiences at its home venue The Bridgewater Hall. The Hallé’s off-platform ensembles, community and education work, recently merged as Hallé Connect and rooted at the orchestra’s arts centre Hallé St Peter’s, is now the largest of its kind in the UK.

Prior to joining the Hallé, David was the founder CEO and Artistic Director of the Britten Sinfonia from 1992 to 2020. In this role, he led the orchestra to win three Royal Philharmonic Society Awards in 2006, 2008 and 2013. Prior to Britten Sinfonia, he spent four years as General Manager of National Youth Music Theatre and was Artistic Administrator at The Academy of St Martin-in-the-Fields.

David is an Honorary Associate of the Royal Academy of Music and was the ABO/ Rhinegold Orchestra Manager of the Year in 2013. He has served as a board member of the National Youth Orchestra of Great Britain, the Cambridge University Musical Society and currently a member of the Greater Manchester Music Commission.

Brought up in Ross-on-Wye, David was a Hereford chorister and studied at Goldsmiths’ College, University of London.

David joined the ABO Board in 2025.