The immediate past Managing Partner of Ernst & Young in South Australia, Mr Butcher will take up the Non-Executive Chairman’s role at Masonic Homes immediately.

Mr Butcher is also a member of BankSA’s Advisory Board and has worked with Macquarie Bank, Deloitte Touche Tohmatsu and the SA Government’s Asset Management Task Force.

He joins Masonic Homes as the operator embarks on an aggressive expansion of its South Australian and interstate retirement village operations. The business has earmarked over $200m over the next five years as it concentrates on expanding its properties portfolio.

“Masonic has entered a new era as a singularly focused business in what all forecasters anticipate will be one of the most dynamic growth segments in Australia over the next 20 years – lifestyle housing choices for older Australians,” Mr Butcher said.

He aims to place Masonic Homes in the Top 20 of retirement village operators nationally.

“We will springboard off an existing strong presence in this market segment in South Australia and the Northern Territory, to expand into other states through both value-adding acquisition and other growth and development funding options,” he said.

Mr Butcher replaces former Chairman, Mr David Brooks, and will serve as Masonic Homes Chairman through to June 2015.