England cricket legend Sir Ian Botham has been announced as the UK’s trade envoy to Australia.
He is one of ten trade envoys appointed by Prime Minister Boris Johnson to help boost British business in dynamic markets such as Australia, Brazil and Canada.
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Botham shot to prominence in the 1908s as a star player in England’s cricket team, attracting headlines for his cricketing exploits and controversies off the field.
Known affectionately as “Beefy”, Botham scored 5200 runs and took 383 wickets in his Test career, cementing his status as one of the best-ever all-rounders.
Last year Botham was given a peerage, allowing him to be appointed to the House of Lords as Baron Botham of Ravenswroth in the County of North Yorkshire.
He also supported the Brexit campaign, appearing at public events alongside Johnson.
“It’s a great honour to carry out this role in a country that I love and have come to know so well,” Botham said of his new role as trade envoy to Australia.
“I have spent a significant amount of my career in Australia, and I am excited to have the opportunity to build on the UK’s longstanding relationship and promote UK trade.”
The 65-year-old’s appointment was welcomed by diplomats from both Australia and the UK.
“Lord Botham’s skills and experience, together with his market knowledge developed during his time spent in Australia throughout his career, will help us promote the exciting new opportunities for two-way trade and investment,” British high commissioner to Australia Vicki Treadell said.
“In the UK, Lord Botham will help us encourage British business across every part of the UK, and SMEs in particular, to look to export to Australia and so increase our market share and economic prosperity.
“For Australians this means greater choice with both existing brands and exciting new options too.”
Australia’s ambassador to the UK George Brandis added: “Australia looks forward to welcoming Lord Botham down under — and to working with him to strengthen the trading links between our two countries.”
In 1992, Botham was appointed an Office of the Order of the British Empire (OBE) for services to cricket and for his charity work. He was knighted in 2007.
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