John Rankin (diplomat)

John James Rankin, CMG (born 12 March 1957) is a British diplomat and a former ambassador to Nepal. He has been Governor of Bermuda from December 2016 to December 2020.[1]


John Rankin

Governor of the British Virgin Islands
Assumed office
29 January 2021
MonarchElizabeth II
Preceded byAugustus Jaspert
Governor of Bermuda
In office
5 December 2016  12 December 2020
MonarchElizabeth II
Preceded byGinny Ferson (acting)
Succeeded byRena Lalgie
United Kingdom High Commissioner to Sri Lanka
In office
2011–2015
MonarchElizabeth II
Preceded byPeter Hayes
Succeeded byJames Dauris
United Kingdom Consul–General in Boston
In office
2003–2007
MonarchElizabeth II
Preceded byGeorge Fergusson
Succeeded byPhil Budden
Personal details
Born
John James Rankin

(1957-03-12) 12 March 1957
United Kingdom

Early life

Rankin was educated at Hutchesons' Boys' Grammar School, the University of Glasgow, where he gained a first class honours degree in Scots law and later at McGill University he gained a master's degree in international law.

Career

He qualified and practised as a solicitor in Scotland and was a lecturer in public law at the University of Aberdeen before joining the Foreign and Commonwealth Office (FCO) in 1988. Between posts at the FCO he served at the embassy in Dublin and was the consul-general at Boston. He took up his appointment as High Commissioner to Sri Lanka and non-resident High Commissioner to the Maldives in February 2011.[2] In 2015 he moved to be Ambassador to the Federal Democratic Republic of Nepal.[3] He was sworn in as Governor of Bermuda on 5 December 2016.[4]

He was appointed Companion of the Order of St Michael and St George (CMG) in the 2016 New Year Honours.[5]

In February 2018, Rankin signed into law the Domestic Partnerships Act 2018, which effectively reversed the right of gay couples to marry. This made Bermuda the first jurisdiction to legalise and then repeal same-sex marriage rights.[6] The law relating to same-sex marriage in Bermuda could change again, as the Supreme Court stated in June 2018 that repealing same-sex marriage rights was discriminatory and thus contrary to section 12 of the Bermudian Constitution.

In September 2020, it was announced that Rankin would be replacing Gus Jaspert as Governor of the British Virgin Islands in 2021. As such, he was replaced in December 2020 by Rena Lalgie as Governor of Bermuda.

Rankin will be sworn in as Governor of the British Virgin Islands on 29 January 2021, after arriving in the territory and observing the mandatory 14-day quarantine due to COVID-19.

Publications

Personal life

Rankin has a son and two daughters.

References

  1. Johnston-Barnes, Owain (19 September 2016). "Rankin named new Governor". The Royal Gazette. Bermuda. Retrieved 5 December 2016.
  2. Change of British High Commissioner to Sri Lanka, Foreign & Commonwealth Office, 1 September 2010
  3. John Rankin, gov.uk
  4. "Bermuda welcomes new Governor". The Royal Gazette. Bermuda. 5 December 2016. Retrieved 2 January 2017.
  5. "No. 61450". The London Gazette (Supplement). 30 December 2015. p. N4.
  6. staff, Guardian; agencies (8 February 2018). "Bermuda becomes first jurisdiction in the world to repeal same-sex marriage". the Guardian. Retrieved 9 February 2018.

7. Governor Jaspert Announces BVI’s Next Governor | Government of the Virgin Islands

Diplomatic posts
Preceded by
George Fergusson
Consul-General in Boston
2003–2007
Succeeded by
Phil Budden
Preceded by
Peter Hayes
High Commissioner to Sri Lanka and the Maldives
2011–2015
Succeeded by
James Dauris
Preceded by
Andrew Sparkes
Ambassador to Nepal
2015
Succeeded by
Richard Morris
Preceded by
Ginny Ferson
Acting
Governor of Bermuda
2016–2020
Incumbent
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