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John Rankin
CMG
John Rankin CMG
Governor of the British Virgin Islands
	In office; 29 January 2021 – 18 January 2024
Monarchs	Elizabeth II; Charles III
Premier	Andrew Fahie; Natalio Wheatley
Preceded by	Augustus Jaspert
Succeeded by	Daniel Pruce
Governor of Bermuda
	In office; 5 December 2016 – 12 December 2020
Monarch	Elizabeth II
Premier	Michael Dunkley; Edward David Burt
Preceded by	Ginny Ferson (acting)
Succeeded by	Rena Lalgie
United Kingdom High Commissioner to Sri Lanka
	In office; 2011–2015
Monarch	Elizabeth II
Preceded by	Peter Hayes
Succeeded by	James Dauris
United Kingdom Consul-General in Boston
	In office; 2003–2007
Monarch	Elizabeth II
Preceded by	George Fergusson
Succeeded by	Phil Budden
Personal details
Born	John James Rankin; 12 March 1957 (age 67); United Kingdom
Alma mater	University of Glasgow; McGill University

John James Rankin, CMG (born 12 March 1957) is a British diplomat and a former ambassador to Nepal. He served as the Governor of the British Virgin Islands from January 2021 to January 2024.^[1] He was the Governor of Bermuda from December 2016 to December 2020.^[2]

Early life and education

Rankin was born on 12 March 1957. He was educated at Hutchesons' Boys' Grammar School, a private school in Glasgow, Scotland. He studied Scots law at the University of Glasgow, graduating with a first class honours Bachelor of Laws degree. He later studied international law at McGill University, graduating with a Master of Laws degree.^[3]^[4]

Career

Legal career

Rankin qualified and practised as a solicitor in Scotland; he was a member of the Law Society of Scotland. He was additionally a lecturer in public law at the University of Aberdeen from 1984 to 1988.^[3]

Diplomatic career

Rankin joined 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.^[5] In 2015, he was appointed Ambassador to Nepal.^[6]

He was appointed Companion of the Order of St Michael and St George (CMG) in the 2016 New Year Honours.^[7]

Governor

Rankin was sworn in as Governor of Bermuda on 5 December 2016.^[8] In February 2018, signed into law the Domestic Partnership 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.^[9] 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.^[10] As such, he was replaced in December 2020 by Rena Lalgie as Governor of Bermuda.

Rankin was 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.^{[citation needed]}

Personal life

Rankin was married to Lesley Marshall from 1987 until they divorced in 2019. They have a son and two daughters.^[3]

Publications

The Right of Self-determination: Its Nature, Content and Beneficiaries in International Law, McGill University, 1984

References

John Rankin, gov.uk
RANKIN, John James, Who's Who 2013, A & C Black, 2013; online edn, Oxford University Press, Dec 2012

^ "Rankin bids farewell to BVI: Reflects on challenges & hope for reforms". Loop News. 18 January 2024. Retrieved 19 January 2024.
^ Johnston-Barnes, Owain (19 September 2016). "Rankin named new Governor". The Royal Gazette. Bermuda. Retrieved 5 December 2016.
^ ^a ^b ^c "Rankin, John James, (born 12 March 1957), HM Diplomatic Service; Governor, British Virgin Islands, since 2021". Who's Who 2022. Oxford University Press. 1 December 2021. Retrieved 29 April 2022.
^ "Governor to the British Virgin Islands: John Rankin". GOV.UK. Retrieved 29 April 2022.
^ Change of British High Commissioner to Sri Lanka, Foreign & Commonwealth Office, 1 September 2010
^ John Rankin, gov.uk
^ "No. 61450". The London Gazette (Supplement). 30 December 2015. p. N4.
^ "Bermuda welcomes new Governor". The Royal Gazette. Bermuda. 5 December 2016. Retrieved 2 January 2017.
^ Guardian Staff; agencies (8 February 2018). "Bermuda becomes first jurisdiction in the world to repeal same-sex marriage". the Guardian. Retrieved 9 February 2018.
^ "Governor Jaspert Announces BVI's Next Governor". bvi.gov.vg. Government of the Virgin Islands. 16 September 2020. Retrieved 29 April 2022.

External links

Media related to John Rankin (diplomat) at Wikimedia Commons

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	Succeeded by Rena Lalgie
Preceded by Augustus Jaspert	Governor of the Virgin Islands 2020–2024	Succeeded by Daniel Pruce