Gloria McField-Nixon named Cayman’s first female Deputy Governor

Gloria McField-Nixon will make history this summer as she takes up the role of Deputy Governor of the Cayman Islands, becoming the first woman to hold the post, Government House has announced.

McField-Nixon, currently chief officer in the Portfolio of the Civil Service, will also serve as head of the civil service when she assumes office in July.

In a statement, she said she was honoured by the appointment and ready for the responsibility ahead.

“This is a role I approach with great humility, enthusiasm and a profound sense of responsibility,” she said. “I look forward to working closely with Her Excellency the Governor, the Premier, Ministers, other members of Cabinet and Members of Parliament in the years ahead.”

She also paid tribute to outgoing Deputy Governor Franz Manderson, describing his tenure as an “outstanding example of servant leadership,” and said she was eager to continue working with civil servants across the public sector.

“Together, we will continue to deliver the outstanding public services that the people of the Cayman Islands deserve,” she said. “I am excited about what we can achieve together and I am deeply committed to supporting, empowering and championing each of you as we make continuous strides towards becoming a world-class Civil Service.”

Governor Jane Owen said McField-Nixon would be a strong successor, praising her experience and commitment to public service.

“She brings exceptional experience and a deep commitment to public service, and I am confident that she will serve the people of the Cayman Islands extraordinarily well,” Owen said, adding that she looked forward to working closely with her to advance government priorities.

McField-Nixon’s appointment follows a rapid rise through the civil service. She became a chief officer within nine years of graduating with a communications degree and has since held multiple senior leadership roles across government.

She is also a qualified lawyer, having been admitted to the Cayman Bar in 2012.

Her career includes a significant leadership role during the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020, for which she received the Certificate and Badge of Honour from the governor. Her team also earned the People Team of the Year (Public Service) award from the UK’s Chartered Institute of Personnel and Development for its pandemic response.

McField-Nixon has led two Civil Service Strategic Plans since 2018, which involved collecting more than 1.7 million customer responses and helped drive a reported 91 per cent satisfaction rate. Officials also reported that 90 per cent of civil servants expressed pride in their work.

Outgoing Deputy Governor Manderson, who has served in the role for 14 years and spent 44 years in the civil service, said McField-Nixon was well prepared for the position.

“She inherits a strong foundation and I know she will take it to even greater heights,” he said, adding that he would watch her tenure “with great pride.”

Her appointment was made following a selection process chaired by Governor Owen and including former civil service leader Lemuel Hurlston and Commission of Standards in Public Life chairman Woody Foster.

The Deputy Governor role was created under the 2009 Constitution Order, making McField-Nixon the third person to hold the position since its establishment.