Gloria McField-Nixon Appointed Deputy Governor

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Governor Owen Announces Deputy Governor Designate

9 April 2026 | Press Release | By: Louise Fox

His Majesty's Governor, Her Excellency Jane Owen, today announced the appointment of Mrs Gloria McField-Nixon, Cert. Hon., JP, as the new Deputy Governor and Head of the Cayman Islands Civil Service Designate. Mrs McField-Nixon will take up her appointment on 8th July 2026.

The appointment follows the announcement made last August by the Honourable Franz Manderson of his intention to retire from the Civil Service, concluding a remarkable 44-year career in public service, including 14 years as Deputy Governor.

Mrs McField-Nixon, as Deputy Governor Designate, brings nearly 30 years of senior public-sector experience, including 20 years as a Chief Officer. She offers proven strategic leadership, extensive institutional knowledge, and a strong commitment to strengthening the Cayman Islands Government.

Mrs McField-Nixon has been selected following a rigorous and open recruitment process, involving a panel chaired by the Governor, including Mr Lemuel Hurlston, former Head of the Civil Service and current chair of the Constitutional Committee, and Mr Woody Foster, current chair of the Commission for Standards in Public Life.

Governor Owen expressed her confidence in the appointment, stating:

"I am delighted to welcome Gloria McField-Nixon to this important role. 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. I look forward to working closely together to ensure our Civil Service continues to deliver the Government’s agenda, making lives better for the people of the Cayman Islands.”

The Honourable Franz Manderson reflected warmly on his career and offered his wholehearted support for his successor:

"It has been the greatest privilege and honour of my life to serve the people of the Cayman Islands for 44 years. The Civil Service is an institution I hold close to my heart, and I am immensely proud of what we have built together — a team of dedicated, talented, and compassionate public servants who turn up every day to make a real difference in people's lives.

I have every confidence that Gloria McField Nixon will lead the Civil Service with distinction. She inherits a strong foundation, and I know she will take it to even greater heights. I will be cheering from the sidelines with great pride, and I wish her and every member of the Civil Service family all the very best for the future."

Deputy Governor Designate Mrs McField-Nixon shared her views and aspirations on her upcoming appointment:

"I am truly honoured to be appointed as the next Deputy Governor and Head of the Cayman Islands Civil Service. This is a role I approach with great humility, enthusiasm, and a profound sense of responsibility.  I look forward to working closely with Her Excellency the Governor, Premier, Ministers other Members of Cabinet, and Members of Parliament in the years ahead.

I want to acknowledge the remarkable legacy of the Honourable Franz Manderson who has set an outstanding example of servant leadership. I am committed to building on the solid foundation he has established.

To my fellow civil servants, across every ministry, portfolio, department and independent office,  I look forward to working alongside you. Together, we will continue to deliver the outstanding public services that the people of the Cayman Islands deserve. 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 Owen also took the opportunity to pay tribute to the Honourable Franz Manderson, whose four-decade legacy of public service has left an indelible mark on the Cayman Islands:

"Franz Manderson has given 44 years of dedicated and distinguished service to the people of the Cayman Islands. His leadership, vision, and unwavering commitment continue to shape the professionalism, policy skills and customer focus that define our Civil Service today. On behalf of the Government and the people of the Cayman Islands, I thank him sincerely and wish him every happiness in his well-deserved retirement."

The timing of the appointment has been carefully planned to ensure continuity. In the coming months, Mrs McField-Nixon will work closely with the Governor, the Government, and the current Deputy Governor to support a smooth handover. This time will also allow her to undertake customary preparations for the role including a visit to key UK departments and familiarisation meetings with international counterparts including attendance at the upcoming Heads of Public Services meeting.

The Cayman Islands Civil Service employs approximately 5,000 civil servants across 14 Ministries and Portfolios, delivering essential public services to the people of the Cayman Islands on behalf of the Government.

About the Deputy Governor and Head of the Civil Service Designate – Mrs Gloria McField-Nixon

A true Cayman success story, Mrs McField-Nixon rose to the position of Chief Officer within nine years of returning home as a university graduate. She has held multiple roles as a Chief Officer, most recently in the Portfolio of the Civil Service, where she leads government-wide human resource policy, public sector reform, and corporate governance.

She has accumulated deep experience across multiple ministries, including those responsible for finance and tourism, and regularly took on the role of Acting Deputy Governor. Mrs McField-Nixon holds degrees with honours in Communications and Law. She is an attorney-at-law, non-practicing, who was admitted to the Cayman Islands Bar in 2012, following completion of her articles at Walkers.

Since 2018, she has led two successive Civil Service Strategic Plans where the Civil Service has collected more than 1.7 million customer feedback responses, achieving an average 91% satisfaction rate, while 90% of staff report pride in being civil servants—clear indicators of sustained service excellence and employee engagement.

In 2020, she played a key leadership role during the COVID-19 response, helping to ensure the continuity of essential public services. This effort earned her the Certificate and Badge of Honour and her team, the PoCS, the UK-based CIPD’s “People Team of the Year (Public Sector) Award”.  Mrs McField-Nixon’s contributions to leadership and people development have been further recognised by the Cayman Islands Society for Human Resource Professionals (CISHRP’s) Pinnacle Award for HR Leadership in 2025.

Mrs Gloria McField-Nixon is married to Michael Nixon and has one child.

About the Honourable Franz Manderson — A Legacy of Service

Mr Franz Manderson was appointed Deputy Governor and Head of the Civil Service in February 2012 by His Excellency the Governor, in consultation with the United Kingdom’s Secretary of State.

An Attorney-at-Law and a graduate of the University of Liverpool, Mr Manderson brings extensive public service experience to his role. Prior to his appointment as Deputy Governor, he served as Chief Immigration Officer and later as Chief Officer in the Portfolio of Internal and External Affairs, where he played a key role in national security, immigration, and governance matters.

As Deputy Governor, Mr Manderson is responsible for the management and performance of the Cayman Islands Civil Service, overseeing approximately 5,000 staff and a budget of over $1.1 billion. He is a member of Cabinet and serves as the first official member of Parliament.

In 2018, Mr Manderson was awarded a Member of the Order of the British Empire (MBE) by Her late Majesty Queen Elizabeth II in recognition of his distinguished public service.

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