Martyn Roper

Biography

Martyn Keith Roper is a highly experienced career Diplomat with a successful track record in senior corporate leadership roles across the world. He was born in Halifax, West Yorkshire in June 1965.

He was appointed as Governor of the Cayman Islands from October 2018 to March 2023. Prior to that, Martyn was Minister and Deputy Head of Mission in Beijing where he was responsible for a network of over 800 people across five diplomatic posts.

His earlier career includes postings to Algeria as the UK Ambassador, Deputy Head of Mission in Brasilia and as First Secretary Economics and Development with the Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD) in Paris.

Martyn has previous experience working with the British Overseas Territories from his time as Head of the Gibraltar Section at the Foreign and Commonwealth Office in London when he had specific responsibility for policy concerning law and order, justice and good governance.

During his time with the United Nations in the early part of the 1990s his role included the Special Committee on Decolonization (C-24).

He was Vice Consul in Kuwait at the time of the outbreak of the first Gulf War and was made an Officer of the Most Excellent Order of the British Empire (OBE) in 2013 on his return to the UK from his posting in Algeria.

Married to Elisabeth he has two children, a son Matthew and daughter Jessica. He is a keen cyclist and also enjoys tennis and reading in his spare time.

Full career summary including dates:

July 2015 to Sept 2018 Minister and Deputy Head of Mission Beijing, China
Dec 2010 to May 2014 British Ambassador to Algeria
Aug 2007 to Aug 2010 Deputy Head of Mission Brasilia
Jan 2004 to Dec 2006 Deputy Head of International Organisations Dept, FCO
Sept 2003 to Dec 2003 Conflict Issues Group, FCO
July 1999 to Aug 2003 First Secretary Economics/Development UKDEL OECD Paris
Sept 1996 to Feb 1998 Head of Gibraltar Internal Section, FCO
Mar 1994 to Aug 1996 UN Department, Political Section
June 1986 to Dec 1993 Tehran, Maputo, Kuwait/Baghdad, Karachi
July 1984 to June 1986 Middle East Department, FCO (Saudi Arabia, Oman, Yemen)

Previous roles in government

  • Governor to the Cayman Islands
    • 2018 to 2023
  • Deputy Head of Mission, British Embassy Beijing
    • 2015 to 2018
  • British Ambassador to Algeria
    • 2010 to 2014