Photo by Jamie Coleman
The Panel
Colin Martin-Reynolds CMG
Governor of the Falkland Islands and His Majesty’s Commissioner to South Georgia & the South Sandwich Islands
Colin Martin-Reynolds was sworn in as the Governor of the Falkland Islands and His Majesty’s Commissioner to South Georgia & the South Sandwich Islands in July 2025.
Before this, Colin was Director for Organisational Improvement at the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office until May 2025.
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Colin was the British Ambassador to Colombia from September 2019 to July 2022. A career diplomat, he joined the Foreign and Commonwealth Office in 1990. He has served in over 20 embassies across the FCO’s network in a variety of policy and operational roles.
Most recent postings include Deputy Head of Mission in Brasilia (2011 to 2013) and Consul General in Washington (2004 to 2008). Colin spent 5 years as the FCO’s Chief Information Officer, leading a major transformation programme overhauling how the Ministry, its global network and its diplomats exploit knowledge through technology.
He was awarded a CMG by Her Majesty the Queen Elizabeth in December 2018 in recognition of his contributions to the Foreign & Commonwealth Office.
The Governor is the representative of His Majesty The King in a British Overseas Territory. The Governor acts as the de facto head of state and is usually responsible for appointing the head of government and senior political positions in the territory. The Governor is also responsible for liaising with the UK Government and carrying out any ceremonial duties.
Jane Rumble OBE FRGS
Head of the Polar Regions Department at the UK’s Foreign Commonwealth and Development Office
Jane Rumble OBE FRGS is the Head of the Polar Regions Department at the UK’s Foreign Commonwealth and Development Office. In this role, she leads the UK delegation to the Antarctic Treaty Consultative Meeting and is the UK Commissioner to the Convention for the Conservation of Antarctic Marine Living Resources.
She also oversees coordination of UK policy on the Arctic and is the Senior Responsible Officer for the Blue Belt Programme, which supports marine protection around the UK’s Overseas Territories. She is also HM Commissioner of the British Antarctic Territory.
Oliver Darke CDir FRGS
Director of Polar Operations, Engineering & Infrastructure
Oliver is the British Antarctic Survey Director of Polar Operations, Engineering and Infrastructure. The board director responsible for
- The delivery of UKs Antarctic Infrastructure Modernisation Programme (a £650m investment in Polar infrastructure)
- The safe operation and maintenance of the UKs flagship polar research vessel, the RRS Sir David Attenborough.
- A fleet of 5 ‘science ready’ aircraft, deployed to some of the most challenging environments in the world.
- The British Antarctic Survey Estate. Including 6 polar research stations and the BAS HQ in Cambridge. An extensive, highly complex, Estate spread across both Polar Regions, the UK and the Falkland Islands.
- The safe annual deployment of up to 600 scientists and support staff to both Poles, high altitude regions and across all seven continents.
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He has extensive construction and engineering expertise across both Polar Regions, and is currently Vice-Chair of The Council of Managers of National Antarctic Programs.
He is also a Trustee at the UK Antarctic Heritage Trust. In 2025, Oliver’s leadership in advancing the UK’s Polar Research Capability was recognised by the Institute of Directors during the annual Director of the Year Awards.
Richard McKee
Trustee of the South Georgia Heritage Trust
Living in the Falkland Islands, I manage a craft distilling business, which I opened in Stanley in 2019. I am also a Trustee of the South Georgia Heritage Trust.
In 1989 I completed training at Britannia Royal Naval College, before commencing university studies, graduating with degrees in Zoology (BSc. University of Aberdeen 1993) and Marine Resource Development & Protection (MSc. Heriot-Watt University – Institute of Offshore Engineering 1995). More recently I have also completed a further Postgraduate Diploma (by distance) in Brewing and Distilling (Heriot-Watt).
Having undertaken environmental consultancy work (UK oil and gas industry) and North Atlantic Fisheries Organisation (NAFO) observer coverage, I was employed by the Falkland Islands Government as a Fisheries Protection Officer (1997-2001). These duties also included coverage of the South Georgia fishery and UK CCAMLR inspections.
The following two winters were spent in post as the Government of South Georgia & the South Sandwich Islands (GSGSSI) Government Officer on South Georgia at King Edward Point (2001-2). In 2003 I was then recruited to the GSGSSI staff in Stanley, as the Assistant Operations Manager.
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Between 2003 and 2017 further appointments within GSGSSI included Operations Director and Executive Officer. Latterly my core responsibilities covered operations staff management & recruitment, fishery patrol tasking & training, fisheries prosecutions and court duties, logistics & seasonal works project management, visitor management & permitting, major incident planning & exercises and heritage policy development.
My most recent involvement with the South Georgia Heritage Trust has focussed principally on projects to conserve South Georgia’s cultural heritage and support scientific and environmental research.
Photo by Emma Browne