New British High Commissioner designate arrives in Colombo

By Sunimalee Dias

John Rankin, the new British High Commissioner designate to Sri Lanka arrived in the country this week.

On his appointment he said that he intends on “furthering the partnership between our countries.” In addition, he also looks forward to “developing even stronger relations with the Maldives as we pursue together our common interests.”

He takes over from his predecessor Dr. Peter Hayes who left last December.

Rankin is expected to present his credentials to President Mahinda Rajapaksa next week.

Rankin has been Director, Americas in the FCO since 2008, responsible for a network of over 30 British Embassies, High Commissions and other posts in North, Central and South America and the Caribbean.  He joined the FCO in 1988 as an Assistant Legal Adviser and served as legal adviser to the UK Mission to the UN and to the UK Mission to the Conference on Disarmament in Geneva.





He has also served as Deputy Head of Mission at the British Embassy in Dublin, working on the Northern Ireland peace process, and was Her Majesty’s Consul General in Boston between 2003 and 2007.

He has a degree in Scots Law from the University of Glasgow and a Masters Degree in International Law from McGill University, Montreal.

Prior to joining the FCO he qualified and practiced as a solicitor in Scotland and was a lecturer in public law at the University of Aberdeen. He is married to Lesley and has three children.