Premier Provides Update on Impactful Engagement in Ireland & UK
From international relations to business development, as well as medical training, Premier and Minister for Financial Services and Commerce, the Hon. André M. Ebanks MP led a delegation to Ireland and the UK last week, building and reinforcing relationships with public- and private-sector stakeholders to support shared interests.
"Although many may understandably expect Cayman's international engagement to focus on financial services, our country is now a respected global partner and thankfully has been presented with broader opportunities in areas such as medical training and food production," Premier said.
"In this way, Government is going beyond usual business development, to advance our country's overall development. This perfectly aligns with moving the Broad Outcomes for 2026-2028 forward."
The visit was Monday, 14 September to Friday, 18 September.
Premier and Minister for Financial Services and Commerce, the Hon. André M. Ebanks MP (centre) welcomed the Friends of Cayman at the Cayman Islands Government’s London Office.
It commenced on Monday with the Premier and the delegation participating in two Cayman Finance events in London, with 40 member firms attending an investment funds update and subsequently 22 UK legal practitioners attending a roundtable to share their perspectives on Cayman's financial services framework. Premier Ebanks also hosted a lunch for partners of law firms that practice Cayman law in London.
Then on the morning of Tuesday 15 September, Premier Ebanks visited the UK House of Parliament to meet with the Cayman Islands All-Party Parliamentary Group, which is chaired by Sarah Champion MP. The meeting was hosted by Lord Davies of Gower. The Premier was able to gain direct insights to the UK's current political landscape and in turn shared developments and initiatives in Cayman.
On Tuesday afternoon the delegation travelled to Dublin, Ireland, and met with reinsurance company Greenlight Re, which is headquartered in Cayman but has an office in Dublin. This provided a unique opportunity to exchange perspectives on the international reinsurance market and the connected regulatory environment, which supports Broad Outcome 3 on the Economy.
In Dublin on Wednesday 16 September, the Premier met with the Royal College of Physicians to solidify an agreement for postgraduate medical training programmes between the Royal College and the Cayman Islands Ministry of Health (which supports Broad Outcomes 1 on Education, Immigration and Workforce Development; and Broad Outcome 4 on Health and Social Development).
"As a result of the diligent efforts of Minister Ebanks-Wilks and her Ministry team, the NCFC Government is building stronger medical training pathways," Premier said. "The exciting partnership with the Royal College of Physicians should assist our medical graduates with attaining clinical experiences that are not readily available in Cayman, which in turn will help address our people's specific health needs, and contribute to the effectiveness of health care services in both Cayman and Ireland."
The delegation then attended one of Europe's premier financial services policy events - Eurofi (the European Think Tank for Financial Services) - to build and enhance relationships with key policymakers, regulators and industry leaders, gain insight into emerging regulatory developments, promote understanding of the Cayman Islands financial services sector and assess opportunities for deeper engagement at future Eurofi events.
Also in Ireland Premier Ebanks met the Irish Minister of State at the Department of Agriculture, Food, Fisheries and the Marine, Timmy Dooley, to discuss cost-of-living pressures, food production, and trade. In addition, the Premier provided commercial and regulatory financial services policy updates to Irish financial services policy officers who accompanied Minister Dooley.
Rounding out engagement in Ireland, the Premier met with ministers from the Channel Islands, as well as representatives of the EU and Switzerland, on topics including financial services and international affairs.
Returning to London on Thursday 17 September, the Premier, and the Minister for Finance and Economic Development the Hon. Rolston Anglin MP, had Cayman's first in-person meeting with Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State in the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office, Uma Kumaran MP, who now has ministerial responsibility for the Overseas Territories.
Discussions centred on the healthy UK and Cayman relationship, but also touched on the proposed agenda for the 2026 Joint Ministerial Council in London later this year; Cayman's robust fiscal position; and our solid financial services regulatory framework.
"We were very grateful to meet with MP Kumaran and get an understanding of how she viewed Cayman, the Overseas Territories and the wider UK family," Premier Ebanks said. "We were encouraged by her position on some important topics, and we look forward to engaging with her in the weeks and months to come."
The Premier then delivered the keynote for the annual Maples Insights London Investment Funds Forum 2026, focusing his presentation on Cayman's financial services-related developments, as well as current topics such as new avenues of capital, tokenisation, private credit, and investment fund trends.
Concluding the engagement, on Friday 18 September the Premier conducted a series of meetings in the Cayman Islands Government’s London Office, the highlight of which was the reuniting of the Friends of Cayman.
"This is a group of persons with connections to Cayman, who are leaning in to assist Government with several initiatives and efforts in the UK. The group has not met for several years now, so it's good to have them back," Premier said.
Accompanying the Premier throughout the visit were Deputy Representative for Financial Services to Europe, Julie Campbell; and Deputy Chief Officer for Policy Coordination in the Cabinet Office, Jason Webster. Representatives from the Ministry for Financial Services and Commerce, and the Cayman Islands Monetary Authority, also participated in select engagements.
Captions (Link to photos: https://we.tl/t-nOxDdTGqxQg9rLPJ)
- Premier and Minister for Financial Services and Commerce, the Hon. André M. Ebanks MP and Royal College of Physicians of Ireland President, Dr Diarmuid O’Shea in Dublin.
- Premier and Minister for Financial Services and Commerce, the Hon. André M. Ebanks MP met with members of the Royal College of Physicians of Ireland in Dublin.
- Premier and Minister for Financial Services and Commerce, the Hon. André M. Ebanks MP (centre) alongside members of the Royal College of Physicians of Ireland and Cayman Islands delegate Abraham Thoppil and Deputy Representative for Financial Services to Europe, Julie Campbell (second and first from right).
- Royal College of Physicians of Ireland CEO Audrey Houlihan, Premier and Minister for Financial Services and Commerce, the Hon. André M. Ebanks MP, and Royal College of Physicians of Ireland President, Dr Diarmuid O’Shea outside of the facility in Dublin.
- All-Party Parliamentary Group Member Lord Davies of Gower met with Premier and Minister for Financial Services and Commerce, the Hon. André M. Ebanks MP in London.
- Members of the All-Party Parliamentary Group met with Premier and Minister for Financial Services and Commerce, the Hon. André M. Ebanks MP and Cayman Islands delegates in London.
- Premier and Minister for Financial Services and Commerce, the Hon. André M. Ebanks MP (centre) welcomed the Friends of Cayman at the Cayman Islands Government Office in London.
- Premier and Minister for Financial Services and Commerce, the Hon. André M. Ebanks MP (centre) at the Maples Insights: London Investment Funds Forum 2026 alongside Cayman Islands Government Representative to the UK, Dr Tasha Ebanks-Garcia, Deputy Representative for Financial Services to Europe, Julie Campbell (far right) and Maples staff.
- Premier and Minister for Financial Services and Commerce, the Hon. André M. Ebanks MP addressed attendees at the Maples Insights: London Investment Funds Forum 2026.
- Minister for Finance and Economic Development, the Hon. Rolston Anglin JP MP, the UK Government's Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State in the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office, Uma Kumaran MP, and Premier and Minister for Financial Services and Commerce, the Hon. André M. Ebanks MP held positive discussions in London.
- The Irish Government’s Minister of State at the Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine with special responsibility for Fisheries and the Department of the Environment, Climate and Communications with special responsibility for the Marine, Tim Dooley met with the Premier and Minister for Financial Services and Commerce, the Hon. André M. Ebanks MP in Dublin.
- Premier and Minister for Financial Services and Commerce, the Hon. André M. Ebanks MP met with government officials from Jersey and Guernsey during his visit to London.
- Premier and Minister for Financial Services and Commerce, the Hon. André M. Ebanks MP (centre) with members of the Ministry of Financial Services and Commerce, the Cayman Islands Monetary Authority and Cayman Finance during the Cayman Finance roundtable event in London.
- (From left) Premier and Minister for Financial Services and Commerce, the Hon. André M. Ebanks MP, Cayman Finance Director and Head of Funds & Capital Markets Samantha Widmer, and Cayman Finance CEO Steve McIntosh at the Cayman Finance roundtable event in London.
- A number of investment funds stakeholders were in attendance for the Cayman Finance roundtable event in London.
