The former Premier of the Cayman Islands, Hon. G. Wayne Panton, JP, MP, served in the Legislative Assembly (now Parliament) as a Member for Bodden Town, and as a Cabinet Minister from 2013-2017. Following his re-election as Member of Parliament for Newlands in April 2021, Hon. Panton was sworn in as Premier on Wednesday, 21 April, 2021. Hon. Panton also served as the Minister of Sustainability and Climate Resiliency and as of March 2023 the Ministry of Finance and Economic Development was added to his Portfolio. Since November 2023, Hon. Panton has served as an Independent Member of the Opposition.

Hon. Panton was born in the Cayman Islands and grew up in Newlands, Grand Cayman. He attended Cayman Prep School and subsequently, what was then called the Cayman Islands High School. Following graduation from sixth form he attended the Cayman Islands Law School (now Truman Bodden Law School) and joined the firm of WS Walker & Co (now Walkers) as an articled clerk. After qualifying in 1988, he joined Walkers as a corporate and trust associate.

Hon. Panton became a partner in Walkers in January 1997. During a period of very significant growth he had been a member of the firm’s three member Management Committee, the Deputy Managing Partner, Managing Partner of the firm’s international structured and asset finance practice and Chairman of the Walkers Group until his retirement in June 2011.

He has been active in a number of professional, civic organisations, district and community organisations and statutory authorities. He was President of the Caymanian Bar Association, Chairman of the Port Authority of the Cayman Islands, Vice Chairman of the National Trust for the Cayman Islands and a member of the Government Shipping Sector Consultative Committee.

Hon. Panton grew up on the water, so loves the sea and has logged many miles of open ocean fishing and travelling. His love for the outdoors is also reflected in such diverse interests as diving and flying. He resides in Newlands with his wife, Jane.