Walter Roban

BIO ' WALTER HENRI ROBAN Walter H. Roban, JP, MP, is the Deputy Premier of Bermuda and Minister of Home Affairs. He is part of a leadership team that successfully returned the Progressive Labour Party (PLP) to the Government for the fourth time on Tuesday, 18 July 2017. This achievement follows a career in politics spanning nearly 30 years. On 18 December 2007, Mr. Roban was first elected to office. He was first appointed to Cabinet on 23 June 2009 serving as Minister Without Portfolio with responsibility for Municipal Reform, Minister of Health and Minister of the Environment Planning and Infrastructure Strategy and Minister of Transport. Following the return to Government, he was appointed Deputy Premier and Minister of Transport and Regulatory Affairs in July 2017 until October 2018. In late 2018, Mr. Roban became responsible for the Ministry of Home Affairs. The Ministry has orchestrated improvement in the operations in the Department of Planning, the Bermuda Ocean Prosperity Programme (BOPP) partnership, including developing a Marine Spatial Plan, progress toward Bermuda's future with renewable energy, improve environmental protection and enforcement of better air quality. The Ministry has also successfully partnered with the UK Government to study climate change and increase protections for our marine environment with the support of Blue Shield. In April 2022, he also attended the Caribbean Renewable Energy Forum (CREF), where he accepted an award on behalf of Bermuda for the Best Small Renewable Energy Project. Mr. Roban also received the honour of being awarded the Caribbean Renewable Energy Leader MVP in recognition of his work. Under the leadership of Minister Roban, Bermuda's record as a regional environmental leader continues to grow. Bermuda's plans for energy transition, marine protection, small island environmental stewardship and innovation is being recognized globally. In November 2021 Bermuda signed an MOU with Seabased, a pioneer in wave energy technology. A regulatory sandbox was established by the government to attract innovation and investment into Bermuda energy sector. This innovation has been recognized by the United Nations and in March 2023 Minister Roban being invited to UN-SIDS DOCK in New York to speak on these arrangements. Now other small islands in the region and globally are looking to use the Bermuda model to attract energy innovation. The project once deployed in Bermudas waters will be for first utility scale wave energy project in the region. Mr. Roban is a graduate of Morehouse College in Atlanta, Georgia, where he received a Bachelor's Degree in Business and International Studies. He also graduated from University of Birmingham, UK , obtaining a Master of Arts in International Studies. He has worked in the legal profession and banking industry, most recently as an Assistant Vice President in the Private Banking Division of HSBC Bank in Bermuda. In his spare time, Mr. Roban enjoys cooking, reading, and studying current affairs, African, Caribbean, and Bermudian culture. He is blessed with a beautiful family, including his wife, Nadine Francis, and daughter Zara.