{{Short description|British diplomat (born 1963)}} {{about||the patron of the arts|Jane Blaffer Owen}} {{Use dmy dates|date=December 2017}} {{Use British English|date=December 2017}} {{Infobox officeholder | honorific_prefix = Her Excellency | name = Jane Owen | image = Norway- Jane Owen (8427090262).jpg | office = Governor of the Cayman Islands | term_start = 21 April 2023 | predecessor = Martyn Roper | monarch = Charles III | premier = Wayne Panton<br>Juliana O'Connor-Connolly<br>André Ebanks | office1 = British Ambassador to Switzerland and Liechtenstein | term_start1 = 2018 | term_end1 = 2023 | predecessor1 = David Moran | successor1 = James Squire | monarch1 = Elizabeth II<br>Charles III | prime_minister1 = {{ubl|Theresa May|Boris Johnson|Liz Truss|Rishi Sunak}} | office2 = British Ambassador to Norway | term_start2 = 2010 | term_end2 = 2014 | predecessor2 = David Powell | successor2 = Sarah Gillett | monarch2 = Elizabeth II | prime_minister2 = David Cameron | birth_name = Jane Caroline Owen | birth_date = {{birth date and age|df=yes|1963|4|15}} | birth_place = Bilston, Staffordshire, England | alma_mater = Trinity College, Cambridge }}
'''Jane Caroline Owen''' (born 15 April 1963<ref name="whoswho">{{cite book |title=Owen, Jane Caroline |publisher=Who's Who |date=1 December 2017|doi = 10.1093/ww/9780199540884.013.44026}}</ref>) is a British politician and diplomat. She is the current Governor of the Cayman Islands and the second woman to hold this position.<ref name=":0">{{Cite web |title=Change of Governor of the Cayman Islands: Jane Owen |url=https://www.gov.uk/government/news/fcdo-press-release-change-of-governor-of-the-cayman-islands |access-date=2023-08-24 |website=GOV.UK |language=en}}</ref> She had previously served as the British ambassador to Switzerland and Liechtenstein and the British ambassador to Norway.<ref name=cc />
==Career== Owen was born in Bilston and educated at Ellerslie School in Malvern (now merged with Malvern College) and Trinity College, Cambridge, graduating with a Batchelor's degree in Russia, French and German.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.caymancompass.com/2023/04/21/cayman-swears-in-jane-owen-as-governor/|title=Cayman swears in Jane Owen as Governor|first=Rebecca|last=Bird|work=Cayman Compass|date=21 April 2023|accessdate=7 July 2025}}</ref> After graduating in 1986, she taught English in Japan as part of the JET Programme. In 1987, she entered the Foreign and Commonwealth Office (FCO).<ref name=cc>{{Cite web|url=https://www.caymancompass.com/2022/12/09/jane-owen-named-as-caymans-new-governor/|title=Jane Owen named as Cayman's new governor |work=Cayman Compass|accessdate=7 July 2025}}</ref>
After Japanese language training in 1988–90, she worked at the Tokyo embassy in 1990–93 and then was seconded to the Department of Trade and Industry as head of the Exports to Japan Unit in 1993–96. She returned to the FCO in 1996–98 and was then posted to Hanoi as deputy head of mission in 1998–2002. She returned to Tokyo as director of trade promotion in 2002–06, then was posted to New Delhi as director of UK Trade and Investment (UKTI) in India in 2006–10. She was British ambassador to Norway 2010–14, chief operating officer of UKTI in London 2014–16, then was appointed ambassador to the Swiss Confederation and concurrently non-resident ambassador to the Principality of Liechtenstein.<ref name="whoswho"/><ref>{{Cite web |url=https://www.gov.uk/government/people/jane-owen |title=Jane Owen, British Ambassador to Switzerland and to Liechtenstein |publisher=gov.uk |accessdate=20 December 2017}}</ref> She was chosen to be the Cayman Islands Governor. She arrived in Cayman and was sworn in on 21 April 2023.<ref name=":0" /><ref>{{Cite web |title=Governor Designate to Arrive April 21 |url=https://www.gov.ky/news/press-release-details/governor-designate-to-arrive-on-island-april-21 |access-date=2023-08-24 |website=www.gov.ky}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |title=Governor Owen Welcomed to Cayman |url=https://www.gov.ky/news/press-release-details/governor-owen-welcomed-to-the-cayman-islands |access-date=2023-08-24 |website=www.gov.ky}}</ref>
In 2025, the Cayman Islands government projected they would have a CI$80 million deficit for the financial year. Owen's office stated that the Governor would not intervene in asking for British assistance unless the projections became a reality, in which case she would order the government to come up with a three year plan to remedy it.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://caymannewsservice.com/2025/04/uk-wont-step-in-yet-over-potential-ffr-breach/|title=UK won't step in yet over potential FFR breach |date=10 April 2025|website=Cayman News Service|accessdate=7 July 2025}}</ref>
==References== {{Reflist}}
{{S-start}} {{S-dip}} {{S-bef |before=David Powell}} {{S-ttl |title=British Ambassador to Norway |years=2010–2014}} {{S-aft |after=Sarah Gillett}} {{S-bef |before=David Moran}} {{S-ttl |title=British Ambassador to Switzerland and Liechtenstein |years=2017–2023}} {{S-aft |after=James Squire}} {{S-gov}} {{S-bef |before=Jon Harding}} {{S-ttl |title=Chief Operating Officer, UK Trade and Investment, London |years=2014–2016}} {{S-non |reason=UKTI replaced by Department for International Trade}} {{S-bef |before=Martyn Roper}} {{S-ttl |title=Governor of the Cayman Islands|years=2023–present}} {{S-inc}} {{S-end}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Owen, Jane}} Category:1963 births Category:Living people Category:People from Bilston Category:Alumni of Trinity College, Cambridge Category:Governors of the Cayman Islands Category:Ambassadors of the United Kingdom to Norway Category:Ambassadors of the United Kingdom to Switzerland Category:Ambassadors of the United Kingdom to Liechtenstein Category:Women ambassadors of the United Kingdom Category:21st-century English women educators Category:21st-century English educators