A Bermudian lawyer has taken over as legal adviser to the Island’s telecoms watchdog.

And Kyle Masters said the Regulatory Authority role offered a ringside seat at the technological revolution that is changing the future of communications.

Mr Masters, 30, from Devonshire, added: “It was a fresh opportunity to work in a different aspect of the law.

“What attracted me was the commercial nature of some of the work because we are dealing with companies and we have to take decisions that take into account those businesses and business interests — and it was new.

“One of the challenges is to recognise that technology, at least as far as the Island is concerned right now, our business and we need to be pragmatic in the application of our laws as the Regulatory Authority.”

Mr Masters was speaking just months into his job as the legal brains behind the body that regulates hi-tech telecoms on the island.

The married father-of-one graduated with an English degree from St Mary’s University in Nova Scotia, Canada, before moving to London to study law.

He became a pupil at Hamilton law firm Trott & Duncan on his return to Bermuda and was called to the Bar in 2009.

Mr Masters worked at Trott & Duncan, except for a six-month secondment to a London commercial law chambers, until late last year, when he joined the Regulatory Authority.

He said: “Technology itself is always very interesting to learn about and work with. In this country, technology is probably where most of the innovations have come from.”

Mr Masters conceded that he could make more in the private sector than in the public service.

But he said: “There was a conscious decision to delay some of the money you might get in the private practice and instead learn about the commercial element, negotiate difficult contracts and having tough conversations from the regulatory standpoint.

“Getting in at this level gives me a better understanding of how that type of business person works — I also get to look at things from a global perspective as well.

“My interest is to promote technology and a better market overall — that means tough discussions and forging compromises and all of these are transferable skills to other locations.”

The Regulatory Authority, based on Hamilton’s Victoria Street, was set up by an Act of Parliament in 2011 to manage electronic communications, networks and spectrum allocations in Bermuda.

It is responsible for granting licences to operators and aims to promote competition in the industry, protect consumer rights and encourage innovation in the technology field.