Ryan Robinson Perinchief has just had a meteoric rise in political service.

On Thursday the 29-year-old was working as a lawyer and financial executive.

Yesterday, he was appointed to the Senate and sworn in as Minister of National Security, one of the most critical roles in government.

A rising star and “one to watch” since he was in his teens, Mr Robinson Perinchief is also following in his father’s footsteps.

Wayne Perinchief, sworn into office in 2011, held the national security portfolio for the Progressive Labour Party government and was a PLP MP from 1998 to 2012.

Acknowledging his background, Mr Robinson Perinchief said: “I have big shoes to fill — public service is my life; I was born and raised in this environment.”

He added that he was now “very much looking forward to putting those skills and credentials to use”.

“Everyone in Bermuda deserves the peace of mind that comes with safety,” he said.

His studies have included counter-terrorism policy and constitutional law. Mr Robinson Perinchief has also adjudicated in police misconduct hearings.

He highlighted cannabis reform and implementing speed cameras as upcoming tasks, saying: “From my discussions with the Premier, these are immediate priorities.”

After graduating from The Berkeley Institute in 2014, Mr Robinson Perinchief earned a first-class honours degree in law in 2019.

He was also awarded the John Steel QC Prize for Advanced Issues in Public Law, from Durham University in England.

Mr Robinson Perinchief said his dissertation at Durham concentrated on cannabis reform, making him familiar with policies regulating the drug.

“Cannabis has been a sticking point for the Government and this country for quite some time,” he said. “There has been a lot of contention about what should be done.”

He said it was a matter the Government “has committed to advancing”, but declined to go into detail ahead of being fully briefed on the matter.

Mr Robinson Perinchief is also a 2020 Rhodes scholar. The world’s pre-eminent and oldest graduate fellowship, based at the University of Oxford, is awarded to students who display academic excellence.

It allowed him to obtain a master's degree in public policy. He then spent a year in Bermuda gaining experience at the Cabinet Office and Ministry of Finance — followed by extensive legal experience in the firm Conyers.

In 2023, Mr Robinson Perinchief was called to the Bermuda Bar, and he was announced as the chief executive officer of Bermuda Credit Union in October 2024.

An advanced medical first responder with St John Ambulance Brigade, and a member of the Bermuda Health Council’s Public Relations Committee, he joined the Bermuda Hospitals Board last year.

He said: “I chaired the governance, risk and compliance board of the BHB. You’ll see there have been some challenges there, but I have gotten a lot of insight.”

Mr Robinson Perinchief is a founder and executive director of Future Leaders Bermuda — an organisation which aims to empower passionate young leaders and arm them with the skills to make a positive impact.

He said he began the organisation “to help the next generation to lead, and lo and behold, I am called to service”.

His public service career up until this point has included working in the Cabinet’s economic recovery project management office and as a policy analyst and adviser to the acting financial secretary.

In the political arena, he has been known to be an outspoken advocate for independence.