Timothy Ridley is a graduate of Cambridge University (BA) and Harvard Law School (LLM), qualified as a solicitor in England and is an attorney-at-law in the Cayman Islands. For many years, he was a senior partner of the leading Cayman Islands law firm Maples and Calder and from 1995 until 2000 headed up the firm's Asia practice in Hong Kong. He specialized in a broad range of international financial transactions.

He has wide regulatory and governance experience, having served on the Boards of the Cayman Islands Health Services Commission (2002-2005) and the Cayman Islands Monetary Authority (2002-2008, Chairman 2004-2008). He has also served on various consultative committees that advise the Cayman Islands Government on matters relating to the financial services and local industries. He writes and speaks widely on Cayman Islands legal, financial and regulatory issues, is a member of numerous international professional associations and has served on the editorial boards of leading publications, including the Harvard International Law Journal. He was made an Officer of the British Empire (OBE) in 1996 in recognition for his services to the financial services industry and the local community.