The UK’s foreign intelligence service, MI6, is to be run by a woman for the first time in the organisation’s 116-year history, after Blaise Metreweli was named its 18th chief.
Ms Metreweli, 47, first joined the service as a case officer in 1999 and has carried out operational roles in the Middle East and Europe. She was most recently the head of the service’s technical branch and holds the position of "Q", a title made famous by the James Bond film franchise for its imaginative gadgets created for 007.
She takes on the role of "C" from current spymaster Sir Richard Moore, a senior civil servant who will step down in the autumn after five years in the role. In the films, the moniker "M" was used for the character played by stars including Dame Judi Dench.
The chief has operational responsibility for MI6 and is the only publicly named member of the organisation. Few biographical details have been released about Ms Metreweli, although it is known she rowed in a victorious University of Cambridge team in the annual Boat Race with the University of Oxford in 1997. She studied social anthropology at the university and was made a Companion of the Order of St Michael and St George in King Charles III’s birthday honours in 2024.
In her new post, Ms Metreweli will be accountable to British Foreign Secretary David Lammy.
“I am proud and honoured to be asked to lead my service," Ms Metreweli said. “MI6 plays a vital role, with MI5 and GCHQ, in keeping the British people safe and promoting UK interests overseas. I look forward to continuing that work alongside the brave officers and agents of MI6 and our many international partners.”
Former MI6 boss Sir Alex Younger described her as a “Middle East expert who can hit the ground running” amid the current challenges in the region. She is also an “incredibly experienced, credible, successful officer” who will be adept at operating in a digitally transparent world, “understanding how we exist in the nexus between man and machine”, he added.
Earlier this year, Sir Richard, who was the first member of MI6 to openly use X, suggested a female candidate could replace him. “We have yet to have a woman as chief so there’s still a glass ceiling to shatter,” he wrote in a post on the social media platform.
Ms Metreweli was chosen ahead of Dame Barbara Woodward, the UK’s ambassador to China from 2015 to 2020, who had been considered a frontrunner for the role but faced criticism in recent months, including from former Conservative Party leader Sir Iain Duncan Smith. He said she had been “less than robust” in challenging Beijing’s record on human rights at a time when the UK’s position on China has hardened.
UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer said the appointment of Ms Metreweli was historic and came at a time "when the work of our intelligence services has never been more vital".
“The United Kingdom is facing threats on an unprecedented scale, be it aggressors who send their spy ships to our waters or hackers whose sophisticated cyber plots seek to disrupt our public services," he said.
“I’d like to thank Sir Richard Moore for his dedicated service, and I know Blaise will continue to provide the excellent leadership needed to defend our county and keep our people safe – the foundation of my Plan for Change.”
Mr Lammy also welcomed the appointment of Ms Metreweli. “With a wealth of experience from across our national security community, Blaise is the ideal candidate to lead MI6 into the future," he said.
“At a time of global instability and emerging security threats, where technology is power and our adversaries are working ever closer together, Blaise will ensure the UK can tackle these challenges head on to keep Britain safe and secure at home and abroad.
“Every day, our intelligence services work behind the scenes to protect our national security and compete with our adversaries. That’s why I am proud that we are investing an extra £600 million [$815 million] in our intelligence community so they can continue to defend our way of life.
“I would also like to pay tribute to Sir Richard Moore for his service and leadership. I have worked closely with him over the past year and thank him for his valuable contribution enhancing our national security and protecting the British public.”
The departing MI6 chief said he was "absolutely delighted by this historic appointment of my colleague, Blaise Metreweli, to succeed me" in the role.
“Blaise is a highly accomplished intelligence officer and leader, and one of our foremost thinkers on technology," he added. “I am excited to welcome her as the first female head of MI6.”
