Blaise Metreweli has been appointed as the first female chief of the United Kingdom’s Secret Intelligence Service, MI6. The announcement was made on Sunday, June 15th, by Prime Minister Keir Starmer during his visit to Canada for the G7 summit. Metreweli, 47, will succeed Sir Richard Moore in the autumn and become the 18th person to lead MI6 in its 116-year history.
Metreweli currently oversees MI6’s Q section, the division responsible for technology and innovation. In accepting the appointment, she stated, “I am proud and honoured to be asked to lead my service.” She added, “MI6 plays a vital role – with MI5 and GCHQ – in keeping the British people safe and promoting UK interests overseas.” Her career includes significant operational roles in Europe and the Middle East, as well as previous director-level positions in both MI5 and MI6. She earned a CMG award in 2024 for services to British foreign policy.
Prime Minister Starmer described the appointment as “historic” and emphasized its significance in a time of growing global instability. Foreign Secretary David Lammy praised her as the ideal candidate to navigate the UK’s evolving national security landscape. Unlike her predecessor, Metreweli has spent her entire professional life in intelligence, rising through the ranks internally. Her leadership is expected to reinforce MI6’s ability to meet emerging threats and technical challenges in the digital age.
As MI6’s new chief, Metreweli will be responsible for managing intelligence operations abroad, with a focus on counterterrorism, cyber defense, and countering hostile foreign actors. She will also serve as part of the Joint Intelligence Committee and report directly to the Foreign Secretary. By tradition, the MI6 chief is known by the code name “C” and is the agency’s only publicly identified officer.
With her background in digital strategy, Metreweli is expected to prioritize advancements in biometric evasion, cyber tools, and countermeasures against surveillance. MI6 continues to adapt to a world where intelligence is not only stolen by human agents but also mined through open-source and satellite systems. These developments align with broader strategic aims outlined in the UK’s Integrated Review of Security.
Metreweli’s ascent also represents a breakthrough in gender representation in UK intelligence. While MI5 and GCHQ have previously had female heads, MI6 has not until now. As she steps into a role long symbolized in fiction by characters like “M” in the James Bond franchise, her leadership could shape the next generation of UK espionage. Her appointment follows years of institutional reform and aligns with broader goals under the UK Intelligence Services Diversity Strategy.
