- A woman will head the Secret Intelligence Service for the first time in its 116-year history
- Blaise Metreweli is the 18th Chief of the organization
- Since being appointed to MI6 in 1999, she has held several senior leadership positions
The UK's overseas intelligence service, MI6, will be led by a woman for the first time in its 116-year history. In the second half of this year, Sir Richard Moore will be succeeded as the 18th head of the Secret Intelligence Service by Blaise Metreweli, who has served at the agency since 1999.
At MI6, Blaise is Director General "Q" for technology and innovation. His top priority is maintaining agent identities secret and counteracting cutting-edge surveillance tools like China's biometric tracking. She thanked them and said she was "proud and honoured" to be appointed.
At a time when the work of intelligence is crucial to national security, Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer has called the appointment "historic." Renowned for receiving intelligence overseas, MI6 works closely in tandem with GCHQ and MI5 in countering hostile states, preventing terrorism, and improving cyber-security. The only publicly identified member of the agency is its chief, who is informally referred to as "C."
Blaise, 47, worked in senior positions at MI5 and has an anthropology degree from the University of Cambridge. She spent most of her professional life in Europe and the Middle East. She was honored with the Companion of the Order of St Michael and St George (CMG) award for her service on behalf of British foreign policy at the 2024 King's international birthday celebration.
She highlighted the broad scope of national security threats, from protecting government assets, sensitive technology, and the economy, in an interview with The Telegraph in 2021 using the pseudonym "Director K." China's global influence presents the UK with huge opportunities and real risks, she claimed, although Russian state activity remains a concern.
