For the first time in its 116-year history, the United Kingdom’s foreign intelligence service, MI6, will be led by a woman.
Blaise Metreweli has been named the new head of the Secret Intelligence Service and will take over later this year from the current chief, Sir Richard Moore.
Metreweli, 47, joined MI6 in 1999 and is currently in charge of technology and innovation within the agency. She expressed her gratitude for the appointment, saying, “I am proud and honoured to have been asked to lead.”
She added, “MI6 plays a vital role — alongside MI5 and GCHQ — in keeping the British people safe and promoting UK interests overseas. I look forward to continuing that work with the brave officers and agents of MI6 and our international partners.”
The announcement was made public on Sunday, with UK Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer calling it a “historic” moment. He said the appointment comes at a time when the role of the intelligence services has never been more important.
Metreweli will become the 18th chief of MI6 and will report directly to the Foreign Secretary. She will also be part of the UK’s Joint Intelligence Committee, where senior officials from various departments work together to guide national security decisions.
Before this role, she worked in both MI6 and MI5, handling key assignments across the Middle East and Europe. She studied anthropology at the University of Cambridge and was recently awarded a national honour for her contributions to British foreign policy.
In a past interview with the UK Telegraph newspaper, Metreweli, then working under a secret name at MI5, said that national security threats were becoming more complex. “The threats we are looking at involve protecting the government, secrets, our people, our economy and critical knowledge,” she said.
She also warned that some foreign activities, especially those linked to Russia and China, still pose serious risks to the UK. She noted, “Russian state activity remains a threat… and China brings both opportunities and challenges.”
The new MI6 boss takes on the job at a time when the intelligence world faces growing threats, not just from hostile countries like Russia, China, Iran and North Korea, but also from the fast-changing world of technology.
MI6’s main job is to gather secret information from other countries to protect the UK. While most intelligence today comes from satellites and digital sources, MI6 is still focused on recruiting human agents to gain sensitive information from the ground.
Outgoing chief Sir Richard Moore, who has led the service since 2020, said he was “absolutely delighted” with Metreweli’s appointment. “Blaise is a highly accomplished intelligence officer and one of our top minds in technology,” he said. “I’m excited to welcome her as the first female head of MI6.”
Foreign Secretary David Lammy also praised her selection, saying she was the “ideal” person to lead the agency through global challenges and growing security threats. He added, “She will help ensure the UK stays strong and safe in a world facing instability.”
Prime Minister Starmer joined in thanking Sir Richard for his service and said he believed Metreweli would continue to provide strong leadership in the country’s efforts to stay protected.
