Britain has appointed Blaise Metreweli, a seasoned intelligence officer, as the first female chief of the Secret Intelligence Service (MI6), the country’s foreign spy agency.
Metreweli, 47, currently serves as MI6’s head of technology—known internally as “Q.” She joined the agency in 1999 and has held key operational roles across the Middle East and Europe, according to an official government statement.
According to the TheGuardian, Blaise Metreweli will replace Richard Moore, the current MI6 chief, who is stepping down this autumn after five years in the role.
“I am proud and honored to be asked to lead my service,” said Metreweli, who will adopt the traditional codename “C” as the agency’s director. Her appointment places her among the most influential figures in Western intelligence.
Founded in 1909, MI6 now joins its domestic counterparts—MI5 and GCHQ—in having named a woman to its top leadership position.
Prime Minister Keir Starmer, speaking from the G7 summit in Canada, praised the appointment, noting that Britain faces “threats on an unprecedented scale.” He added, “I know Blaise Metreweli will continue to provide the excellent leadership needed to defend our country.”
Blaise Metreweli steps into the role at a time of mounting global tensions. Russia remains a critical concern, with UK intelligence accusing Moscow of conducting sabotage operations across Europe to deter support for Ukraine. China has been labeled MI6’s top strategic priority, while Iran has been linked to at least 20 plots targeting dissidents in the UK since 2022, according to MI5.
Blaise Metreweli previously served in a senior role at MI5 and holds a degree in anthropology from the University of Cambridge.
MI5 has already had two female leaders—Stella Rimington (1992) and Eliza Manningham-Buller (2002–2007). GCHQ followed suit by appointing its first female director in 2023.
Interestingly, Metreweli’s appointment mirrors a fictional milestone reached nearly 30 years ago when Dame Judi Dench portrayed a female MI6 boss in the 1995 James Bond film GoldenEye.
