For the first time in its 115-year history, Britain’s Secret Intelligence Service- better known as MI6- has been given its first female MI6 chief.
Blaise Metreweli, currently director general of technology and innovation, has been appointed by Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer as the 18th Chief of the Secret Intelligence Service. Known internally and in official communications simply as “C”, the role is one of the most secretive and senior in British public service, and Metreweli will be the first woman ever to hold it.
Her appointment comes at a time of heightened international instability, and signals a clear shift toward a tech-driven intelligence strategy for the UK.
From Q to C
Until now, Metreweli has been known within MI6 as “Q”, heading the service’s technology and innovation division. The moniker, famously associated with gadgetry and research in the world of James Bond, reflects her responsibility for modernising Britain’s intelligence capabilities in an era where cyber warfare, artificial intelligence, and digital surveillance are increasingly central to national security.
She is also a veteran of MI5, the UK’s domestic intelligence agency, and has spent the past 25 years in operational roles across the Middle East and Europe. In 2023, she was awarded a Companion of the Order of St Michael and St George (CMG) for her contributions to British foreign policy, a decoration typically reserved for diplomats and senior intelligence figures.
“I am proud and honoured to be asked to lead my Service,” Metreweli said in a statement following the announcement.
“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.”
Security threats and leadership change
Prime Minister Starmer hailed the appointment of the first female MI6 chief as “historic”, praising Metreweli’s credentials at a time when the UK faces what he described as “unprecedented” security threats.
“Whether it’s adversaries sending spy ships into our waters or hackers targeting public services, the work of our intelligence agencies has never been more vital,” he said.
“Blaise Metreweli will provide the leadership and expertise needed to meet those challenges and keep our people safe, the foundation of my Plan for Change.”
Metreweli will report directly to Foreign Secretary David Lammy, who also commented on her appointment, noting that Britain’s adversaries are “working ever closer together” and that “technology is power” in the modern intelligence landscape.
“Blaise will ensure the UK can tackle these challenges head-on to keep Britain safe and secure at home and abroad,” Lammy said.
A historic transition
She succeeds Sir Richard Moore, who has served as Chief since 2020. Moore, who announced his departure earlier this year, welcomed her appointment with enthusiasm.
“I am absolutely delighted by this historic appointment of my colleague,” Moore said. “Blaise is a highly accomplished intelligence officer and leader, and one of our foremost thinkers on technology.”
While the popular image of MI6 remains shaped by fiction- especially the James Bond films- the agency’s real-world mission is rooted in global diplomacy, strategic threat assessment, and covert intelligence operations. The role of “C” is uniquely public, in that the Chief is the only member of the organisation whose identity is formally acknowledged.
Metreweli’s rise is not only a milestone for women in intelligence, but also a marker of how security priorities are changing. At the intersection of espionage and emerging technology, her leadership reflects a future-facing shift- one where data, networks and innovation are as critical as fieldcraft and secrecy.
Also read: Microsoft offers to boost EU governments’ cybersecurity for free
For more videos and updates, check out our YouTube channel.
