Who is Blaise Metreweli, first female chief of UK’s spy agency MI6?

The appointment means MI6 will be led by a woman for the first time in the foreign intelligence service’s 116-year history.

Blaise Metreweli, who joined the Secret Intelligence Service in 1999, will become the 18th chief of the organisation and take over from Sir Richard Moore later this year.

Metreweli is currently responsible for technology and innovation at the service and said she was ‘proud and honoured’ to have been asked to lead, according to a BBC report.

‘Historic Appointment’ 

Starmer called the appointment ‘historic’ at a time ‘when the work of our intelligence services has never been more vital.’

Commonly referred to as ‘C’, the international spy agency’s chief has operational responsibility for MI6 and is the only publicly named member of the organisation, accountable to Foreign Secretary David Lammy.

Who is Blaise Metreweli?

Forty-seven-year-old Metreweli, has been promoted from his current role as Director General, or ‘Q’, responsible for technology and innovation in MI6 and has previously held a director-level role at MI5 – the UK’s domestic security service.

“The historic appointment of Blaise Metreweli comes at a time when the work of our intelligence services has never been more vital,” Starmer said on Sunday, news agency PTI said.

“The United Kingdom is facing threats on an unprecedented scale – be it aggressors who send their spy ships to our waters or hackers whose sophisticated cyber plots seek to disrupt our public services,” he said.

Metreweli will succeed Sir Richard Moore, who leaves the service in the autumn later this year.

“I’d like to thank Sir Richard Moore for his dedicated service, and I know Blaise will continue to provide the excellent leadership needed to defend our county and keep our people safe – the foundation of my Plan for Change,” Starmer said.

The new spy chief expressed her pride and honour in leading the security service which she has been a part of since 1999 as a career intelligence officer, having joined the Security Service as a case officer.

“MI6 plays a vital role – with MI5 and GCHQ [Government Communications Headquarters] – 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,” said the new ‘C’.

Studied Anthropology at Cambridge

Metreweli, who studied Anthropology at Pembroke College, Cambridge University, has spent most of her career in operational roles in the Middle East and Europe.

“With a wealth of experience from across our national security community, Blaise is the ideal candidate to lead MI6 into the future,” said her boss David Lammy.

“At a time of global instability and emerging security threats, where technology is power and our adversaries are working ever closer together, Blaise will ensure the UK can tackle these challenges head on to keep Britain safe and secure at home and abroad,” he said.

Metreweli will be the 18th chief of MI6 when she takes charge from Moore.

“I am absolutely delighted by this historic appointment of my colleague, Blaise Metreweli to succeed me as ‘C’. Blaise is a highly accomplished intelligence officer and leader, and one of our foremost thinkers on technology. I am excited to welcome her as the first female head of MI6,” said the outgoing ‘C’.

Depicted as ‘Q’.

The BBC said MI6 is tasked with gathering intelligence overseas to improve the UK’s security. Its core aims are to stop terrorism, disrupt the activities of hostile states, and bolster cybersecurity.

The service’s chief, commonly referred to as “C,” is the only publicly named member.

MI6 has been famously projected in Ian Lancaster Fleming’s James Bond novels and the related Hollywood film franchise, where Dame Judi Dench has taken on the role of ‘C’, which is referenced as ‘M’ in the fictional scenario.

In the books and films, Metreweli’s current role as tech director at the spy agency is depicted as ‘Q’.

Companion of the Order 2024

On the King’s overseas and international birthday honours list in 2024, Metreweli received the Companion of the Order of St Michael and St George (CMG) for her services to British foreign policy, the BBC report said.

In one of the interviews with in December 2021 when she was at MI5, under the pseudonym of “Director K”,  Metreweli said threats to UK national security “really are diverse”. 

“The threats we are looking at primarily exist around protecting government, protecting secrets, protecting our people – so counter-assassination – protecting our economy, sensitive technology and critical knowledge,” Metreweli said.