For the first time in its 116-year history, Britain’s foreign intelligence agency MI6 will be led by a woman. British Prime Minister Keir Starmer has named Blaise Metreweli as the 18th chief of the Secret Intelligence Service (MI6), succeeding Sir Richard Moore in autumn 2025.
Metreweli, a veteran intelligence officer, currently serves as Director General for Technology and Innovation, a role often compared to the real-life equivalent of ‘M’ – the head of MI6 in the cult James Bond series.
As chief, she will be known by the codename ‘C’ and will become the only publicly named member of the organisation.
Having spent most of her career in operational roles across the Middle East and Europe, Metreweli brings deep regional expertise to the post.
Her experience in both field operations and emerging technologies is seen as particularly relevant as MI6 adapts to hybrid threats ranging from cyberattacks to geopolitical sabotage, with officials citing Russia, China, and Iran as key adversaries in recent years.
Career and background
Blaise Metreweli began her career in British intelligence after studying anthropology at Pembroke College, Cambridge. She joined the Secret Intelligence Service (MI6) in 1999 as a case officer, launching what would become a decades-long trajectory in national security.
Over the years, she has held a range of operational and leadership positions, with much of her fieldwork focused on the Middle East and Europe, regions central to the UK’s foreign intelligence priorities.
In addition to her service at MI6, Metreweli held senior roles at the domestic intelligence agency MI5, where she was known publicly under the pseudonym “Director K.”
Her cross-agency experience, combining frontline operations with strategic leadership, has positioned her as a key figure in the UK’s intelligence landscape.
In recognition of her contributions to British foreign policy, she was appointed a Companion of the Order of St Michael and St George (CMG) in 2024, a British honour awarded to individuals who have delivered outstanding non-military service abroad or made significant contributions to foreign and Commonwealth affairs.
Metreweli currently leads the agency’s technology and innovation division, one of its most strategically vital departments.
What is her vision?
The previous work of Metreweli focused on developing advanced tools and systems to protect the identities of field agents and enable operations to remain undetected by increasingly sophisticated surveillance technologies.
A central element of her role involved finding ways to evade threats such as China's expanding biometric surveillance networks.
Known for balancing traditional human intelligence with technical innovation, Metreweli has played a key role in adapting MI6’s operational capabilities to meet the demands of a rapidly changing digital landscape.
In a rare interview given to the Telegraph in 2021 while serving as MI5’s head of hostile states counterintelligence, Metreweli warned that “in the current world, threats really are diverse,” outlining a national security landscape shaped by state-sponsored espionage, intellectual property theft, and cyber aggression.
She emphasised that MI5 and MI6 must focus on “protecting government, protecting secrets, protecting our people—so counter-assassination—protecting our economy and our sensitive technology and critical knowledge.”
Her leadership is likely to focus on enhancing the UK’s capabilities in cyber defence, preventing targeted state-sponsored attacks, and safeguarding critical technologies and sensitive knowledge assets.
These areas have become central to Britain’s intelligence strategy amid rising global competition and the increasing weaponisation of digital infrastructure.
Starmer, Lammy, and Moore endorse leadership transition
Blaise Metreweli expressed pride in her appointment as Chief of MI6, describing it as an honour to lead the Service at a time of growing international complexity.
“MI6 plays a vital role, with MI5 and GCHQ, in keeping the British people safe and promoting UK interests overseas,” she stated. Committed to advancing that mission, Metreweli highlighted the importance of working closely with MI6’s officers and global partners to navigate today’s evolving threat landscape.
Prime Minister Keir Starmer called the appointment “historic,” underscoring its significance amid what he described as “threats on an unprecedented scale.” He cited cyberattacks and foreign interference as key challenges facing the UK and expressed full confidence in Metreweli’s ability to lead MI6 through a period of heightened geopolitical tension.
Foreign Secretary David Lammy echoed those sentiments, calling Metreweli “the ideal candidate” to lead MI6 in a time marked by global instability and rapid technological advancement.
Metreweli’s appointment signals more than a historic first, it marks a shift in the strategic direction of Britain’s foreign intelligence service:
How will her background in technology and innovation shape the future direction of MI6? And to what extent will the agency adapt to the growing complexity of hybrid threats?
