Historic leadership change at SIS
Britain’s Secret Intelligence Service (MI6) has appointed Blaise Metreweli as its next chief, making her the first woman to lead the UK’s foreign intelligence agency since its foundation in 1909.
Known until now as “Q” – the agency’s head of technology – Metreweli will assume the top role, “C,” in October, succeeding Sir Richard Moore.
Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer hailed the appointment as a “historic moment” for British intelligence, coming at a time when MI6 is grappling with a multitude of complex threats, from cyber warfare to geopolitical instability.
A technologist with deep operational roots
Metreweli, 47, brings a rare blend of technical expertise and frontline experience. She has led operations across the Middle East and Europe, speaks fluent Arabic, and previously served at MI5 as head of directorate ‘K’, overseeing threats from hostile states such as Russia, China, and Iran.
A Cambridge anthropology graduate, Metreweli had originally trained to become a diplomat before being recruited into intelligence. Her scientific knowledge and operational instincts have been key to her rise, earning her a reputation as one of SIS’s foremost thinkers on tech and strategy.
Glass ceiling finally broken
Though fictional MI6 chiefs have included women for decades – most notably Dame Judi Dench’s “M” in the James Bond films – real-life representation has lagged. Metreweli’s appointment follows years of internal calls for change. Three of the agency’s current four deputy director-generals are now women.
Baroness Meta Ramsay, a former senior officer, welcomed the news, saying, “At last the glass ceiling has been smashed.”
Eyes on the future
Metreweli steps into the role as UK intelligence recalibrates its relationship with the CIA and monitors threats ranging from Islamic State to state-sponsored cyber attacks. In a brief statement, she said she was “proud and honoured” and looked forward to serving “alongside the brave officers and agents of MI6.”
