In a historic first, the UK’s foreign intelligence agency, MI6, will soon be led by a woman. Blaise Metreweli is an intelligence officer with over 25 years of experience, who is all set to take charge of the Secret Intelligence Service this October. Which makes her the first female chief in the agency’s 115-year history. Read to know more about Blaise Metreweli in detail.
Who Is Blaise Metreweli?
Blaise Metreweli had joined MI6 in 1999 and currently serves as the Director General of Technology and Innovation, a division often compared to the iconic Q Branch from the James Bond franchise. In her role, she has overseen advanced technology operations and played a key part in modernising MI6’s capabilities to face new global threats.
Her appointment was officially announced by Prime Minister Keir Starmer, who praised her for stepping into the role at a time when global tensions and cyber threats are on the rise. “The historic appointment of Blaise Metreweli comes at a time when the work of our intelligence services has never been more vital,” he noted.
Metreweli herself responded to the announcement with humility, saying she feels privileged to be trusted with the responsibility. She expressed her deep respect for the service and said she’s ready to continue working alongside the dedicated officers of MI6, as well as its global partners, to keep the UK secure and its interests protected.
Her career has spanned both MI6 and MI5, the UK’s domestic intelligence service. Notably, she also served as Head of Hostile States Counterintelligence at MI5. Blaise’s academic background includes a degree in social anthropology from Cambridge University, and her upbringing reflects a rich heritage; her family has Georgian and German roots, and her father was a distinguished radiologist who worked around the world.
For the unversed, while MI5 and GCHQ have previously been led by women, Metreweli will be the first to head MI6, often seen as one of the most secretive and influential arms of UK security.
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Set to replace outgoing chief Richard Moore, who has served since 2020, Metreweli will officially take over as “C”, the code name for the MI6 chief, on October 1, 2025. She was recently awarded the Companion of the Order of St. Michael and St. George (CMG) for her contributions to British foreign policy.
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Image: Reuters, MI6