LONDON (CHATNEWSTV) — The United Kingdom has appointed its first-ever female chief of the Secret Intelligence Service, a historic move drawing inevitable parallels to the fictional “M” of the James Bond franchise.
Blaise Metreweli, a veteran intelligence officer and current Director General for Technology and Innovation at MI6, will succeed Sir Richard Moore this autumn, Prime Minister Keir Starmer announced Saturday.
“Blaise will continue to provide the excellent leadership needed to defend our country and keep our people safe — the foundation of my Plan for Change,” Starmer said. “The historic appointment of Blaise Metreweli comes at a time when the work of our intelligence services has never been more vital.”
Metreweli becomes the 18th person to lead MI6 — known internally as “C” — and the first woman in the role. Her appointment comes as the UK grapples with increasingly complex threats, from foreign espionage to cyber warfare.
Foreign Secretary David Lammy called the new chief “the ideal candidate to lead MI6 into the future.”
“With a wealth of experience from across our national security community, Blaise will ensure the UK can tackle these challenges head on,” Lammy said, announcing an additional £600 million investment in the intelligence community.
Metreweli, who joined MI6 as a case officer in 1999, has held senior roles across both MI6 and MI5. Much of her career has focused on operations in the Middle East and Europe. She holds a degree in anthropology from Cambridge University’s Pembroke College.
“I am proud and honoured to be asked to lead my Service,” Metreweli said in a statement. “MI6 plays a vital role — with MI5 and GCHQ — in keeping the British people safe and promoting UK interests overseas.”
The appointment has drawn comparisons to M, the fictional head of MI6 portrayed by Dame Judi Dench in the James Bond films. Dench’s version of the character broke with tradition in 1995’s GoldenEye by becoming the first female “M” — a pop culture milestone now echoed in real life.
Outgoing chief Sir Richard Moore praised his successor, calling her “one of our foremost thinkers on technology.”
“I am absolutely delighted by this historic appointment,” Moore said. “Blaise is a highly accomplished intelligence officer and leader.”
Cabinet Secretary Christopher Wormald added that Metreweli would “embody the values of the Service and act as a fine role model to its staff.”
Metreweli will take over the helm of MI6 at a time of “global instability and emerging security threats,” the government said, underscoring her experience at the intersection of espionage and cutting-edge technology.
Editor: Gabriel Ani
