The name is Blaise Metreweli … the first female chief of MI6

Britain’s foreign intelligence service, MI6, will have its first female boss after present technology chief ‘Q’, Blaise Metreweli, was promoted to take over as ‘C’.

Blaise Metreweli, inset, will take over from outgoing MI6 head Richard Moore. This image shows Dame Judi Dench as the fictional MI6 spy boss and Daniel Craig as James Bond.

Britain’s foreign intelligence service, MI6, will have its first female boss after present technology chief “Q” was promoted to take over as “C”.

Blaise Metreweli will succeed Richard Moore in the autumn in what Sir Keir Starmer called a “historic” appointment. She takes over after a 26-year intelligence career at a time when Sir Keir says Britain faces threats on an unprecedented scale.

Ms Metreweli has been the internal frontrunner for several years and has been groomed for the top job.

She is said to be very interested in artificial intelligence and its potential role in espionage, with colleagues describing her as astute, intelligent with a streak of toughness. As Q, she has championed under-­represented groups, including encouraging neurodiverse people into tech careers.

While Judi Dench brought M, the fictional MI6 spy boss, to life in the James Bond films, Metreweli is the first woman to hold the role in the agency’s 116-year ­history.

MI5, the domestic intelligence agency, has had two female bosses, Dame Stella Rimington and Baroness Manningham-Buller.

It became clear in May that MI6 was likely to get its first female C after a shortlist of four candidates was drawn up. Three were female, including Barbara Woodward, Britain’s ambassador to the UN.

Ms Metreweli paid tribute to the “brave officers and agents of MI6” as she said she was “proud and honoured to be asked to lead my service. MI6 plays a vital role – with MI5 and GCHQ – in keeping the British people safe and in promoting UK interests overseas”.

Sir Keir said: “The historic appointment of Blaise Metreweli comes at a time when the work of our intelligence services has never been more vital.

“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 cyber­plots seek to disrupt our public services.

“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 country and keep our people safe.”

The Times