MI6 to get first female chief 30 years after Dame Judi Dench landed role in Bond movies
MI6 is to get its first female chief — three decades after Dame Judi Dench landed the role in the 007 movies.
Blaise Metreweli will lead the fight against rogue states such as Russia and China.
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She begins in the autumn, having joined the intelligence services as a case officer in 1999.
The top job was portrayed by Dame Judi as 'M' in the James Bond films from 1995.
But the new chief will use the title 'C', as is service tradition.
The Cambridge-educated spook is currently MI6 director general for technology — known as 'Q' in the Bond films and real life.
MI6 is the UK's foreign intelligence service. Ms Metreweli, who becomes its 18th chief, has also held roles in MI5, which deals with domestic security.
Only MI6's chief is ever publicly identified. She said last night: 'I am proud and honoured to be asked to lead my service.'
She replaces Sir Richard Moore, who leaves after five years.
Ms Metreweli has spent most of her career in operational roles in the Middle East and Europe.
She said Russia poses an acute threat to the UK and described China as 'chronic'.
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