Who is Blaise Metreweli, first woman to head UK spy agency MI6?
Blaise Metreweli has been appointed as the new chief of MI6, becoming the first woman to lead Britain's foreign intelligence service since it was founded in 1909.
A veteran intelligence officer and current director of technology and innovation at MI6, she will take over in the autumn from Richard Moore, who has held the post for five years.
Prime Minister Keir Starmer confirmed the historic appointment on Sunday, calling it 'an important moment' for the country's national security leadership.
'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 cyber plots seek to disrupt our public services,' he said.
A veteran intelligence officer with 25 years of service, Blaise Metreweli, 47, now emerges as the public face of MI6, the only member of Britain's foreign spy agency whose identity is officially disclosed. 'I am proud and honoured to be asked to lead my Service,' she said.
Metreweli takes the helm at a critical time, as MI6 confronts escalating threats from hostile states such as China and Russia. Their use of cyber warfare, espionage, and influence campaigns continues to undermine global stability and target British interests, while terrorism remains a persistent concern, reported Reuters.
The role, traditionally known as 'C', differs from the fictional 'M' in the James Bond universe, famously portrayed by Judi Dench in seven films starting in the 1990s.
A Cambridge University graduate in anthropology and former member of its women's rowing team, Metreweli also brings deep expertise in emerging technologies, having served as MI6's director of technology and innovation.
'At a time of global instability and emerging security threats, where technology is power and our adversaries are working ever closer together, Blaise will ensure the UK can tackle these challenges head-on to keep Britain safe and secure at home and abroad,' said Foreign Secretary David Lammy.
In line with this push for diversity, MI6 has expanded recruitment beyond its traditional pool of elite university candidates. Its official messaging now promotes flexible working, family-friendly policies, and a commitment to drawing talent from all backgrounds.
The selection of Metreweli, an internal candidate, followed a confidential process initiated in March, when senior civil servants invited applications from across the intelligence, diplomatic, defence, and policing sectors.
Britain's other intelligence bodies have already made history with female chiefs. MI5, the domestic security service, was headed by Stella Rimington from 1992 to 1996 and Eliza Manningham-Buller from 2002 to 2007, while GCHQ appointed Anne Keast-Butler as director in 2023.
Moore, an Oxford-educated diplomat with a Bond-like persona, had advocated for greater inclusion within the service.
In a 2023 post on X, he said he aimed to be 'the last C selected from an all-male shortlist', expressing support for women's equality in intelligence leadership.
With Reuters inputs
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Time of India
24 minutes ago
- Time of India
After Israeli bombings, Iran signals strategic shift on nuclear commitments; mulls Non-Proliferation Treaty exit
A man looks at flames rising from an oil storage facility after it appeared to have been struck by an Israeli strike in Tehran. (Pic credit: AP) As Israel continues to target nuclear sites in Iran, Tehran on Monday said that its parliamentarians are preparing a bill that will push it towards exiting the nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty. According to a report by Reuters, Iran's foreign ministry spokesperson Esmaeil Baghaei said, "In light of recent developments, we will take an appropriate decision. Government has to enforce parliament bills, but such a proposal is just being prepared and we will coordinate in the later stages with parliament." Meanwhile, he also reiterated Tehran's official stance against developing nuclear weapons. Is Iran violating NPT? This comes amid escalating tensions between Israel and Iran as both countries continue to launch waves of missiles at each other. The timing of this statement is also crucial, as Israel alleged that Iran is on the verge of building a nuclear bomb. However, Iran denied the allegations, asserting that its nuclear programme is peaceful. Iran's President Masoud Pezeshkian echoed that position on Monday, saying nuclear arms violate the country's core religious principles. But last week, the IAEA said that Iran violated its NPT obligations. Baghaei said the recent Israeli attacks and the IAEA resolution played a direct role in Tehran's strategic reassessment. "Those voting for the resolution prepared the ground for the attack," he said. The 1970 treaty restricts signatories from pursuing nuclear weapons in exchange for access to civilian nuclear technology and oversight by the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA). Proposal in initial stages According to Reuters' report, no decision on quitting the NPR has been made yet, but the proposal is in initial stages of legal process. Meanwhile, Baghaei criticised Israel's own nuclear stance, highlighting that the country is not a signatory to the NPT and is widely believed to possess an undeclared nuclear arsenal. "The Zionist regime is the only possessor of weapons of mass destruction in the region," he said.
NDTV
25 minutes ago
- NDTV
US Police Arrest Vance Boelter For Shooting Minnesota Lawmakers
Minneapolis: A massive two-day manhunt ended on Sunday with the arrest of Vance Boelter, 57, for allegedly killing a Minnesota Democratic state lawmaker and her husband while posing as a police officer, Governor Tim Walz said. Boelter allegedly shot dead Melissa Hortman, the top Democrat in the Minnesota House, and her husband, Mark, in their home on Saturday - a crime Governor Tim Walz characterized as a "politically motivated assassination." Authorities said Boelter also allegedly shot and wounded another Democratic lawmaker, state Senator John Hoffman, and his wife Yvette at their home a few miles away. "After a two-day manhunt, two sleepless nights, law enforcement have apprehended Vance Boelter," Walz told a news conference. "One man's unthinkable actions have altered the state of Minnesota. "A moment in this country where we watch violence erupt, this cannot be the norm. It cannot be the way that we deal with our political differences. Now is the time for us to recommit to the core values of this country, and each and every one of us can do it." Walz said Hoffman, who had been hit with nine bullets, came out of his final surgery and was moving towards recovery. Boelter has links to evangelical ministries and claimed to be a security expert with experience in the Gaza Strip and Africa, according to online postings and public records reviewed by Reuters. Boelter was charged with two counts of second-degree murder and two counts of second-degree attempted murder, the criminal complaint showed. Three of those charges are punishable with jail terms of up to 40 years, according to the complaint unsealed on Sunday. Boelter had been impersonating a police officer while carrying out the shootings, wearing an officer's uniform and driving a Ford SUV with police-style lights, according to a Hennepin County criminal complaint unsealed on Sunday. Boelter fled on foot early on Saturday when officers confronted him at Hortman's Brooklyn Park home, said authorities who had warned residents to stay indoors for their own safety and unleashed the state's biggest manhunt. When police searched Boelter's SUV after the shootings they discovered three AK-47 assault rifles, a 9-mm handgun, and a list of other public officials including their addresses, the criminal complaint showed. Working on a tip that Boelter was near his home in the city of Green Isle, more than 20 SWAT teams combed the area, aided by surveillance aircraft, officials said. Boelter was armed but surrendered with no shots fired. "The suspect crawled to law enforcement teams and was placed under arrest," Lieutenant Colonel Jeremy Geiger of the Minnesota State Patrol told the briefing. "The suspect was taken into custody without any use of force." The operation to capture Boelter, drawing on the work of hundreds of detectives and a wide range of federal, state and local law enforcement agencies, was the largest manhunt in state history, Brooklyn Park police Chief Mark Bruley said. "Now begins the hard work of looking at what the motive is," Bruley said. The killing was the latest episode of high-profile US political violence. Such incidents range from a 2022 attack on former Democratic U.S. House Speaker Nancy Pelosi's husband at their home, to an assassination bid on Donald Trump last year, and an arson attack at Pennsylvania Governor Josh Shapiro's house in April.
&w=3840&q=100)
First Post
26 minutes ago
- First Post
FTA with EU by end of 2025, says PM Modi as bloc's next chair Cyprus vows ‘better ties'
Modi, on an official visit to the east Mediterranean island, said there were unlimited possibilities in expanding economic ties with Cyprus in a visit aimed at pushing forward India's global trade agenda read more India's Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Cyprus' President Nikos Christodoulides hold a joint press conference after their meeting at the presidential palace in Nicosia, Cyprus. Reuters India expects to finalise a free trade agreement with the European Union by the end of this year, Prime Minister Narendra Modi said on Monday, while Cyprus, which assumes the EU presidency in 2026, said better ties would be its priority. Modi, on an official visit to the east Mediterranean island, said there were unlimited possibilities in expanding economic ties with Cyprus in a visit aimed at pushing forward India's global trade agenda. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD 'We are working on finalising a mutually beneficial India-EU trade agreement by the end of this year,' Modi said in joint remarks with Cypriot President Nikos Christodoulides. India is pursuing a trade link by sea and rail known as the India-Middle East-Europe Corridor, but the visit is being held in the shadow of an escalating crisis in the Middle East.'We agree the India - Middle East Europe Corridor will pave the way for peace and prosperity in the region,' Modi said. Cyprus, which has close relations with India through its shared membership of the Commonwealth, is offering facilities to be a first point of entry to Europe and a transhipment hub, Christodoulides said. 'A strengthening of EU-India relations will be among the priorities of the Cypriot EU presidency,' Christodoulides said. Cyprus assumes the rotating six-month presidency of the bloc in early 2026.
