Britain names Blaise Metreweli, as the first female head of the Secret Intelligence Service the foreign spy service known as MI6, replacing Richard Moore, its current chief.
As per reports, Blaise, who is currently MI6's head of technology, known as "Q", joined the Secret Intelligence Service in 1999. She has spent most of her career in operational roles in the Middle East and Europe. Blaise previously held a director-level role in MI5, and studied anthropology at the University of Cambridge.
Blaise, who takes on one of the most powerful jobs in Western intelligence, will be known by the code name ‘C’, expressed that she is proud and honored to be asked to lead the service where she made most of her career.
MI6, founded in 1909, joins the other main British spy agencies, the domestic spy service MI5, and the intelligence communications agency GCHQ, in having appointed a female head.
Prime Minister Keir Starmer, who is currently in Canada for the G7 summit, said Metreweli's appointment comes when Britain is “facing threats on an unprecedented scale. I know Blaise will continue to provide the excellent leadership needed to defend our country.”
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Blaise's biggest challenges are likely to be dealing with Russia, China and Iran, as Britain's spy agencies have accused Russia of waging a campaign of sabotage across Europe to scare other countries off from backing Ukraine in its fight against a Russian invasion.
MI5 has had two female bosses, starting with Stella Rimington in 1992, and Eliza Manningham-Buller between 2002 and 2007.In 2023, Britain named its first female director of GCHQ.