OTTAWA, Ontario — In a milestone for the U.K.’s intelligence community, Blaise Metreweli has been named the first woman to lead MI6, Britain’s foreign intelligence service, since its founding over a century ago.
Prime Minister Keir Starmer made the announcement while visiting Alberta during a G7 summit, describing Metreweli’s appointment as a pivotal moment. Currently serving as director of technology and innovation within MI6, Metreweli brings both deep technical knowledge and decades of field experience to the role. She is the only publicly named employee at the agency.
Expressing her appreciation, the 47-year-old said she was “proud and honored” to be chosen to lead the service, which operates under the codename “C” — the real-world counterpart to the fictional “M” seen in spy films.
Starmer emphasized the significance of the decision, noting that the U.K. is confronting a wide range of threats, from espionage and cyberattacks to international influence campaigns. “The scale of the challenge has never been greater,” he said, referencing adversarial states and rogue actors increasingly active in digital and geopolitical arenas.
As she prepares to assume leadership this fall, Metreweli steps into a role historically held by men. She succeeds Richard Moore, who has guided the agency for the past five years. Under Moore’s tenure, MI6 sought to modernize, expand its diversity efforts, and reduce its dependence on elite recruitment pipelines.
The agency has gradually moved away from its traditional recruitment style — once dominated by informal university connections — and now actively promotes inclusion, flexibility, and broader talent pools across the U.K.
Metreweli’s selection reflects this evolving culture. With a 25-year career in intelligence, she also holds a degree in anthropology from Cambridge University, where she was part of the women’s rowing team. Her technological expertise has become increasingly critical as MI6 faces new threats from cyber tools and hybrid warfare.
Britain’s other intelligence branches broke gender barriers earlier. MI5 was headed by women twice in recent decades, and GCHQ appointed its first female director in 2023. Until now, however, MI6 had remained a male-led institution.
Foreign Secretary David Lammy, who oversees the agency, praised the choice, highlighting Metreweli’s deep experience and leadership at a time when global instability demands swift, innovative responses. “Technology is power, and our adversaries are more coordinated than ever,” he said. “Blaise is the right person to keep the U.K. safe and secure both at home and abroad.”
