MI6 Appoints First Woman Chief in 116 Years

For the first time in its 116-year history, the United Kingdom’s foreign intelligence agency, commonly known as MI6 (short for the Secret Intelligence Service), will be led by a woman. Blaise Metreweli, a long-serving intelligence officer who joined MI6 in 1999, has been appointed as the agency’s 18th chief, marking a historic moment in the evolution of British intelligence leadership. She will succeed Richard Moore later this year, assuming the top position during a time of heightened global security challenges.

Metreweli currently heads the agency’s division for technology and innovation, a crucial area as intelligence services worldwide adapt to rapidly changing cyber threats, emerging surveillance tools, and AI-driven security environments. Her leadership in this technically sophisticated domain is seen as a reflection of MI6’s shifting priorities, where mastering digital capabilities is as essential as traditional espionage methods.

The decision was welcomed as “historic” by newly elected Prime Minister Keir Starmer, who underlined the significance of her appointment at a time when the work of the intelligence community has never been more vital. MI6, which is responsible for gathering foreign intelligence and conducting overseas operations to support the UK’s security and foreign policy, has been navigating a complex global landscape, including threats from state and non-state actors, cyber warfare, and geopolitical tensions.