Latest news with #DameJudiDench
The Independent
15-06-2025
- Politics
- The Independent
First female chief to take reins of secret service MI6
The first ever female head of MI6 has been announced by Sir Keir Starmer to lead Britain's secret service in the face of an 'unprecedented scale' of threats faced by the UK. Blaise Metreweli, a career intelligence officer who currently serves as director of technology at the organisation, will become the 18th chief in the organisation's 116-year history. She will take over from Sir Richard Moore, a senior civil servant who will step down in the autumn after five years in the role. Commonly referred to as C, the chief has operational responsibility for MI6, and is the only publicly named member of the organisation. Despite Dame Judi Dench playing M, the fictional head of the secret service in the James Bond films, there has never been a woman in charge of the organisation in real life. Earlier this year, Sir Richard, who was the first member of MI6 to openly use X, formerly Twitter, suggested a female candidate could replace him. 'We have yet to have a woman as chief so there's still a glass ceiling to shatter. #AccelerateAction,' he wrote in a post on the social media site. Ms Metreweli first joined the service as a case officer in 1999 and has carried out operational roles in the Middle East and Europe. In her new post, she will be accountable to the Foreign Secretary. The Prime Minister said: 'The historic appointment of Blaise Metreweli comes at a time when the work of our intelligence services has never been more vital. '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. 'I'd like to thank Sir Richard Moore for his dedicated service, and I know Blaise will continue to provide the excellent leadership needed to defend our county and keep our people safe – the foundation of my Plan for Change.' Foreign Secretary David Lammy said: 'I am delighted to appoint Blaise Metreweli as the next chief of MI6. 'With a wealth of experience from across our national security community, Blaise is the ideal candidate to lead MI6 into the future. '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. 'Every day, our intelligence services work behind the scenes to protect our national security and compete with our adversaries. 'That's why I am proud that we are investing an extra £600 million in our intelligence community so they can continue to defend our way of life. 'I would also like to pay tribute to Sir Richard Moore for his service and leadership. 'I have worked closely with him over the past year and thank him for his valuable contribution enhancing our national security and protecting the British public.' Ms Metreweli said: 'I am proud and honoured to be asked to lead my service. 'MI6 plays a vital role, with MI5 and GCHQ, in keeping the British people safe and promoting UK interests overseas. 'I look forward to continuing that work alongside the brave officers and agents of MI6 and our many international partners.' Outgoing chief Sir Richard said: 'I am absolutely delighted by this historic appointment of my colleague, Blaise Metreweli to succeed me as 'C'. 'Blaise is a highly accomplished intelligence officer and leader, and one of our foremost thinkers on technology. 'I am excited to welcome her as the first female head of MI6.'
Yahoo
15-06-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Career spy Blaise Metreweli to become first woman to head MI6
A career spy called Blaise Metreweli will become the first woman to head MI6 in a "historic appointment", the prime minister has announced. She will take over from Sir Richard Moore as the 18th Chief, also known as "C", when he steps down in the autumn. "The historic appointment of Blaise Metreweli comes at a time when the work of our intelligence services has never been more vital," Sir Keir Starmer said in a statement released on Sunday night. "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." Of the other main spy agencies, is also under female command for the first time. Anne Keast-Butler took on the role in 2023, while MI5 has previously twice been led by a woman. Until now, a female spy chief had only headed - also known as the Secret Intelligence Service (SIS) - in the James Bond movies. Dame Judi Dench held the fictional role - called "M" in the films instead of "C" - between 1995 and 2015. Ms Metreweli currently serves as "Q", one of four director generals inside MI6. The position - also made famous by the James Bond films, with the fictional "Q" producing an array of spy gadgets - means she is responsible for technology and innovation. Ms Metreweli, a Cambridge graduate, joined MI6 in 1999. Unlike the outgoing chief, who spent some of his service as a regular diplomat in the foreign office, including as ambassador to Turkey, she has spent her entire career as an intelligence officer. Much of that time was dedicated to operational roles in the Middle East and Europe. Ms Metreweli, who is highly regarded by colleagues, also worked as a director at MI5. Read more: In a statement, she said she was "proud and honoured to be asked to lead my service". "MI6 plays a vital role - with MI5 and GCHQ - in keeping the British people safe and promoting UK interests overseas," she said. "I look forward to continuing that work alongside the brave officers and agents of MI6 and our many international partners." Sir Richard said: "Blaise is a highly accomplished intelligence officer and leader, and one of our foremost thinkers on technology. I am excited to welcome her as the first female head of MI6."
Yahoo
15-06-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
First female chief to take reins of secret service MI6
The first ever female head of MI6 has been announced by Sir Keir Starmer to lead Britain's secret service in the face of an 'unprecedented scale' of threats faced by the UK. Blaise Metreweli, a career intelligence officer who currently serves as director of technology at the organisation, will become the 18th chief in the organisation's 116-year history. She will take over from Sir Richard Moore, a senior civil servant who will step down in the autumn after five years in the role. Commonly referred to as C, the chief has operational responsibility for MI6, and is the only publicly named member of the organisation. Despite Dame Judi Dench playing M, the fictional head of the secret service in the James Bond films, there has never been a woman in charge of the organisation in real life. Earlier this year, Sir Richard, who was the first member of MI6 to openly use X, formerly Twitter, suggested a female candidate could replace him. 'We have yet to have a woman as chief so there's still a glass ceiling to shatter. #AccelerateAction,' he wrote in a post on the social media site. Ms Metreweli first joined the service as a case officer in 1999 and has carried out operational roles in the Middle East and Europe. In her new post, she will be accountable to the Foreign Secretary. The Prime Minister said: 'The historic appointment of Blaise Metreweli comes at a time when the work of our intelligence services has never been more vital. '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. 'I'd like to thank Sir Richard Moore for his dedicated service, and I know Blaise will continue to provide the excellent leadership needed to defend our county and keep our people safe – the foundation of my Plan for Change.' Foreign Secretary David Lammy said: 'I am delighted to appoint Blaise Metreweli as the next chief of MI6. 'With a wealth of experience from across our national security community, Blaise is the ideal candidate to lead MI6 into the future. '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. 'Every day, our intelligence services work behind the scenes to protect our national security and compete with our adversaries. 'That's why I am proud that we are investing an extra £600 million in our intelligence community so they can continue to defend our way of life. 'I would also like to pay tribute to Sir Richard Moore for his service and leadership. 'I have worked closely with him over the past year and thank him for his valuable contribution enhancing our national security and protecting the British public.' Ms Metreweli said: 'I am proud and honoured to be asked to lead my service. 'MI6 plays a vital role, with MI5 and GCHQ, in keeping the British people safe and promoting UK interests overseas. 'I look forward to continuing that work alongside the brave officers and agents of MI6 and our many international partners.' Outgoing chief Sir Richard said: 'I am absolutely delighted by this historic appointment of my colleague, Blaise Metreweli to succeed me as 'C'. 'Blaise is a highly accomplished intelligence officer and leader, and one of our foremost thinkers on technology. 'I am excited to welcome her as the first female head of MI6.'
The Sun
15-06-2025
- Entertainment
- The Sun
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. 2 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'.
Daily Mail
15-06-2025
- Daily Mail
MI6 appoints first female spy chief in its 116-year history - as outgoing boss warns world has 'never been more dangerous'
MI6 will be led by a female spy chief for the first time in its 116-year-old history. Blaise Metreweli has been appointed as the next head of the Secret Intelligence Service, replacing Sir Richard Moore in the autumn. For decades, the 47-year-old has held some of the top roles in MI6, MI5 and the Foreign Office, but until now she has kept her true identity secret. In contrast to Bond author Ian Fleming's dismissive portrayal of 'blithering women who thought they could do a man's work', female spies have risen to the top of every UK intelligence agency, apart from MI6. It was 1995 when Dame Judi Dench became the first woman to take up the fictional 'M' character in the Bond movies. But in real life, it has taken considerably longer to appoint a woman to the role actually known as 'C', with MI6's current spymaster promising in 2023: 'I will help forge women's equality by working to ensure I'm the last C selected from an all-male shortlist.' Ms Metreweli will be the 18th chief in the organisation's history when she takes up the reins on September 30. The appointment comes at a time when Britain faces unprecedented threats from adversaries, with Sir Richard warning recently: 'I've never seen the world in a more dangerous state'. But Ms Metreweli has spent her career dealing with threats, once saying the beauty of her job was 'from morning to night, I look at where we can do our utmost to prevent harm'. She joined MI6 in 1999 first as a case officer, then agent runner, after studying social anthropology at Pembroke College, Cambridge where she rowed for the university. In one interview given anonymously in 2021, she described herself as being 'really fascinated by human behaviour and how and why people act', claiming anthropology was 'really useful for this job because it isn't really about states doing this to each other. It is individuals who do this.' She told the Telegraph at the time: 'Our adversaries are people and the victims are people and it is really important to see it on that level. 'I have lived in countries throughout my career where democratic principles and freedoms sometimes disappear overnight, or a free press squashed, and it makes you realise quite how special the UK is. 'It is really rare and really worth protecting.' MI6's new spy chief is keen to dispel the myths about the job being like James Bond, 'old school movies and novels territory'. She said female spies were a world away from the stereotypes in films where 'women in particular in this world are portrayed as psychologically damaged in some way'. After two decades at MI6 in operational roles in the Middle East and Europe, she transferred to the domestic spy agency where she presided over MI5's hostile states counter intelligence and oversaw the UK's response to the threat of cyber attacks. She was also responsible for the protective security of UK's national infrastructure. While at MI5, she called for the reform of the Official Secrets Act before the National Security Act made it illegal to spy for Britain's enemies. Last year she was presented with the Order of Saint Michael and Saint George by the King for 'services to British foreign policy' when she was Director General of the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office. Currently, Ms Metreweli is known as 'Director General Q', responsible for technology and innovation in MI6. Yesterday she said: 'I am proud and honoured to be asked to lead my Service. MI6 plays a vital role - with MI5 and GCHQ - in keeping the British people safe and promoting UK interests overseas. I look forward to continuing that work alongside the brave officers and agents of MI6 and our many international partners.' The Prime Minister said: 'The historic appointment of Blaise Metreweli comes at a time when the work of our intelligence services has never been more vital. '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. 'I'd like to thank Sir Richard Moore for his dedicated service, and I know Blaise will continue to provide the excellent leadership needed to defend our county and keep our people safe – the foundation of my Plan for Change.' Yesterday Sir Richard said: 'I am absolutely delighted by this historic appointment of my colleague, Blaise Metreweli to succeed me as 'C'. 'Blaise is a highly accomplished intelligence officer and leader, and one of our foremost thinkers on technology. I am excited to welcome her as the first female head of MI6.' Foreign Secretary David Lammy said: 'I am delighted to appoint Blaise Metreweli as the next Chief of MI6. With a wealth of experience from across our national security community, Blaise is the ideal candidate to lead MI6 into the future. '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. 'I would also like to pay tribute to Sir Richard Moore for his service and leadership. I have worked closely with him over the past year and thank him for his valuable contribution enhancing our national security and protecting the British public.'
