Blaise Metreweli is to make intelligence service history when she becomes the first woman to head the United Kingdom’s overseas intelligence gathering organisation in its 116-year history.

The BBC reports that Metreweli, 47, is currently Director General “Q” − head of the crucial technology and innovation division that aims to keep the identities of secret agents secret, and come up with new ways to evade adversaries like China’s biometric surveillance.

Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer called the appointment “historic” at a time “when the work of our intelligence services has never been more vital”.

MI6 is tasked with gathering intelligence overseas to improve the UK’s security, with its core aims being to stop terrorism, disrupt the activities of hostile states and bolster cyber-security.

Its chief, commonly referred to as “C”, is the only publicly named member of the service.

Metreweli, who studied anthropology at the University of Cambridge (and rowed in the winning side in the 1997 Oxford-Cambridge boat race), has previously held director level roles in MI5 − MI6’s sister, domestic, security agency − and spent most of her career working in the Middle East and Europe.

On the King’s overseas and international birthday honours list in 2024, she received the Companion of the Order of St Michael and St George (CMG) for her services to British foreign policy.

[Image: https://www.flickr.com/photos/duncanh1/8278623046]


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