Who is Blaise Metreweli - the real life M and first female head of MI6?

16 June 2025, 10:05 | Updated: 16 June 2025, 23:33

A British secret service has announced its first ever female chief with Blaise Metreweli being confirmed as the head of MI6.

Sir Keir Starmer announced on Monday that she will take over from Sir Richard Moore with the prime minister saying that the UK faces an “unprecedented scale” of threats.

Ms Metreweli will become the 18th chief in the organisation’s 116-year history and is its only named member of their staff.

Sir Richard tweeted: “We have yet to have a woman as chief so there’s still a glass ceiling to shatter. #AccelerateAction.”

Sir Richard had been in the role since October 2020 when appointed by Boris Johnson.

The head is known within the organisation as C and shares some likeness to the part of M played by Dame Judi Dench and Ralph Fiennes in the James Bond films.

The government made the announcement shortly after the UK warned against all travel to Israel as missile strikes continued into the third night.

Sir Keir 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.”

Here is what you need to know.

Who is Blaise Metreweli?

She might be about to become the equivalent of the James Bond character M but Blaise Meterweli is currently a real life Q as the director of technology within MI6.

A Cambridge graduate, she first joined the service as a case officer in 1999 and has carried out operational roles in the Middle East and Europe. In her career thus far she has also worked at MI5 and is said to be highly regarded by her colleagues.

Ms Meterweli, 47, was last year appointed a Companion of the Order of St Michael and St George (CMG) in the King's Birthday Honours for her services to British foreign policy.

Although she will be the first female head of MI6, Stella Rimington and Eliza Manningham-Buller have both headed up the sister MI5 organisation. Anne Keast-Butler has led GCHQ since 2023.

In her new post, Ms Metreweli will be accountable to the foreign secretary David Lammy, who has joined Sir Keir in welcoming her.

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.

“I look forward to continuing that work alongside the brave officers and agents of MI6 and our many international partners.”