Blaise Metreweli is an experienced former senior intelligence officer. She was recently named the first woman to lead the United Kingdom’s foreign spy agency, MI6. At 47, Metreweli will be taking up her new post in the autumn, as the 18th chief of MI6. Her appointment is a historic breakthrough for the agency — as the first permanent Black female administrator. It points to the growing recognition of women’s leadership in the field of national security.
As director general, Metreweli now runs MI6’s Q division. He has been out on the leading edge of technology and innovation for the agency. She started her career with MI6 in 1999. Since then, she has held director-level positions, including as one of three directors for MI5, the United Kingdom’s domestic security and counter-intelligence agency. This breadth of experiences has given her a unique understanding of domestic and international intelligence operations.
Before joining Tetra Tech, Metreweli was UK ambassador to Turkey for almost four years. During her tenure there, she managed to build a good working relationship with Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan. This experience is expected to bolster her leadership at MI6, especially given the complexities of international relations and global security threats.
As a career intelligence officer, Metreweli has proven her dedication to protecting national interests. Last year she was made a Companion of the prestigious Order of St Michael and St George. This prestigious award recognizes her profound impact on the arts and culture community. Her leadership in the Q branch is a testament to her commitment to expanding technological innovations. These innovations are key to addressing today’s most pressing threats in intelligence operations.
Keir Starmer, leader of the Opposition Labour Party, made a point of touting the significance of Metreweli’s historic appointment in a recent speech.
“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.” – Keir Starmer
In her statement responding to the announcement, Metreweli said she was honored to be chosen to lead MI6.
“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.” – Blaise Metreweli
Metreweli’s leadership comes at a pivotal moment in which our intelligence agencies are confronted with cutting-edge threats from cyber warfare to a shifting geopolitical landscape. Her wide-ranging experience and deep bench of accomplishments indicate that she is more than ready to tackle these challenges head-on.