Future MI6 boss: This is known about Blaise Metreweli

It is a novelty that the British Prime Minister Keir Starmer announced on Sunday. From October in Blaise Metreweli, a woman will take over the management of the British foreign intelligence agency MI6 for the first time. The appointment is historical, said Strandmer, and it was “at a time when the work of our secret services is more important than ever”.

This is probably why the choice of the British head of government fell to the 47-year-old. Metreweli is one of the most experienced managers in the United Kingdom intelligence agent. Accordingly, it was recruited by Secret Intelligence Servive (SIS) in 1999, as the MI6 is also called. Since then, the woman has continuously made a career with the Georgian -sounded surname – even if there were hardly any details of it to the public.

According to the British government, Metreweli was mostly active in various operational functions in Europe and in the Middle East. Colleagues of her confirmed the “Financial Times” extensive work experience in the Middle East – also in war zones. She also speaks Arabic, it is said.

Metreweli itself, the newspaper reported in the anonymized interview, is said to have had the task of building up relationships with agents abroad in addition to combating the spread of nuclear weapons, “who risked their lives in order to share secrets with us”.

At an unknown point in time, Metreweli then temporarily switched to the British domestic intelligence service MI5, where she in turn held a leading function on the director level before returning to the MI6.

There she subsequently took over the management of the technology and innovation department, where she, as the Director General “Q”, was responsible for the development and implementation of technologies to protect agents, to defend cyber attacks and strategies in the fight against digital threats.

Last year she received an award for her services to British foreign policy, so the next career step follows in autumn. Then the long-time agent Richard Moore inherits as a MI6 boss and will usually only take over the operational responsibility for the secret service as “C”. Metreweli is subordinate to the Foreign Ministry as the only member named in public.

“I am proud and honored to be able to take over the management of my service,” said the 47-year-old. She is pleased to “continue her work together with the brave officers and agents of the MI6 and our many international partners”. In an interview with the “Financial Times”, Metreweli had already explained in 2022 that the job Spyin had already been the only child she could have imagined. The childhood dream was more than just fulfilled: in a few months it will be the UK Agentin number 1.

Sources: “Financial Times” () and () / / with agency material from dpa and AFP