Pembroke College alumna Blaise Metreweli to become first female chief of MI6

An alumna of Pembroke College, Cambridge, has become the first woman to hold the position of chief of the Secret Intelligence Service, commonly known as MI6.

Blaise Metreweli will succeed Sir Richard Moore to become the 18th chief, or ‘C’, later this year.

She will have operational responsibility for MI6, and is the only publicly named member of the organisation, which is accountable to the foreign secretary.

She is currently director general - Q - responsible for technology and innovation in MI6, and has previously held a director-level role in MI5.

MI6 is the UK's foreign intelligence service, gathering intelligence overseas to improve the nation’s security and stop terrorism.

Blaise 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.”

Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer called the appointment "historic".

Lord Chris Smith, master of Pembroke, said: “Pembroke has been very proud to hear of Blaise’s appointment as head of MI6, and we are particularly proud that this has happened in the year when we’ve been celebrating the 40th anniversary of women students coming to the college. It’s a remarkable achievement for an outstanding alumna.”

Blaise read anthropology at Pembroke, matriculating in 1995. She was a member of Cambridge's victorious Blue Boat in 1997, Women's Captain of Pembroke College Boat Club in 1997-98 and rowed in the first Pembroke women's boat to take the headship of the May Bumps in 1997, and in the crew that retained it the following year.