Blaise Metreweli, the first woman to lead the British intelligence service MI6

London.- The United Kingdom’s foreign intelligence service, MI6, will be headed for the first time in its 116-year history by a woman, the Government reported this Monday.

In a statement released today, British Prime Minister Keir Starmer announced that the new director, Blaise Metreweli, will replace Richard Moore at the end of the year and will be the eighteenth head of MI6, a service that depends on the Foreign Office. Metreweli, 47, who holds a degree in Anthropology from the University of Cambridge, is currently head of technology and innovation at MI6, better known as ‘Q’, and will take charge of the service at a time when the UK faces growing threats, according to a statement from the Executive.

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“The historic appointment of Blaise Metreweli comes at a time when the work of our intelligence services is more crucial than ever,” Starmer noted in the statement. “The UK – he added – is facing threats on an unprecedented level, whether they are aggressors sending their spy ships to our waters or ‘hackers’ whose sophisticated cyber conspiracies seek to disrupt our public services.” The head of government thanked Richard Moore for his dedication and said he was sure that Metreweli will continue to offer the “excellent leadership needed to defend our country”. For his part, Foreign Secretary David Lammy noted in the same statement that Metreweli has extensive experience “throughout our national security community. Blaise is the ideal candidate to lead MI6 in the future.” “In a moment of global instability and emerging security threats, where technology is power and our adversaries are collaborating ever more closely, Blaise will ensure that the UK can face these challenges to keep the UK safe both at home and abroad,” he pointed out. Lammy explained that intelligence services work behind the scenes for national security. Metreweli, who joined the intelligence service in 1999 and worked mainly in the Middle East, said she felt “proud and honored” to have been appointed to lead the service. “MI6 plays a vital role, along with MI5 (domestic) and GCHQ (listening), in ensuring the safety of the British people and promoting the interests of the United Kingdom abroad. I look forward to continuing this work alongside the brave MI6 agents and our many international partners,” he noted. MI6 is dedicated to gathering intelligence abroad to reinforce the security of the United Kingdom, disrupt the activities of hostile states, prevent terrorist attacks, and strengthen cybersecurity. EFE