Britain's MI6 spy agency got its first female boss over rival dubbed 'Beijing Barbara'

Britain has appointed a woman as the new head of MI6 — in a moment that feels straight out of a James Bond movie.

The chief of the Secret Intelligence Service, known simply as “C”, is now a woman for the first time in history, echoing Dame Judi Dench’s iconic portrayal of “M” in the blockbuster 007 films.

Dench’s version of the formidable spy boss featured in several recent Bond movies, making this real-life appointment a case of life imitating art at the very top of British intelligence.

Prime Minister Keir Starmer announced on Sunday that Blaise Metreweli will be stepping into the role, making her the first woman to hold this position since the agency's inception in 1909.

Currently serving as the MI6 director of technology and innovation - a role akin to Bond's gadget-master Q - Metreweli is set to become the only publicly known employee of MI6.

Upon her appointment, she expressed, "I am proud and honoured to be asked to lead my Service."

Starmer hailed this as a "historic appointment" at a time when "when the work of our intelligence services has never been more vital."

He warned, "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,".

The announcement was made by Starmer as he arrived in Alberta, Canada for a Group of Seven leaders' summit.

Metreweli's leadership comes at a critical time for MI6 as it grapples with increasing challenges from states like China and Russia. Their use of cyber tools, espionage, and influence operations pose a threat to global stability and British interests, while the agency remains vigilant against terrorist threats.

She is set to assume her new position in the autumn, succeeding Richard Moore, who has been at the helm for five years.

The new MI6 chief won the top spy role despite strong competition from Dame Barbara Woodward — who many had tipped as the front-runner.

Dame Barbara, who served as the UK’s ambassador to China from 2015 to 2020, came under fire in recent weeks over her perceived soft stance on Beijing. Critics claimed she wasn’t tough enough on the Communist regime.

She was even dubbed “Beijing Barbara” in some reports, as part of what insiders believe was a push to derail her candidacy.

Among those voicing concern was former Tory leader Sir Iain Duncan Smith, who slammed her as being “less than robust” on China’s record on human rights and freedom.

The UK's other principal intelligence agencies have previously broken the spy world's glass ceiling. MI5 was headed by Stella Rimington from 1992 to 1996 and later by Eliza Manningham-Buller from 2002 to 2007.

In 2023, Anne Keast-Butler took charge of GCHQ, the electronic and cyber-intelligence agency.

Moore, an Oxford-educated former diplomat, epitomised the classic 007 image, fitting into the role as seamlessly as a Savile Row suit. However, in recent times, MI6 has sought to diversify its ranks, moving away from the traditional "tap on the shoulder" recruitment method at top-tier universities.

The agency's website now highlights its commitment to family-friendly flexible working and its ambition to attract "talented people from all backgrounds."

Moore himself indicated his preference for a female successor. In a 2023 piece on X, he expressed his desire to "help forge women's equality by working to ensure I'm the last C selected from an all-male shortlist."

The selection of a new chief for MI6, also known as the Secret Intelligence Service, was conducted away from public scrutiny. The process commenced with the country's top civil servant reaching out to government departments in March, requesting them to nominate candidates.

The position was open to applicants from other intelligence agencies, the civil service, the diplomatic service, the armed forces or the police.

Ultimately, MI6 chose an internal candidate with a 25-year espionage career, a degree in anthropology from Cambridge University - where she was part of the women's rowing team - and expertise in cutting-edge technology.

"At a time of global instability and emerging security threats, where technology is power and our adversaries are working ever closer together, Blaise will ensure the U.K. can tackle these challenges head on to keep Britain safe and secure at home and abroad," stated Foreign Secretary David Lammy, who supervises MI6.