Chief of the Secret Intelligence Service facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Chief of theSecret Intelligence Service (MI6) |
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Secret Intelligence Service | |
Abbreviation | C |
Reports to | Foreign Secretary |
Appointer | Foreign Secretary |
Constituting instrument | Intelligence Services Act 1994 |
Formation | 1909 |
First holder | Captain Sir Mansfield Smith-Cumming |
Succession | Blaise Metreweli |
Salary | £169,999 (2010) |
The Chief of the Secret Intelligence Service is the leader of a super-secret spy agency in the UK called the Secret Intelligence Service (SIS), also known as MI6. This agency is part of the UK's intelligence network.
The Chief is chosen by the Foreign Secretary. They report directly to the Foreign Secretary. They also give yearly updates to the Prime Minister.
A cool tradition is that the Chief of MI6 often signs letters with just the letter "C". They use green ink for this! This started with the very first Chief, Captain Sir Mansfield Smith-Cumming. He signed his letters with a "C" in green ink, and the nickname "C" stuck for all future Chiefs.
Contents
History of the MI6 Chief Role
How the Spy Agency Started
Before 1909, the British government's spy work was mostly handled by the Foreign Office. The Army and Navy also had their own spy teams. But as tensions grew with Germany, the UK decided it needed a better way to gather information.
In 1909, a group called the Committee of Imperial Defence suggested creating a new agency. This agency was named the Secret Service Bureau. Its job was to organize spy activities and protect the Foreign Office from being too involved in secret operations.
The First "C" and Early Traditions
On October 1, 1909, Mansfield Smith-Cumming was asked to lead the foreign section of this new bureau. He faced some delays, but he officially started his work on October 7.
Cumming set up many of the traditions for the Chief's role. The most famous one is signing documents with "C" in green ink. This tradition is still followed today.
At first, the Chiefs were often from the Royal Navy. But later, leaders from other military branches and career intelligence officers took on the role. For example, Stewart Menzies from the Army became Chief in 1939.
When MI6 Became Public
For many years, the Secret Intelligence Service and its Chief were kept secret. People knew they existed, but it wasn't officially confirmed. In 1932, a writer named Compton MacKenzie was fined for revealing secrets in his book. One of the things he revealed was the "mysterious consonant" (the letter C) used by the Chief.
However, by 1968, newspapers like The Times openly named Stewart Menzies as a former head of the service. In 1994, the Intelligence Services Act officially recognized MI6 and the Chief's position.
Since then, the role has become more public. In 2010, John Sawers, who was Chief at the time, gave a public speech. This was a big deal because it was the first time a Chief had done something like that. The Chief is still the only member of MI6 whose identity is officially known to the public.
In 2010, it was reported that the Chief of MI6 earned a salary of £169,999.
The Next Chief
In June 2025, it was announced that Sir Richard Moore would step down. Blaise Metreweli will take over as the new Chief on October 1, 2025. She will be the first woman to hold this important position!
List of Chiefs of MI6
Here is a list of the people who have served as the Chief of the Secret Intelligence Service:
No. | Portrait | Name (born–died) |
Term of office | Ref. | ||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Took office | Left office | Time in office | ||||
1 | ![]() |
Captain Sir Mansfield Smith-Cumming (1859–1923) |
7 October 1909 | 14 June 1923 † | 13 years, 250 days | |
2 | ![]() |
Admiral Sir Hugh Sinclair (1873–1939) |
1923 | 4 November 1939 † | 15–16 years | |
3 | Major-General Sir Stewart Menzies (1890–1968) |
1939 | 1952 | 13–14 years | ||
4 | Major-General Sir John Sinclair (1897–1977) |
1953 | 1956 | 2–3 years | ||
5 | ![]() |
Sir Richard White (1906–1993) |
1956 | 1968 | 11–12 years | |
6 | Sir John Rennie (1914–1981) |
1968 | 1973 | 4–5 years | ||
7 | Sir Maurice Oldfield (1915–1981) |
1973 | 1978 | 4–5 years | ||
8 | Sir Arthur (Dickie) Franks (1920–2008) |
1979 | 1982 | 2–3 years | ||
9 | Sir Colin Figures (1925–2006) |
1982 | 1985 | 2–3 years | ||
10 | Sir Christopher Curwen (1929–2013) |
1985 | 1989 | 3–4 years | ||
11 | Sir Colin McColl (born 1932) |
1989 | 1994 | 4–5 years | ||
12 | Sir David Spedding (1943–2001) |
1994 | 1999 | 4–5 years | ||
13 | Sir Richard Dearlove (born 1945) |
1999 | 6 May 2004 | 4–5 years | ||
14 | ![]() |
Sir John Scarlett (born 1948) |
6 May 2004 | 1 November 2009 | 5 years, 179 days | |
15 | Sir John Sawers (born 1955) |
1 November 2009 | 1 November 2014 | 5 years, 0 days | ||
16 | ![]() |
Sir Alex Younger (born 1963) |
1 November 2014 | 30 September 2020 | 5 years, 334 days | |
17 | ![]() |
Sir Richard Moore (born 1963) |
1 October 2020 | Incumbent ‒30 September 2025 |
4 years, 305 days | |
18 | Blaise Metreweli (born 1977) |
1 October 2025 | Designate | −60 days |
See also
- Director General of MI5
- Director of the Government Communications Headquarters
- M (James Bond)