Britain’s MI6 Secret Intelligence Service, which counters terrorist threats from overseas, announced Richard Moore, a former ambassador to Turkey, as its new Chief on Wednesday.
The 57-year-old will be known as ‘C’, a role made famous by the James Bond movies. He is due to take up the position in the fall.
Moore, who was a senior official at the Foreign Office, studied at Oxford and Harvard Universities. He lists his interests as golf, hiking, scuba-diving, Turkish carpets and porcelain and visiting historical sites. He was born in Libya and speaks fluent Turkish.
He will take over the role from Alex Younger and inherits an agency which has had to shift its focus from Islamist-based counter-terrorism to focus on threats from China, Russia, Iran and North Korea. He will also need to present his department’s interests in Prime Minister Boris Johnson’s planned integrated security and defense review of Britain’s capability.
Currently holding a senior role in the Foreign Office, Moore is a former MI6 employee, serving in the U.K. and overseas. In a statement, he said he’s “pleased and honored to be asked to return to lead my service.”
Tom Tugendhat
@TomTugendhat
This is an excellent appointment. @UKPolDirRichard has huge experience in working with important allies. I look forward to seeing our strategy evolve and grow.
Alistair Bunkall
@AliBunkallSKY
