The UK's MI5 announced on the 4th that Stella Rimington, the first female chief to lead this domestic intelligence and security agency, has passed away at the age of 90.
According to AFP, Rimington led MI5 from 1992 to 1996, and it is widely believed that British actress Judi Dench's portrayal of the spymaster 'M' in the James Bond films was inspired by her.
Rimington was the first MI5 chief to have her identity disclosed to the public. Before her appointment in 1992, the UK authorities never revealed the name or photo of the MI5 chief, so her public identification at the time sparked intense media coverage.
Current MI5 chief Ken McCallum stated: "As the first female intelligence chief in the world to have her identity made public, Dame Stella broke a long-standing glass ceiling and is a remarkable example of how important diversity in leadership is."
Rimington was born on May 13, 1935, in South Norwood, South London. She accompanied her diplomat husband to India, initially working as a part-time typist at the British High Commission in Delhi, and later joined MI5 as a full-time employee in 1969.
MI5 stated that Rimington, nicknamed the "housewife super-spy," participated in various operations involving counter-subversion, counter-espionage, and counter-terrorism.
According to the statement, under her leadership, MI5 "underwent a transformation of far-reaching significance," such as headquarters relocation and the establishment of policies aimed at greater transparency, helping the public to better understand MI5's work.
Another woman, Eliza Manningham-Buller, headed MI5 from 2002 to 2007. This June, Madeleine Metcalf was appointed as the first woman to take charge of MI6, the UK's foreign intelligence service. (Source: CNA)