Chief of the Secret Intelligence Service

Chief of the
Secret Intelligence Service (MI6)
Incumbent
Richard Moore
since 2 October 2020; 4 years ago (2020-10-02)
Secret Intelligence Service
AbbreviationC
Reports toForeign Secretary
AppointerForeign Secretary
Constituting instrumentIntelligence Services Act 1994
Formation1909; 115 years ago (1909)
First holderCaptain Sir Mansfield Smith-Cumming
Unofficial namesChief of MI6
Salary£169,999 (2010)
Websitesis.gov.uk

The Chief of the Secret Intelligence Service serves as the head of the Secret Intelligence Service (SIS, also commonly known as MI6), which is part of the United Kingdom intelligence community. The chief is appointed by the foreign secretary, to whom they report directly. Annual reports are also made to the prime minister.[1]

The chief of the Secret Intelligence Service typically signs letters with a "C" in green ink.[2] This originates from the initial used by Captain Sir Mansfield Smith-Cumming, when he signed a letter "C" in green ink. Since then the chief has been known as "C".

  1. ^ "The Chief". Secret Intelligence Service. Archived from the original on 15 April 2012. Retrieved 6 April 2012.
  2. ^ Massicotte-Lalumiere, Sébastien (17 June 2009). "Every spy boss needs a cunning code letter ..." The Guardian. ISSN 0261-3077. Retrieved 8 December 2016.