Richard Dearlove | |
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Born | Richard Billing Dearlove 23 January 1945 Gorran Haven, England |
Nationality | British |
Alma mater | Queens' College, Cambridge (MA) |
Occupation | Intelligence officer |
Awards | KCMG OBE |
Espionage activity | |
Allegiance | United Kingdom |
Service branch | Secret Intelligence Service (SIS/MI6) |
Service years | 1966–2004 |
Rank | Chief of SIS/MI6 |
Sir Richard Billing Dearlove KCMG OBE (born 23 January 1945) is a retired British intelligence officer who was head of the British Secret Intelligence Service (MI6), a role known informally as "C",[1] from 1999 until 6 May 2004. He was head of MI6 during the invasion of Iraq. He was criticised by the Iraq Inquiry for providing unverified intelligence about weapons of mass destruction to the Prime Minister, Tony Blair.[2]
He is currently Chairman of the Board of Trustees of the University of London. He was previously Master of Pembroke College, Cambridge from 2004 to 2015.