Richard Moore

Biography

Sir Richard Moore was Chief (“C”) of the UK’s Secret Intelligence Service (MI6), which he led from 2020 to 2025, capping a distinguished 40-year career in intelligence and diplomacy. Sir Richard brings a rare perspective on global risk, strategy, and leadership from the front line of diplomacy and intelligence.

As Chief, Sir Richard led MI6 through a period of rapid geopolitical change and uncertainty, overseeing operations amid rising state competition and the disruptive impact of new technologies. He deepened partnerships with allies, strengthened engagement with the private sector, and championed diversity and innovation within the Service.

Prior to the SIS, Sir Richard served as Political Director at the Foreign & Commonwealth Office, Deputy National Security Adviser, and British Ambassador to Turkey. His earlier postings included time in Vietnam, Pakistan, Malaysia, and Turkey.

With extensive experience and knowledge of the political, diplomatic and intelligence arenas, Sir Richard considers the complexities and risks that confront all organisations today. He looks at the nature of trust and trusted relationships and how to build them. And he reflects on how leaders make decisions with uncertain and incomplete information whilst remaining accountable, values-driven, and resilient, even in the most pressurised of situations.

Sir Richard was knighted for services to UK national security and foreign policy in 2023. A graduate of Oxford University, Harvard (as a Kennedy Scholar), and Stanford’s Executive Programme, he is now Chair of the Kennedy Memorial Trust, sponsoring the UK’s most outstanding postgraduates to study at Harvard and MIT. He also serves as a Senior Strategist to investment firm Sixth Street.