Dame Stella Rimington

Stella Rimington is an internationally renowned author with over 10 books in her repertoire. Best known as the first female Director-General of MI5, she has served in the counter-terrorism, counter-subversion and counter-espionage sectors of the service. Stella can now be booked to speak at a wide range of events about her illustrious career and writing.

Stella possesses an MA in English Language and Literature from Edinburgh University and a Postgraduate Diploma in the Administration of Archives and the Study of Records from Liverpool University, which helped her work as an Archivist at the Worcestershire County Archives. Later on, she worked as a part-time clerk typist at the MI5 office in the High Commission, joining full-time only a few years later.

Stella’s association with MI5 lasted till her retirement and she was appointed as Director General in 1992. She was the first female to assume this prestigious post and the first head of Britain’s Intelligence Services to be publicly named. In 1996, she was appointed Dame Commander of the Order of the Bath in 1996. Since then, Stella has dedicated her career to being an author. Her first book was an autobiography entitled "Open Secret". Her other titles include “At Risk”, “Secret Asset”, “Illegal Action” and “The Devil’s Bargain” to name a few. Her newest book, "The Hidden Hand" is available for pre-order and will be published in early 2025. 

Named Honorary Doctor of Social Science from Nottingham Trent University and a member of the Chair of Judges for the 2011 Man Booker Prize, Stella is a highly respected figure. Stella is also a remarkable speaker who is often asked to speak at events such as the RSA Conference, InfoSec 2017, and Women’s Hour. Dame Stella Rimington is now available to hire for speaking engagements - don’t miss the opportunity to hire one of the foremost leaders in the country. Enquire now!