A black MI6 intelligence officer became one of the first ‘spies’ to give an interview about their job this weekend, in a bid to boost the ethnic diversity of applicants to the agency.
The officer, who called himself Kwame, was interviewed by Radio 1Xtra on Sunday (3 March). A colleague from an Asian background will be interviewed by Radio 5 Live today (4 March).
MI6, also known as the Secret Intelligence Service, guards the identity of its officers and only its chief – Sir Richard Moore – has his name out in the public domain.
Kwame is the director of organisational development at MI6, and claimed the popular depictions of MI6 officers as white, middle class and male – or as ‘James Bond’ types – were not true.
Civil service diversity
Civil service headcount capped and EDI spending to be reviewed
Whitehall accused of ‘racist bias’ in civil service promotions
He described his role at MI6 as “more exciting than James Bond”, and told Radio 1Xtra that he had seen “some of the coolest stuff”. The service is tasked with gathering intelligence from overseas in a bid to promote the UK’s safety from hostile states, terrorism and cyber attacks.
According to workforce figures, only around 9% of MI6 staff are from an ethnic minority background, compared to 15% across all civil service departments.
Kwame added: “I’m afraid it makes you think that everyone who works here is a white, middle-class male, who is driving an Aston Martin, who likes women and all that. But that’s not true.
“You can see that’s not necessarily true about me. We want to reach out to all the brothers and sisters out there and say actually SIS, MI6, it’s a place for you.”
He also disclosed that the agency’s head of technology is a woman, as is her deputy.
The full interviews will also appear on a podcast called Inside MI6 with Nihal Arthanayake, available from BBC Sounds.
Diversity and inclusion opportunities on Personnel Today
Browse more Diversity and inclusion jobs
Sign up to our weekly round-up of HR news and guidance
Receive the Personnel Today Direct e-newsletter every Wednesday
