John Sawers

Sir John Sawers has amassed 36 years of experience in diplomacy and intelligence, culminating in his five-year tenure as chief of the British Secret Intelligence Service (SIS or MI6) from 2009 to 2014. In that role, he participated in the UK National Security Council and the Joint Intelligence Committee, contributing to assessments of threats to the UK’s security and to the strategies and policy decisions on how to promote and protect British interests globally. As MI6 chief, he led the service through a period of international political upheaval and high terrorist threats, including against the 2012 London Olympics. He also modernized the service's operations and advanced a more open approach to public accountability.

Prior to leading MI6, he was the UK’s ambassador to the United Nations from 2007 to 2009, political director of the Foreign Office from 2003 to 2007, special representative in Iraq in 2003, ambassador to Cairo from 2001 to 2003, and foreign policy adviser to Prime Minister Tony Blair from 1999 to 2001. In his earlier career, he worked overseas in Yemen, Syria, South Africa, and Washington, and domestically he was involved in policy on the EU, Russia, and the Middle East.

After retiring as chief of MI6, Sir John was appointed Knight Grand Cross of the Order of St. Michael and St. George (GCMG) in the 2015 New Year Honours for services to national security. He transitioned into the private sector as a partner and chairman of Macro Advisory Partners, a geopolitical advisory firm, and continues to influence global affairs through his role as a visiting professor in the department of war studies at King’s College London. Sawers actively engages in public speaking, focusing on topics such as cyber security, geopolitics, and global strategy, and provides advisory services to leaders of corporations, financial institutions, and governments, helping them navigate complex international challenges.