Dame Stella Rimington is famed as the first female Director-General of MI5, having worked in all three sectors of the service- counter-terrorism, counter-subversion and counter-espionage. Having also worked as a Deputy Director-General and senior member of the MI5, Stella has proven her prowess in public security and worked her way up the ranks of the MI5. After retiring from MI5, Stella was appointed Dame Commander of the Order of the Bath and has also written several best-selling novels and an autobiography themed around her career in security. Now also booked as a speaker for events, Stella covers topics such as leadership, change, counter-espionage, women pursuing professional careers and current affairs.
Beginning her working career as an Archivist for the Country Record Office, Stella married her husband John Rimington and the pair moved overseas to India. During their time in India, Stella first had a taste of MI5 life after she was requested to assist the India representative of the British Security Service in his office work. Later returning to London, Stella applied for a permanent job with the MI5 and from 1969 worked in all branches of the MI5. Before becoming the Director-General in 1992, Stella acted as the Assistant Director of the Inter-Departmental Group on Subversion in Public Life and gave evidence against spy Erwin van Haarlem, otherwise known as Václav Jelinek.
Working as the Director-General of MI5 until 1996, Stella then retired from the service and was appointed Dame for her efforts. She has since gone on to become the Non-Executive Director of Marks & Spencer and has authored a series of novels and her autobiography Open Secret: The Autobiography of the Former Director-General of MI5. Her novels document a fictional thriller story of MI5 intelligence officer Liz Carlyle, with titles including At Risk, Secret Asset, Present Danger, The Moscow Sleepers and more. She has also been awarded an Honorary Doctor of Social Science from Nottingham Trent University and been the Chair of Judges for the 2011 Man Booker Prize.
Having openly spoken about her role in the MI5, Stella is now a popular addition to a range of corporate and public events as a keynote speaker. Having honed her expertise in counter-terrorism, counter-espionage and counter-subversion, Stella’s insight makes for a truly special keynote speech. Having previously spoken for the likes of RSA, the British Dental Association and Legal & General, Stella is a seasoned speaker and covers topics such as leadership and change, politics and current affairs and women pursuing professional careers. An inspirational female figure, who dominated as the first woman in the Director-General role, Stella is empowering other women to pursue careers in male-dominated sectors. Available to hire to speak at a range of events, book Dame Stella Rimington to learn more about her role as the first female Director-General of MI5.
Most recently, Stella Rimington was inducted into the Top Speakers to Book for International Women's Day, honouring the roles she has fulfilled during her inspirational career.
