The former British intelligence chief Sir Alex Younger has succumbed to cancer on Tuesday at the age of 62. He served as head of the Secret Intelligence Service (SIS), commonly known as MI6, from 2014 to 2020.
Younger has had a decorated career in the British military and intelligence services spanning three decades. The late veteran joined the Army in 1991 and held posts in the Middle East, Europe and Afghanistan.
After his retirement in 2020, he became a prominent commentator on global security, known for his forward-thinking analysis of contemporary geopolitical and cyber threats.
One of the most prominent contributions of Younger to British intelligence was to shift the focus from old-fashioned cloak and dagger techniques to “fourth generation espionage”.
He stressed that modern-day intelligence relies heavily on technology, cyber security and big data, adding that British intelligence needs to adapt to meet new global threats.
In his famous 2016 speech, the military veteran said fictional character James Bond would not pass the agency’s recruitment process, highlighting the extremely difficult terrain of becoming an MI6 agent.
British Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer paid tribute to the former intelligence chief, saying: “Sir Alex led an exemplary life and career. He will be remembered for his utmost dedication to British public life and protecting our nation.”
Current MI6 chief Blaise Metreweli also shared a heartfelt tribute to his predecessor, saying he embodied the values of “integrity, courage, creativity and respect.”
Alex Younger was knighted in the 2019 Queen’s Birthday Honours. He was awarded the honor of Knight Commander of St. Michael and St. George (KCMG) for outstanding services to the United Kingdom, specifically recognizing his career in intelligence and his tenure as head of MI6 from 2014 to 2020.
