Secret Asset

Stella Rimington joined Britain’s Security Service (MI5) in 1969. During her nearly 30-year career she worked in all the main fields of the Service’s responsibilities—counter subversion, counter espionage and counterterrorism—and successively became Director of all three branches. Appointed Director General of MI5 in 1992, she was the first woman to hold the post and the first Director General whose name was publicly announced on appointment. Following her retirement from MI5 in 1996, she became a nonexecutive director of Marks & Spencer and published her autobiography, Open Secret, in the United Kingdom. She is also the author of the novels: At Risk, Secret Asset, and Illegal Action. Rimington lives in London.