Rimington, Stella (1935–)
Rimington, Stella (1935–)
English secret service director. Name variations: Dame Stella Rimington. Born May 1935 in London, England; Edinburgh University, BA; Liverpool University, post-graduate diploma; m. John Rimington (government official, secretary of Department of Health and Social Services, div.); children: 2 daughters.
The 1st female director of the British secret service, traveled to New Delhi, India, where husband was posted to British High Commission (1965); worked part time for Security Service while there; returned to UK (1969) and joined Security Service (MI5), becoming director of counter-subversion (F2), director of counter-espionage, and then director of counter-terrorism; appointed director general of MI5 (1992), the 1st director general to be publicly named; led Service's counter-espionage work in closing days of Cold War, as well as campaign against International and Irish terrorism; pursued policy of openness for Security Service, seeking to explain the nature of MI5 to the public (1994); retired (1996); wrote thriller novel, At Risk (2004). Made Dame Commander of Order of Bath (1996).
See also Open Secret: The Autobiography of the Former Director-General of MI5 (Arrow, 2002).