Blaise Metreweli is set to become the first woman to lead MI6, Britain’s foreign intelligence service, later this year. At 47, Metreweli has risen through the agency’s ranks, previously serving as

Director General of Technology and Innovation. A Cambridge anthropology graduate and former rowing team member, she joined MI6 in 1999 and served in the Middle East, becoming fluent in Arabic.

However, her appointment comes with controversy. According to The Daily Mail, her grandfather, Constantine Dobrowolski, was a Nazi collaborator and spy. Known as “Agent 30,” he defected from the Soviet army and worked with Hitler’s regime in Ukraine, reportedly participating in atrocities against Jews and earning the nickname “The Butcher.” Soviet authorities considered him a major enemy and placed a large bounty on his head.

Despite this dark family history, Metreweli has maintained a low public profile and been recognized for her service to British foreign policy. Photo by UK Foreign office/ AP