Jonathan Evans

Jonathan Evans was Director General of the British Security Service MI5 from 2007 to 2013. As head of MI5 he was one the British government’s principal advisors on national security threats including terrorism, cyber security and espionage and was a member of the Prime Minister’s National Security Council. He also led MI5’s work to ensure the safety and security of the 2012 Olympic and Paralympic Games in London.

Sir Jonathan Evans was Director General of the British Security Service (MI5) from 2007 to 2013.

As head of MI5 he was one of the British government's principal advisors on national security threats including terrorism, cyber security and espionage and was a member of the Prime Minister's National Security Council. He also led MI5's work to ensure the safety and security of the 2012 Olympic and Paralympic Games in London.

In the course of a long and varied career in MI5, Jonathan worked as both an investigator and an operational officer on a variety of national security threats, specialising in counter-terrorism. He became the Director responsible for MI5's International Counter-Terrorism work on 1 September 2001, ten days before 9/11.

Jonathan has a Certificate in Company Direction from the Institute of Directors, an Honorary Doctorate from Bristol University and is a Freeman of the City of London. He is a Senior Associate Fellow at the Royal United Services Institute and recently joined HSBC as a non-executive Director.

He writes an occasional series for the Sunday Times on classic cars.