Majority of Five Eyes intelligence agencies now led by women, new NSN Top 50 list finds

A majority of intelligence agencies across the Five Eyes alliance are now led by women for the first time, according to the second annual Top 50 Women in National Security list published by National Security News.

The NSN Top 50 Women in National Security 2026 recognises women whose leadership across government, military, intelligence, technology and policy is shaping national and international security at one of the most volatile moments in recent geopolitical history.

Building on the inaugural list published in 2024, this year’s edition documents the deepening influence of women at the highest levels of power, from the prosecution of active conflicts and the coordination of alliance intelligence to the defence of critical digital infrastructure and the governance of advanced technology.

The list marks a historic milestone for the Five Eyes intelligence alliance. For the first time, the majority of intelligence agencies spanning the United States, United Kingdom, Canada, Australia and New Zealand are led by women, among them Tulsi Gabbard as US Director of National Intelligence, Blaise Metreweli as the first female Chief of MI6, Anne Keast-Butler at GCHQ, Kerri Hartland at the Australian Secret Intelligence Service, Caroline Xavier at Canada’s Communications Security Establishment and Kathy Klugman at Australia’s Office of National Intelligence.

Topping this year’s list is Susie Wiles, White House Chief of Staff and the first woman to hold the position, who has stood at President Trump’s side throughout key national security decisions including the United States’ war with Iran. Second is Sanae Takaichi, Japan’s first female Prime Minister, recognised for her transformative commitment to rebuilding Japan’s defence capabilities and the US–Japan alliance. The top ten further includes Yulia Svyrydenko; Princess Reema bint Bandar Al Saud; and Giorgia Meloni, recognised for sustained support for Ukraine and European security.

Daniela Amodei, Co-Founder and President of Anthropic, appears at number ten, reflecting the rapidly expanding role of artificial intelligence companies in national security infrastructure. The list also recognises significant figures in defence industry, cyber security, digital communications and investigative journalism, underscoring the breadth of domains in which women are shaping security outcomes.

André Pienaar, Chairman of National Security News said: “The NSN Top 50 Women in National Security list is more than a recognition exercise — it is a mirror held up to one of the most consequential shifts in the architecture of Western security. For the first time in the history of the Five Eyes, the majority of alliance intelligence agencies are led by women. This is not coincidence. It reflects decades of talent development, institutional change, and the quiet determination of women who have risen through the most demanding environments in government and intelligence. National Security News is proud to document and amplify this transformation at a moment when the stakes for the democratic world have rarely been higher.”

Sean Rayment, Editor of National Security News said: “Every year this list reminds us that the women shaping global security are operating at the very frontier of the world’s most complex and dangerous challenges — from Ukraine’s wartime leadership to the intelligence front lines of the confrontation with Iran, from cyber defence to the strategic competition for critical minerals and the governance of artificial intelligence. What is striking about this year’s list is not just the seniority of those included, but the breadth of the domains they lead. These are decision-makers in the fullest sense of the word, and their influence on the security of the democratic world is profound and growing.”

Isabella Egerton, lead investigator of National Security News said: “The NSN Top 50 Women in National Security list reflects extensive research, consultation and deliberation across regions and institutions, and what stands out consistently is that the women who make it are not there because of the offices they hold but because of the impact they are delivering. From the intelligence chiefs of the Five Eyes to frontline cyber defenders in Ukraine, from defence industry leaders to national security legislators, this year’s list captures a generation of women who are redefining what security leadership looks like in the twenty-first century. We hope the list inspires the next generation of women entering these fields.”