Rimington, Stella (1935- )

British public servant and director general of the counter-intelligence security service (MI5) 1992-96. She was the first head of MI5 to be named publicly, and in July 1993 published a booklet containing hitherto undisclosed details on the service, including its history, organization, and constitutional role.

Rimington joined MI5 in 1969 as a desk officer and progressed to become director of counter-terrorism. She was promoted to senior deputy director general in 1990, and in 1992 became the first woman to hold the top post.