OpenTube

Former MI6 Chief Richard Moore on China, Putin and Spycraft | The Mishal Husain Show

Bloomberg Podcasts

142,330 views

For nearly 40 years, Richard Moore was a career spy in the UK's secret intelligence service. He was unable to tell all but his closest friends and family what he did for a living. When he was appointed chief of MI6 in 2020, that changed: The name of the person in the agency's top job is the only one made public.
In his first interview since leaving the role in Sept. 2025, Moore talks to The Mishal Husain Show about managing China's security threat, the psychology of Russian President Vladimir Putin, and why spies shouldn’t expect recognition.

00:00 Introduction by Mishal Husain
01:15 “I certainly haven’t left the world in a better place than I found it”
03:05 Is China the major intelligence challenge of the 21st century?
03:57 China as an “opportunity and a threat”
06:11 UK’s China spy scandal
08:44 China should “get their embassy” in London
09:33 Getting the “tap on the shoulder” at Oxford University
13:20 Keeping the truth from friends and family
14:00 Telling your children you’re a spy
16:26 What is spycraft really like?
17:09 Do James Bond and Slow Horses get it right?
19:52 Do you end up being suspicious of everyone?
22:39 Intelligence work post-9/11
27:16 Working with the US and the Trump administration
29:21 “Putin has no intention of doing a deal”
36:25 Strikes on Venezuela
42:45 Life on the outside

You can find the written version of this interview with Mishal’s notes on Bloomberg Weekend: www.bloomberg.com/latest/weekend-interview

Contact The Mishal Husain Show mishalshow@bloomberg.net

Visit https://www.bloomberg.com/mishal

Subscribe to Bloomberg Podcasts: https://bit.ly/BloombergPodcasts

Visit us: https://www.bloomberg.com/podcasts

For coverage on news, markets and more: http://www.bloomberg.com/video

Watch Bloomberg Vodcasts: Bloomberg Video Podcasts | Interviews & More

Visit our other YouTube channels:
Bloomberg Television: @markets
Bloomberg Originals: bloomberg

For coverage on news, markets and more: http://www.bloomberg.com/video

20 Comments

@Helen-l6j6m 10 months ago

So interesting, thank you Mishal. Loved his comment "I was paid to steal secrets , not solve mysteries". MI6 supporting a tech lab is brilliant.

@going2Mars 10 months ago

Mishal should be familiar with ‘spy masters’ given that her grand-father was the first Director-General of Pakistan’s Inter-Services Intelligence organization (ISI), allegedly one of the biggest supporters of the Taliban regime.

@virgil1981 10 months ago

The former MI6 spy master shouldn't be that dramatic. He also was spying on China. So what's the big deal? Everybody is spying on each other.

@HarryYouKnowWho 10 months ago

Even after stepping down, a spy king can not, and will not, tell the real truth. Treat it as an ordinary talk show and enjoy it.

@joyplanta2402 6 months ago

Best interviews are ones that have no mid-conversation interruptions.

@marylaistirland6864 10 months ago

How comforting to hear such a great man to his thoughts

@PiggyStoryStudio 10 months ago (edited)

Richard is quite good at sticking to a line, let’s say. Eliza Manningham-Buller (ex-MI5 DG) once talked about asking why Khalid Sheikh Mohammed had suddenly started talking, and only later learning he’d been waterboarded over 100 times.

@ahmadjamal484 10 months ago

Richard. We played cricket in Islamabad in the late 90s. I invited you to join is when you with and your lovely family (if I recall correctly your parents were visiting) were watching our cricket match from the other side of the ground.

@Amarjeet1970 10 months ago

Splendid interview.
Sir Humphrey Appleby would be so proud. Said a lot without giving anything away.

@DulayLomo 10 months ago (edited)

Sir Vince Cable disclosed that UK banned Huawei involvement in 5G "because the Americans told us we should do it" and "had nothing to do with national security."
He also said British intelligence services gave repeated assurances that there was no risk from using Huawei services. Love to hear what Richard Moore got to say about that.

@maikstratakias6067 6 months ago

Good afternoon. Always with appreciation...

@alexander-77-e8x 10 months ago

The story about Vitaly Choorkin is very intersting, i.e. he passed away very suddenly...
As to the Dzintaras concert hall, it had been the main location for the famous Russian KiVin comedy festival and after the Soviet time

@futuregroup007 10 months ago

Interesting talk

@GloriaHoulihan 10 months ago

How interesting 🤔
I wonder what makes them select someone.

@ericalanwestacotthari4160 10 months ago

Maybe it is now the time to add the frase into the job description of any and all public servants to include "to leave the world in a better state ' as a target in their job description?