Oliver Mace is a recurring character, who is a member of the British intelligence community,having hold many high level positions within the community.
Personality
Ruthless, arrogant and amoral, Mace is presented as a 'bad guy' despite his reassurances to Harry Pearce that they are 'on the same side'. Sometimes he is simply a bureaucratic obstruction to Pearce's activities but on several other occasions he actively colludes with terrorists, criminals or hostile intelligence services, such as his assisting a group of Pakistani Islamists in assassinating a Pakistani dissident under MI5 protection in exchange for their collusion in economic development in Kashmir. Mace was also mentioned as being in Paris along with his MI6 colleague Jools Siviter at the time that Princess Diana was killed in a car crash.
Despite being Harry's superior he treats the MI5 officer with a measure of respect, speaking to him as an equal even when expressing contempt for his convictions. It is implied but not explicitly stated that they have previously worked together. Despite this Mace is generally portrayed as being a classic upper class snob, enjoying fine wine, exclusive clubs and other leisure pursuits of the wealthy.
Character history
When we first meet him he is the Chairman of the Joint Intelligence Committee a position that gives him authority over all aspects of British intelligence gathering. As such he is frequently called in to resolve disputes between services or to investigate alleged improprieties.
Prior to being promoted to the Chairman's position he was an MI6 officer. He held the position of Chairman until being forced to resign in the 5th episode of the 5th series, over the covert transfer of seven terror suspects from a prison in England to a location in Egypt where they could be illegally tortured.
Previously, he took over Section D when Tom Quinn shot Harry Pearce, the Head of Section D and went rogue. He tried to get the JIC to revoke Harry Pearce's place on the JIC Committee to force through a crucial vote.
In "Who Guards the Guards?" Section D find out that are investigating the attempted shooting of a asset they were trying to protect, when they find an aerial photograph of Mace talking with Muhammed Khordad, the head of terrorist group the Path of Light in Hebron, West Bank. A source tells the team that Mace made a deal that Harakat would become a MI6 asset in exchange for Mace allowing the assassination.
Appearances
- Project Friendly Fire (3.1)
- Who Guards the Guards? (3.3)
- Celebrity (3.8)
- The Message (5.5)