Michael Oatley CMG, OBE (born 1935) is a former Secret Intelligence Service (MI6) officer, involved in the resolution of "The Troubles" in Northern Ireland. He directed MI6 operations in the Middle East, 1984–88, and in Europe, 1988–91. He was responsible for counter-terrorist operations from 1985–88. By late 1974, despite the prohibition of any such contacts following the embarrassment of Whitelaw's attempt to negotiate in 1972, he succeeded in establishing three secure lines of potential communication, the most promising of which was via a Catholic businessman from Derry, Brendan Duddy.