Defence Holdings PLC - Live Broadcast of Interview with Lord Houghton

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

26 September 2025

London, UK

Defence Holdings PLC

("Defence Holdings" or the "Company")

Defence Holdings to Host Live Broadcast of Interview with Incoming Chairman, Field Marshal Lord Houghton

Defence Holdings PLC (LSE: ALRT), the UK's first listed software-led defence company, today confirms that it will host the live broadcast of an interview with Field Marshal Lord Houghton of Richmond, the Company's incoming Non-Executive Chairman, on Friday, 3 October 2025 at 10:00am (UK time).

The session will be Lord Houghton's first public interview since his appointment and will be conducted by James Lawson Baker. The broadcast will give investors and stakeholders the opportunity to hear Lord Houghton's reflections on his career, his perspective on the evolving defence landscape, and his role in guiding Defence Holdings' future direction.

Areas of Discussion

The interview will explore Lord Houghton's distinguished career, from commanding UK forces at every level through to his tenure as Chief of the Defence Staff and his current role in the House of Lords, offering investors valuable perspective on the evolution of modern defence leadership.

Discussion will also cover the changing face of defence, where traditional hardware remains vital but new technologies such as artificial intelligence and cyber capabilities are now equally decisive. Lord Houghton will share his views on the opportunities and risks presented by AI, the importance of sovereign control over critical technologies, and whether the UK must adopt more of a wartime footing in response to rising geopolitical tensions.

Finally, Lord Houghton will reflect on the evolving partnership between government, the Armed Forces, and industry, and on what drew him personally to join Defence Holdings at this moment of transformation in the defence technology sector. As he commented at the time of his appointment:

"I am delighted and excited to be joining Defence Holdings PLC. Delighted because they are the first defence company to have been conceived, by design, to help deliver the outcomes of the emerging Defence Industrial Strategy: agile, sovereign and wholly focused on exploiting the digital revolution to the UK's national advantage. Excited because I know that the people running Defence Holdings have the mindset, culture and expertise to actually deliver the most significant capability aspiration of the recent Strategic Defence Review: lethal advantage to the UK's Armed Forces."

Strategic Relevance

Lord Houghton's appointment brings deep operational experience and a profile that resonates across government, the Armed Forces, and international partners. His perspective strengthens Defence Holdings' positioning at the intersection of defence and emerging technologies, provides credibility in dialogues with policymakers, and reinforces investor confidence as the Company scales its sovereign AI strategy.

Access

The live broadcast of the interview will be available via X (formerly Twitter) through the @wearedefence account at 10:00am on Friday, 3 October 2025. A recording will also be made available afterwards on the Company's investor hub at www.defenceplc.com/investors.

Notes to Editors

●    Field Marshal Lord Houghton served as Chief of the Defence Staff from 2013 to 2016 and was appointed to the House of Lords in 2017.

●    Defence Holdings PLC (LSE: ALRT) is the UK's first listed software-led defence company, building sovereign AI applications in partnership with hyperscale platforms and UK deep-tech providers.