Dr Duncan Hodges is UK CTO for Emerging Technologies, Academic & SME Partnerships at Leonardo, leading and accelerating the flow of cutting-edge research into programmes and products. With Leonardo UK investing around £500 million in R&D last year, he focuses on turning ideas from universities and SMEs into deployable capability and competitive advantage.

Before joining Leonardo, Duncan spent 15+ years in UK academia at the Universities of Oxford, Bath and Cranfield, delivering research for Defence, security and national resilience customers. He has also served in roles across the UK Ministry of Defence and the wider Civil Service, ensuring innovation translates into real-world impact for those who need it most.