12 September 2025, London – Expleo the global engineering, technology and consulting services provider, has expressed strong support for the UK Government’s new Defence Industrial Strategy. The company sees the strategy as a significant step towards unlocking the sector’s potential to invest in developing the next generation of engineering talent, driving national resilience, create high-value jobs and stimulating regional economic growth.
The strategy, which pledges £250m of Government investment over the next five years, sets out a bold vision for job creation, regional economic development and long-term industrial capability. Expleo believes the emphasis on collaboration, innovation and skills development will be vital to ensuring the UK maintains its position as a leader in defence technology and digital transformation.
“Expleo strongly supports the Government’s Defence Industrial Strategy and its ambition to boost industrial resilience through investment in technology and people,” commented Jeff Hoyle, EVP and MD – UK & NA at Expleo. “The recognition that industry is central to delivering growth, fostering innovation and building engineering talent across the UK is an important step in securing a sustainable and future-ready defence ecosystem.”
Building regional defence expertise
Expleo stresses the importance of sustained national investment in skills development. Expanding training programmes, apprenticeships and opportunities for upskilling will be essential to building the next generation of engineering and digital talent. This will ensure that the UK workforce is equipped with the expertise needed to support the ambitions of the Defence Industrial Strategy.
Expleo also highlighted the importance of effective collaboration between government, industry and academia to bring the strategy’s ambitions to life. Hoyle continued: “Without partnership, progress could stall. The Defence Industrial Strategy rightly puts collaboration at its heart, creating the environment for innovation to thrive and for new ideas to be turned into operational capabilities at pace.
“The role of industry extends beyond technical delivery. It is also about cultivating talent and offering meaningful career paths within a sector that is vital to the UK’s future. Expleo is committed to working with partners across the defence industry to ensure the UK benefits from world-class capabilities, underpinned by a resilient, skilled and innovative industry of its own,” concluded Hoyle.
As the UK looks to lead in a more complex global environment, Expleo is committed to being a trusted partner in delivering smart, secure and resilient defence solutions.
