diff --git a/scripts/render_pptx.py b/scripts/render_pptx.py
index 87ebe5d..f1cc942 100644
--- a/scripts/render_pptx.py
+++ b/scripts/render_pptx.py
@@ -10,10 +10,15 @@ titles, bullets, blockquotes, images, tables, and benefit callouts.
 
 Usage:
     python3 scripts/render_pptx.py [deck-name]
+    python3 scripts/render_pptx.py <source.md> [--output <out.pptx>]
 
-Defaults to `nova-autonomous-cloud-delivery`. Reads
+Defaults to `nova-autonomous-cloud-delivery`. If the first arg ends in
+`.md` or contains a path separator, it is treated as an explicit source
+path (D-242 extension); else it is a deck name (reads
 `docs/presentations/{deck}-marp.md`, writes
-`docs/presentations/{deck}-python.pptx`.
+`docs/presentations/{deck}-python.pptx`). `--output` overrides the
+output path. The Marp `footer:` frontmatter directive is rendered as a
+right-aligned textbox on every slide (D-242).
 """
 import os
 import re
@@ -58,6 +63,46 @@ IMG_MAX_H = Inches(4.0)
 
 
 # --- Markdown parsing --------------------------------------------------------
+def parse_frontmatter(md_text: str):
+    """Extract YAML frontmatter as a dict (simple key: value parse).
+
+    Returns {} if no frontmatter. Only handles flat key:value pairs
+    (no nested structures) — sufficient for Marp deck frontmatter
+    (marp, theme, footer, paginate, size). The `style:` block (multi-
+    line `|`) is skipped (not needed by the python-pptx renderer).
+    """
+    if not md_text.lstrip().startswith("---"):
+        return {}
+    end = md_text.find("\n---", 3)
+    if end == -1:
+        return {}
+    fm_text = md_text[3:end]
+    fm = {}
+    in_multiline = False
+    for line in fm_text.splitlines():
+        s = line.strip()
+        if not s or s.startswith("#"):
+            continue
+        if in_multiline:
+            # skip multi-line block values (e.g. style: |)
+            if s and not s.startswith(" ") and ":" in s:
+                in_multiline = False
+            else:
+                continue
+        if ":" in s:
+            k, _, v = s.partition(":")
+            k = k.strip()
+            v = v.strip()
+            if v in ("|", ">"):
+                in_multiline = True
+                continue
+            # strip surrounding quotes
+            if v and v[0] in "\"'" and v[-1] == v[0]:
+                v = v[1:-1]
+            fm[k] = v
+    return fm
+
+
 def split_slides(md_text: str):
     """Strip YAML frontmatter, then split the deck into slide source strings."""
     # Strip YAML frontmatter (between first pair of `---` lines).
@@ -141,6 +186,29 @@ def _add_title_bar(slide):
     return bar
 
 
+def _add_footer(slide, text: str):
+    """Right-aligned footer textbox at the bottom of every slide.
+
+    REQ-372.5 / D-242: the python-pptx path does not read the Marp
+    `footer:` directive, so the footer is rendered as a textbox.
+    """
+    if not text:
+        return None
+    tb = slide.shapes.add_textbox(
+        MARGIN_X, Inches(7.12), CONTENT_W, Inches(0.3)
+    )
+    tf = tb.text_frame
+    tf.word_wrap = True
+    p = tf.paragraphs[0]
+    p.alignment = PP_ALIGN.RIGHT
+    r = p.add_run()
+    r.text = text
+    r.font.name = FONT_NAME
+    r.font.size = Pt(10)
+    r.font.color.rgb = GREY_HEADER
+    return tb
+
+
 def _add_title_text(slide, title: str, *, color: RGBColor = RED,
                     size: int = 28, top: float = 0.25, bold: bool = True,
                     height: float = 0.7, white_bg: bool = False):
@@ -498,7 +566,7 @@ def parse_slide(slide_src: str):
     }
 
 
-def render_title_slide(prs, slide_data):
+def render_title_slide(prs, slide_data, footer_text: str = ""):
     slide = prs.slides.add_slide(prs.slide_layouts[6])  # blank
     _set_bg(slide, BLACK)
     # red top bar
@@ -547,9 +615,10 @@ def render_title_slide(prs, slide_data):
             r_b.font.italic = True
             r_b.font.color.rgb = WHITE
             cur_top += Inches(0.85)
+    _add_footer(slide, footer_text)
 
 
-def render_content_slide(prs, slide_data, deck_dir: Path):
+def render_content_slide(prs, slide_data, deck_dir: Path, footer_text: str = ""):
     slide = prs.slides.add_slide(prs.slide_layouts[6])  # blank
     _set_bg(slide, WHITE)
     _add_title_bar(slide)
@@ -643,10 +712,13 @@ def render_content_slide(prs, slide_data, deck_dir: Path):
         elif kind == "benefit":
             _add_benefit(slide, item[1], top=cur_top)
             cur_top += Inches(0.75)
+    _add_footer(slide, footer_text)
 
 
 def render_deck(md_path: Path, pptx_path: Path):
     md_text = md_path.read_text(encoding="utf-8")
+    fm = parse_frontmatter(md_text)
+    footer_text = fm.get("footer", "")
     slide_sources = split_slides(md_text)
     prs = Presentation()
     prs.slide_width = SLIDE_W
@@ -659,13 +731,13 @@ def render_deck(md_path: Path, pptx_path: Path):
         is_title = (idx == 0) or data["is_title_class"] or data["title_is_h1"]
         # The appendix is a content slide (rendered normally)
         if idx == 0 and (data["title_is_h1"] or data["is_title_class"]):
-            render_title_slide(prs, data)
+            render_title_slide(prs, data, footer_text=footer_text)
         elif data["is_title_class"] and not data["title_is_h1"] and idx != 0:
             # Marp _class: title on a non-H1 slide (e.g., appendix) — render as
             # content but with a title-style bar. Keep it simple: content slide.
-            render_content_slide(prs, data, deck_dir)
+            render_content_slide(prs, data, deck_dir, footer_text=footer_text)
         else:
-            render_content_slide(prs, data, deck_dir)
+            render_content_slide(prs, data, deck_dir, footer_text=footer_text)
         print(f"  [{idx + 1:02d}] {data['title']}  (body: {len(data['body'])} blocks)")
 
     pptx_path.parent.mkdir(parents=True, exist_ok=True)
@@ -674,10 +746,43 @@ def render_deck(md_path: Path, pptx_path: Path):
 
 
 def main():
-    deck = sys.argv[1] if len(sys.argv) > 1 else "nova-autonomous-cloud-delivery"
+    # Argv handling (D-242 extension):
+    #   python3 scripts/render_pptx.py [source.md | deck-name] [--output out.pptx]
+    # If argv[1] ends in .md or contains a path separator, treat as an
+    # explicit source path; else treat as a deck name (backward compatible:
+    # reads docs/presentations/{deck}-marp.md, writes {deck}-python.pptx).
     repo_root = Path(__file__).resolve().parent.parent
-    md_path = repo_root / "docs" / "presentations" / f"{deck}-marp.md"
-    pptx_path = repo_root / "docs" / "presentations" / f"{deck}-python.pptx"
+    args = sys.argv[1:]
+    output_arg = None
+    if "--output" in args:
+        i = args.index("--output")
+        if i + 1 < len(args):
+            output_arg = args[i + 1]
+            args = args[:i] + args[i + 2 :]
+    deck = args[0] if args else "nova-autonomous-cloud-delivery"
+    if deck.endswith(".md") or "/" in deck or "\\" in deck:
+        # Explicit source path (relative to repo root if not absolute)
+        p = Path(deck)
+        md_path = p if p.is_absolute() else (repo_root / p)
+        if output_arg:
+            op = Path(output_arg)
+            pptx_path = op if op.is_absolute() else (repo_root / op)
+        else:
+            # default output: strip -marp.md, add .pptx
+            stem = md_path.name
+            if stem.endswith("-marp.md"):
+                stem = stem[: -len("-marp.md")]
+            elif stem.endswith(".md"):
+                stem = stem[: -len(".md")]
+            pptx_path = md_path.parent / f"{stem}.pptx"
+    else:
+        # Deck name (backward compatible)
+        md_path = repo_root / "docs" / "presentations" / f"{deck}-marp.md"
+        if output_arg:
+            op = Path(output_arg)
+            pptx_path = op if op.is_absolute() else (repo_root / op)
+        else:
+            pptx_path = repo_root / "docs" / "presentations" / f"{deck}-python.pptx"
     if not md_path.is_file():
         print(f"ERROR: source deck not found: {md_path}", file=sys.stderr)
         sys.exit(1)