We’re experiencing a global Industry Renaissance today, bringing new ways – real and virtual – of seeing the world, inventing, learning, producing and trading. Tomorrow’s game-changers will not be those with the most automated production systems, but those who build a culture of knowledge and know-how to reveal and train the workforce of the Future, able to solve the challenges of a planet lacking sustainable solutions.
Bernard Charlès has been Executive Chairman of the Board of Directors of Dassault Systèmes, since January 2024. He served as the Company’s Chief Executive Officer from 1995 to 2022, and was Chairman & CEO in 2023.
Charlès started his career in the company in 1983 to develop new design technologies. In 1986, he founded a dedicated New Technologies, Research and Strategy department, and in 1988 was appointed President of Strategy, Research and Development.
He has helped instill a culture of ongoing innovation to further consolidate Dassault Systèmes’ scientific capabilities and make science part of the company’s DNA. The inspiration behind digital mock-up, product lifecycle management and 3DEXPERIENCE®, he firmly believes that virtual technology is about making possible the impossible: 3DEXPERIENCE universes are the most powerful vehicle for testing concepts and creating the future, bringing dream and reality together, and stretching the limits of science and imagination to drive progress in society.
Charlès has positioned Dassault Systèmes as the preferred partner for sustainable innovation in three major sectors of the economy: Manufacturing Industries, Life Sciences & Healthcare, Infrastructure & Cities. The company, established in 1981 and world leader in virtual worlds, was recognized as one of Forbes’ "World’s Most Innovative Companies".
Bernard Charlès is co-author with philosopher Pierre Musso of The Industry Renaissance, which discusses the power of virtual universes to sustainably transform industry.
He is a foreign member of the US National Academy of engineering and a member of the French Academy of Technology. He holds the rank of Commander in the “Légion d’honneur” (French Legion of Honor). He is a graduate of the Ecole Normale Supérieure engineering school in Cachan and has a PhD in mechanical engineering majoring in automation engineering and information science. He also holds an agrégation — the most senior teaching qualification achievable in France (specializing in mechanical engineering).
Dr. Andreas BERNHARD is the Director of Aircraft Design at Sikorsky, a Lockheed Martin Corporation Company. In this capacity, he is responsible for all technical aspects related to the design of blades, rotors, transmissions, airframes, propulsion systems, landing gear, and miscellaneous subsystems (rescue hoists, weapon mounts), across all development, in-production, and out-of-production platforms. Previous assignments were Chief Engineer for the CH-53K KING STALLION and S-97™ RAIDER. Dr. Bernhard graduated from the WITS in 92 (B.Sc. Aeronautical Engineering) and in 2000 from the University of Maryland with a Ph.D. (Aerospace Engineering). His research was on smart rotor technology including hover testing of blades with active tips, active twist, and trailing edge flaps. He holds 5 patents, has authored 12 peer-reviewed Journal Articles and over 20 Conference papers. He has also won numerous awards including most recently the Lockheed Martin Nova award (2016) and the American Helicopter Society Grover Bell Award (2016).
Jean-Marc NASR is Head of Space Systems within Airbus Defence and Space and President of Airbus Defence and Space SAS since 2019. He had previously been Head of Asia Pacific Region for Airbus and Airbus Defence and Space. He acted as Executive Vice President in Airbus Defence and Space (2014-2018), and headed France, UK, Middle East, and Africa regional activities. Before that, he was President of Cassidian SAS and Head of Cassidian France and Security Solutions, managing the Secure Communications and Cybersecurity business lines.
Jean-Marc started his career in 1986 at Aérospatiale where he spent three years in R&D while preparing his PhD thesis in physics. Then, he was responsible for the development of satellite image analysis activities and was promoted to Director of the satellite imagery analysis service at the Cannes site of Aérospatiale. In 1997, he became President and Chief Executive Officer of Fleximage, a subsidiary of Aérospatiale specializing in image analysis software development for intelligence services. In 2001, he became President and CEO of Spot Image, a newly created subsidiary of the French Space Agency CNES and EADS (now Airbus) which commercialized images acquired by the SPOT satellite constellation.
In 2005, he joined EADS Defence & Security as President of EADS Secure Networks, a subsidiary specializing in critical communication systems. He was then promoted to CEO of Integrated Systems, which developed systems and services for customers in the defence and security field around the world.
Siva was named Vice President of Factory Support Engineering in 2020. He is responsible for the Factory Support Engineering Team across all domestic sites and Belfast and taking the Spirit production system to the digital world including the strategic approach to Industrialization. Prior to this role, Siva was the Director of Production Engineering with Triumph Aero Structures in Tulsa, OK. He has held numerous other leadership and management positions with Spirit, Triumph, and Hawker Beechcraft companies in Production and Manufacturing Engineering as well as Quality. During Siva’s, prior to employment with Spirit, he has successfully led teams to improve the manufacturing processes of complete composite and metallic fuselage lines, wing assembly lines, and composite and metallic fabrication sub-assemblies. During his stay at Spirit Siva was led the establishment of McAlester 3 & 4 Axis Center of Excellence and was instrumental in automating the nut plate assembly process in Tulsa. Siva brings a diversified manufacturing knowledge of automotive, agricultural farm machinery, and aircraft with his manufacturing experience. Siva holds two master’s degrees, in Industrial Engineering and Business Administration, focusing on Finance. He also has several certifications: Certified Production and Inventory Manager, Certified Supply Chain Professional, Certified Six Sigma Black Belt, Certified Quality Engineer. Born in 1961, Jean-Marc obtained an Engineering Degree from the Advanced School of Electricity (SUPELEC) in 1985 and a Ph.D. in Physics from Paris University in 1989.
Ane AANESLAND is a Norwegian deep-tech entrepreneur with deep roots in scientific research. She is the president and Chief Executing Officer of ThrustMe, a French in-orbit space mobility company she founded in 2017, where she is responsible for the strategic vision, commercial operations, and company growth. In 2020, ThrustMe became the first company to successfully demonstrate an iodine-propelled electric propulsion system in space and now deliver products to clients worldwide.
Ane AANESLAND is a recognized expert in plasma physics with an H-index of 20 and was leading a research team at the Ecole Polytechnique in France and conducted research at the Australian National University in the past. Ane obtained her Ph.D. in physics from the Arctic University of Norway (the northernmost university in the world) in 2004 and won the Innovation medal of the Centre Nationale De La Recherche Scientifique (CNRS) in 2019.
Barbara BELVISI is an entrepreneur passionate about space, biology, and AI. She started her career in finance at 22 investing in tech companies worldwide and launched several global initiatives to foster scientific innovation and entrepreneurship. Youngest woman founder of a venture capital fund at 26, she is in the top 10 women in Tech in France and Forbes Top 100 in Europe in 2018. Self-taught in engineering and architecture, she spent a year with NASA engineers before launching Interstellar Lab to develop food production and habitation modules for sustainable life on Earth and space.
Graduated in Corporate Finance (HEC Paris Business School: Hautes Etudes Commerciales, Paris, France)
Professional career:
- 1993-1997: Export Sales Engineer, Thales
- 1997-2000: Business Development Manager, Liebherr-Aerospace Toulouse
- 2000-2005: Sales & Marketing Director, Liebherr-Aerospace Toulouse
- 2005-2008: Managing Director, ELEB in Brazil [a terminated Embraer Liebherr Joint Venture]
- 2008-2010: VP Programs, Liebherr-Aerospace & Transportation
- 2010-2013: EVP Marketing, Sales & Communication, Liebherr-Aerospace & Transportation
- Since Oct. 2013: Managing Director and Chief Commercial Officer, Liebherr-Aerospace & Transportation
His current position is:
Managing Director and Chief Commercial Officer, leading all aeronautic and transportation activities within the Liebherr Group: landing gear, flight control, and actuation, gears and gearboxes, air management, electronics.Sales volume (2019): € 1,49 billion / 6201 employees.
Stéphane DECLÉE is the CEO of the Dassault Systèmes ENOVIA brand, appointed to this position in January 2016. In this role, he is responsible for all aspects of the ENOVIA brand strategy, research and development, and business operations. As the CEO of ENOVIA, he is also a member of the Dassault Systèmes’ Global Executive Management team.
Stéphane DECLÉE has 25 years of experience in engineering and executive leadership at Dassault Systèmes, where he began his career in 1991 as a research and development software engineer. He later became Product Manager and Domain Leader for the company’s flagship brand, CATIA, and was then promoted to Vice President, Strategy and Research. Following this, he was named Vice President, Research and Development of the ENOVIA brand based in the United States, where he led the acquisition and integration of MatrixOne and subsequent ENOVIA launches. He was then moved into Vice President, Research and Development Industry Solutions, where he used his leadership to formulate and implement the Dassault Systèmes industry go-to-market approach.
Most recently, Stéphane DECLÉE was appointed Vice President, Energy, Process and Utility Industry, Dassault Systèmes, in 2012. In this role, he drove the industry’s adoption of a new digital perspective for the entire business lifecycle—from innovation to recycling—with a vision to deliver sustainable life for the 21st century using Dassault Systèmes’ 3DEXPERIENCE platform.
As the Vice President of Engineering at Ball Aerospace, Dr. Mike GAZARIK is responsible for the overall strategic and operational leadership of the organization, which includes all disciplines of engineering, program and project execution, capital investments, internal R&D, and intellectual property. Prior to this position, he served as Technical Director, where he worked to align Ball’s technology development with business development and growth strategies. GAZARIK brings more than 25 years of experience in the design, development, and deployment of spaceflight systems. He joined Ball from NASA Headquarters, where he was Administrator for the Space Technology Mission Directorate. He has contributed to the development of technology with application to NASA’s exploration, space operations, and science missions. He led NASA’s rapid development and incorporation of transformative technologies that enable the agency’s missions and address the nation’s most difficult challenges.
Prior to joining NASA, GAZARIK served as project manager for the Geosynchronous Imaging Fourier Transform Spectrometer project at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology’s Lincoln Laboratory.
GAZARIK has worked in the private sector on software and firmware development for commercial and government applications.
GAZARIK has received numerous awards, including NASA’s Outstanding Leadership Medal and a Silver Snoopy Award. He is a Fellow of the American Institute of Aeronautics and Astronautics and serves on the NASA Advisory Council Technology, Innovation and Engineering Committee.
Ingénieur Ecole Centrale de Paris (1985), MBA Paris Dauphine.
He starts to work for IBM, then joins MODCOMP, a US computer manufacturer, to manage the European subsidiary.
In 2000, he founds NEXEYA, an electronic equipment manufacturer for Defence, Aviation and Space. In June 2019, he creates HEMERIA, which takes over the sovereign assets of NEXEYA. NEXEYA was sold to the German group Hensoldt in October 2019.
Philippe GAUTIER is 58, married, father of 4 children, decorated of Ordre National du Mérite. He is also a board member of GIFAS (french Aerospace industry union), of GICAT (french Land Defence industry union), of space founders SAS (French-German start up accelerator led by CNES and Bundeswehr) and of various startups.
Since May 2003, Philippe RObardey is the Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of Sogeclair. He is also the President of the Chamber of Commerce and Industry of Toulouse. Before that, he had commercial responsibilities in the SETTON Group.
In 1984, he was working at TAO International (SOGECLAIR Group) as a Salesman first and then as a Sales Manager.
In 1991, he became Managing Director of Sogeclair.
Born in 1959 in Toulouse, he graduated from the School of Management in Paris.
Mr. ROUX holds a language degree from Catholic University and a business degree from Ecole Superieure de Commerce in Grenoble, France.
He started his career in 1989 in the CAD-CAM Market as Sales Engineer & Sales Director selling Computer-Aided Machining and Shopfloor solution for CncMachines. He then joined TECNOMATIX in 1996, specialized in Manufacturing Processes Simulation, and occupied the position of Managing Director in UK & Sweden. He joined Exain in 2001 as managing director for Southern and Western Europe. In April 2003 Mr. ROUX assumed the position of President of European Operations and in 2014 became also responsible for the Global Aerospace activity within Exa.
Since April 2018 and after the acquisition of Exaby Dassault Systemesin November 2017, Jean-Paul leads the Sales Operation for EMEAR / INDIA for SIMULIA.
26 years of expertise in Product Development & End to End Virtual Product / Experience Innovation.Since December 2019, CEO of CATIA at DASSAULT SYSTEMES.
He started his career at Dassault Systèmes (3DS) in 1995 in CATIA’s Shape Design Industrialization Team. Then, he joined 3DS International Automotive Competency Center working with renowned customers like HONDA, FIAT, BMW, CHRYSLER and PSA to help them transform their design practices in the area of car body and styling. Through these experiences, he acquired deep knowledge of the automotive sector and customers’ business processes.
In 2011, he was appointed Vice President of the new defined Transportation & Mobility industry, which assists manufacturers and suppliers in developing new mobility experiences for their consumers.
As CATIA CEO, he is looking forward to empower the Community of Design Innovators to Engineer & Experience the best System of System from Concept to Experience Driven Engineering.
Alice Steenland joined Dassault Systèmes in 2020 as the company’s first Chief Sustainability Officer.
Previously, she was the founding Chief Corporate Responsibility Officer at AXA Group, where she helped the company rise to a leading position in global sustainability rankings, thanks in part to a pioneering responsible investment strategy including the landmark decision to divest from coal and, later, tobacco. Prior to joining AXA, she led the investor research arm of Vigeo (now a subsidiary of Moody’s), worked in the business consulting unit of Arthur Andersen, and acted as an independent consultant in the field of strategic planning for Save the Children USA.
Alice currently serves as a board member of ShareAction and Arvella Investments, as a lecturer at France’s Ecole Polytechnique and as an advisory committee member at the Yale School of Management, the impact fund Giant Ventures, and the leading French sustainability think tank IDDRI.
Alice Steenland received her bachelor’s degree in human biology from Stanford University and an MBA from the Yale School of Management.
Graduated from the California Institute of Technology with a Ph. D. in Aeronautics (93), Guillaume started his career in Engineering and R&D in the Transport sector, from aerospace as an R&D engineer in Composite material at Aerospatiale (94-98, to Advanced project Director at Valeo Electrical System (98-06) to a various position in Engineering and R&D at Alstom Transport. In 2010, still in Alstom Transport, Guillaume entered the Manufacturing world as VP industrial In 2016, Guillaume joined DS to lead the DELMIA Brand, DS industrial solutions portfolio to continue supporting all industries in the digital revolution to come.
Morgan ZIMMERMANN joined EXALEAD in 2006 as Director of Strategy, Sales & Business Development. He took part to the international development of the brand in Asia, Europe and the United States and was appointed CEO in 2015. Originally, EXALEAD supported major accounts on the use of web technologies as a vehicle for transforming transactional information systems.
Since the acquisition of EXALEAD by Dassault Systèmes in 2010, Morgan ZIMMERMANN has rebuilt EXALEAD's product portfolio to accelerate value creation across the 12 industries served by Dassault Systèmes to:
- Transform knowledge of engineering and purchasing into performance and cost reduction levers
- Transform the implicit know-how (working methods, processes) of engineering and manufacturing into levers of operational excellence
- Exploit the data generated by consumers/end users to support clients’ digital transformation
In 2018, Morgan ZIMMERMANN was named CEO of NETVIBES EXALEAD in order to leverage the NETVIBES ability to provide in-context insight from the market and industry into all enterprise business processes. Prior to joining EXALEAD, Morgan Zimmermann led the business development of Cril Telecom Software, a software publisher in global mobile networks.
Aerospace & Defense is at the forefront of sustainable innovations. Whether we are talking about the challenge of managing ten times more satellites orbiting the Earth, developing interconnected sovereign systems for defense, switching commercial aviation to hydrogen, or producing at rate to enable urban air mobility to take off, this industry is driving the agenda of the Industry Renaissance.
Through Virtual Twin Experiences, Dassault Systèmes is enabling that Industry Renaissance in Aerospace & Defense.
Vice President, Aerospace & Defense, David ZIEGLER leads the Dassault Systèmes Worldwide Aerospace & Defense Business through the development of its Industry-leading Solution Experiences, based on the 3DEXPERIENCE platform. Prior to Dassault Systèmes, David held multiple positions in the Aerospace industry, including 12 years at Airbus both in France and the U.S., holding positions in Strategy, Sales, and Business development, and most recently at Aéroports de Paris. A French citizen, David’s career in aerospace began when he obtained his Masters of Science in Aerospace Engineering from Supaero, followed by an MBA from INSEAD. Passionate about everything that flies, he also enjoys kite-surfing and spending time with his wife and two children, when he is not on a plane.