Bernard Charlès

Bernard Charlès (born 1957) is a French business executive. He is the former Chairman of the board of directors of Dassault Systèmes. Charlès was the 13th best-performing CEO in the world according to the Harvard Business Review 2017 ranking. In 2018 Dassault Systèmes was named the most sustainable corporation in the world in the Global 100 Most Sustainable Corporations in the World index by Corporate Knights.

Early life and education

Bernard Charlès was born and grew up in Brittany, France.

He is a graduate from the Ecole Normale Supérieure engineering school in Cachan (ENS 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).

Professional career

Bernard Charlès joined Dassault Systèmes in 1983 to develop new design technology – less than two years after the company was created. In 1986 he founded a New Technologies, Research and Strategy department. In 1988 he was named to the position of President of Strategy, Research & Development.

In 1989, he initiated the creation of the digital mock-up (DMU), complete virtual 3D model of a product that replaced physical prototypes.

Charlès was appointed president and chief executive officer of Dassault Systèmes in September 1995. In 1996, he became a member of the board of directors. The same year he organized the flotation of Dassault Systèmes on the stock market.

In 2000, with the idea of Product Lifecycle Management (PLM), he extended the concept of the digital mock-up to the entire lifecycle of a product. In parallel he made a series of acquisitions and brand creation: ENOVIA in 1998, DELMIA in 2000 and SIMULIA in 2005. To reinforce the company's business scope and sales capabilities, he decided to acquire SolidWorks in 1997, and to gain control of Dassault Systèmes’ entire distribution network, previously managed by IBM.