At SolidWorks World, there are a lot of events. One of the more interesting events is the Press Event. This event is held in honor of the Press attendees. It gives them a chance to connect directly with SolidWorks employees and leadership. Bernard Charles, CEO of Dassault Systemes, and Bertrand Sicot, CEO of the SolidWorks subsidiary, were both on-hand at this year’s Press Event last night. Several of the CAD bloggers had a chance to talk with both CEOs for a considerable length of time.
As some are aware, Sicot is a SolidWorks user. In Sales, he may be called upon to demonstrate the product. During our conversion, I asked Sicot if he is a CSWP (Certified SolidWorks Professional). His first answer was a sheepish smile. After reminding him that Jeff Ray (previous CEO of SolidWorks) has his certification, Sicot lamented, “I should have my CSWP.” In front of Charles and others, Sicot then added, “I will have my CSWP before the next SolidWorks World.” I must give kudos to Sicot for stepping up to the challenge.
He is a busy person right now. Since his promotion, he has been doing double duty both as CEO of SolidWorks and also still as EVP of Global Sales (until his replacement is found). With those responsibilities, I don’t expect him to earn his CSWP within the next couple of months. Becoming a CSWP by this time next year does seem realistic.
The CSWP is important since it demonstrates that a person as a firm understanding of how to use SolidWorks core functions. Sicot’s spontaneous declaration (that he will earn his CSWP) isn’t a stunt, in my opinion. It seems to be born out of a genuine desire to connect to SolidWorks users.
Jeff Ray, former CEO of SolidWorks Corp, opened up SolidWorks World 2011. He profiled several companies that were involved in the rescue of the Chilean miners. The common thread for each those companies is the fact that they design their products with SolidWorks. Schramm produces drill rigs, including the drilling of the first hole that found the miners. Center Rock Inc made the drill bits used in the rescue operation. Oakley provided special sunglasses to protect the miners’ retinas when they first come up from the mines.
Bertrand Sicot then came on stage to thank Jeff Ray for his 7 1/2 years of service to SolidWorks.
Today, Dassault Systemes SolidWorks Corp accounced that executive vice president of sales, Bertrand Sicot, is now the new CEO. Former CEO, Jeff Ray, was promoted into a leadership role at Dassault Systèmes based in Vélizy, France. Sicot started his career at DS SolidWorks in 1997 as the regional sales manager for Western Europe and Scandinavia. SolidWorks Corp stated that ” Sicot has consistently improved worldwide distribution performance, revenue, profit, and global market share.”
Ray is moving to DS corporate HQ in France as Executive Vice President of Geographic Operations and “will oversee the company’s 12 geographies to enable local DS teams to better address the specific local challenges facing customers and partners.”
Sicot brings his own brand of excitement and interest. In his first public message as CEO, he declares, “one of the first things I ever designed and built at the age of 13—a remote-control boat with full wood hull and electric drive—still works.” He also talks about the excitement he has for “technology [SolidWorks is] building with our next-generation platform” and for the SolidWorks company and its customers.
Both Sicot and Ray will attend at SolidWorks World 2011.
As mentioned within a previous article, Jeff Ray quoted one of my comments about SolidWorks 2010. He has been using this quote and others by other bloggers for a few months. It was an honor to have my particular quote appear at SolidWorks World 2010 on the big screen.
I was kinda bummed though. I didn’t have the camera on my phone ready to take a photo, nor did I think about taking a photo until it was too late. Well, even if I had been able to take the photo, it wouldn’t have been that good. Several of us bloggers where sitting in the front row, too close to get Ray and the quote in the same frame.
Yesterday, I put out a call on Twitter to see if anyone had taken a photo of the quote. Gabi Jack almost immediately tweeted that she might have one. Within 15 minutes, she send over a picture of my name in lights next to Ray. Thank you, Jack.
Ray stated the quote during the Monday General Session. This can actually be seen on the video of the Monday General Session (@ minute 47:35) available at their website here.
Photos really don’t do SolidWorks World justice. As James Cameron said last week, “I believe in the physical present of the observer”. Well, that doesn’t stop us “observers” from providing photos of our experiences.
These are Dassault Systemes and SolidWorks leaders having their moment and taking some heat at the press conference following Wednesday's General Session announcements about the company's new cloud computing approach.Alex and his new friend
Some late evening good times
ESPN Disneyland Downtown
Infinite Z showing off their new toy
Dr. Mike North, Alex and I at the CSWP event
Solido proud of their new 3D plotter rapid prototyping device
The buzzword at SolidWorks World 2010 was “cloud”. There was a running gag at the convention, take a shoot of “espresso” (or whatever else your mind can imagine) every time someone uttered the word “cloud” in a presentation or speech. If this game was real, we’d all be dead from alcohol poisoning, er I mean caffeine overdose. All this talk about cloud computing involves creating a new SolidWorks branded interface that uses Enovia technology as its backbone.
According to Bernard Charles, CEO of Dassault Systemes, and Jeff Ray, CEO of Dassault Systemes SolidWorks Corporation, this marriage of SolidWorks with Enovia will bring new functionality, capabilities, and advantages to SolidWorks customers. The first product of this new approach is the brand SolidWorks PLM. The first release of a SolidWorks PLM product will be later this year, according Ray. I’m not sure of the exact name for that first product, but they did use SolidWorks Product Data Sharing at one point.
SolidWorks Product Data Sharing
It’s my impression (at this point in time) that the initial release of SolidWorks Product Data Sharing will not have the full functionality that many users need. A demonstration showed some of its capabilities, which are very rudimentary when compared to Enterprise PDM or SmarTeam. The main focus for the new application appears to be an advanced communication tool, and not an actual functioning PDM or PLM.
The user interface will take on two forms: web client and SolidWorks add-in. In the add-in, users may upload files from a window pane within SolidWorks. They may add comments. If more than one person is logged-in, the comments can function as a real-time chat. Functionality will allow users to invite other non-SolidWorks users via the web client version. Files will have previews, including assembly trees that graphically layout relationships between files. In the web client, 3D viewing of files will include on-screen commenting (redlining) within the view.
Security of the Cloud
Jeff Ray claims the workspace of the new cloud applications will be secure. In fact, Jon Hirshtick is adamant in his belief that cloud computing is far more secure than having data on local hard drives. This doesn’t come from opinionation. It actually comes from experience. SolidWorks is currently fighting a person who stole the source code for a SolidWorks application and is trying to sell it. The person was a former employee in India who stole the code by simply copying from his hard drive and walking out with it one day. Having this data on a cloud network with encrypted access may’ve prevented this theft.
Going the course
Ray pounding the pavement at a Reseller lunch
Charles and Ray pounded the pavement at SolidWorks World 2010 to get their message across. Despite any flak that Dassault Systemes gets for their new direction, they are going to stay the course. Enovia V6 is the future of Dassault Systemes. Bringing SolidWorks in line with that future is a priority. Charles stated that Dassault Systemes is not divided into SolidWorks and Enovia V5, it is united as V6.
I asked Ray a question about which form the new products will take. The answer, for now, was only that they will offer their customers the choice to remain with their current system or use the new system. In my view, this is corporate speak for “its going to replace what is currently on the market and although they will not leave customers high and dry, they will likely begin to reduce focus to the current system.” But I could be wrong.
Concerns?
Now, in this article, I’m simply reporting on the new direction of SolidWorks as presented to everyone at SolidWorks World 2010. I do have very real concerns about this new approach, which I will cover in a separate editorial (hopefully within a few days).
