Good morning, everyone. This past Saturday, Dassault Systèmes announced a governance transition. It's a pivotal moment for the company and sets the stage for our next chapter of growth and innovation. First, Bernard Charlès has stepped down as Executive Chairman and board member for personal reasons. Second, the board has appointed Pascal Daloz as both Chairman and Chief Executive Officer. Pascal will now share his vision for the future of Dassault Systèmes.
Thank you, Marie. Good morning, everyone. You know that for the very beginning, Dassault Systèmes was built very differently. We think long term, we are a science-based company, and we build trusted relationships. That's why nearly 400,000 companies around the world trust us. Our governance has never been an administrative process. It's our compass. It guide us, how we think, how we decide, how we act with the convictions that defines us. Our vision for the future of Dassault Systèmes is clear: leading the Industrial AI transformation with 3D UNIV+RSES, and it goes far beyond the technological contributions. It represents a long-term commitment to fundamentally reinvent how industries innovate, builds, and operates in this new economy. We call it the Generative Economy because it's powered by intelligence, accelerated computing, and limitlessness possibility. The potential is very huge.
To succeed, we need consistency, alignment, and long-term stability. This change shows that we plan for decades, not just for quarters. You know him. As a co-founder and CEO, Bernard led our company from a start-up to a world leader. He didn't just grow the company, he shaped, I think, an entire software category, transforming industry for a more sustainable world. Over the past 3 years as Executive Chairman, he has also strengthened our board and worked closely with me on research and development, key clients' relationships, and our long-term directions. I think we honor his legacy as we move forward. For personal reasons, Bernard asked the board to release him from his responsibility as Executive Chairman.
After Bernard's announcement, the board appointed me as the Chairman and CEO, and I'm very grateful for their trust. My mission is to accelerate 3D UNIV+RSES and make sure that the system leads Industrial AI around the world. My top priority is simple: make ambition real for our customers and shareholders. That's why we are rebuilding the company on the back, on a really new foundation, architected around artificial intelligence, by creating a new category of solutions with Generative AI, built at the core, not added on top of, by aligning every team, every resource, and every investment behind this strategic shift, and by reinventing our business model to capture the full value. Bernard remained an important part of our journey. As a product and technology leader, he has agreed to continue to work with us.
For 20 years, you know that Bernard and I have built a relationship founded on trust, high standards, and loyalty. I really value his inspiration and his support, and the trust we share. Let me sum up in, in four points. First, continuity. I think Bernard legacy is our foundation, and my leadership will build on it seamlessly. Second, confidence. The board unanimously decision shows alignment and focus. Third, visions. 3D UNIV+RSES is more than a strategy. It's really the future of Industrial AI, and we are leading it. Lastly, purpose. Our governance ensure that we turn ambition into reality for Dassault Systèmes and our customers. I now look forward to your questions. Thank you.
Thank you. As a reminder, to ask a question, please press star one, one on your telephone and wait for your name to be announced. To withdraw your question, please press star one and one again. We will now take the first question. From the line of Mohammed Moawalla from Goldman Sachs, please go ahead.
Yes, morning, Pascal. Thank you. A couple from me. First of all, could you shed any light on the specific timing of Bernard's decision? I know that it's been a so challenging, a couple of years for the company. Secondly, should we anticipate any other major kind of strategic shifts in the business, going forward, following kind of Bernard's departure? The 1 last one, I know that you separated the role of the Chairman and CEO, a couple of years ago. Do you expect the Chairman CEO structure to be more permanent going forward? Thank you.
Thank you, Mo. On the timing side, I think it's a personal decision. And you have seen that we basically acted very swiftly, because the board, I mean, the governments works extremely well. You know, the, the, the successions planning is, has been reviewed annually by the committee, by our Compensation and Nomination Committee. The board really unanimously votes to reflect the confidence in the succession plan. In a way, it works. If you remember, that's what Microsoft and ACP, they did. They executed the founder transitions at the time where they were also repositioning the company. That's for the t- for the timing. The, the second question is, are we expecting changes and, you know, other things? I think no, you know, you know, you know the strategy of Dassault Systèmes.
I think, we are really focused on the 3D UNIV+RSES, and what we are executing is really three things: to redeploy our product offerings, to shift to 3D UNIV+RSES, to align the go-to market, either to accelerate, you know, in licenses and consumer, but same times, to transform our distribution partners in order to be suitable to push these 3D UNIV+RSES value pop. Last but not least, also to redesign our business model in a way to monetize those new AI-driven solutions. That's what we are doing, and this is really what we do. Now, regarding, you know, the fact that we have the, the two, the dual role, in a way, first of all, it's a choice.
It's a strategic, not choice, it's not a power play. This has been the recommendation of our Compensation and Nomination Committee. The second one, we should remember that 50% of our directors are fully independent. We are clearly, we're exceeding the AFEP-MEDEF standards. We are aligned on the NASDAQ tools. All the critical committees, whether it's the Audit, Compensation and Nomination, Scientific, are 100% independent. We also have a Lead Independent Director with Laurence Dors. If you look at all the, all the companies, the Dassault family is really major shareholders, whether it's Thales or Dassault Aviation. I mean, you have the chairman and the CEO being combined in all the different cases. That's what I can say more.
Thank you, Pascal.
You're welcome.
Thank you. As a reminder, to ask a question, please press star one and one. We will now take the next question from the line of Charles Brennan from Jefferies. Please go ahead.
Great. Good morning. Thanks for taking my question. Just the first one, I, I think it's alluded to in Bernard's comments in the statement, that he remains fully available as an advisor. Pascal, I think you mentioned it in your prepared remarks. Should we assume that Bernard remains on the payroll as some kind of strategic advisor? What do you think he can do as an advisor that he, that he couldn't have done as, as chairman? Thank you.
Thank you, Charles. Yes, Bernard Charlès will remain actively engaged in product and technology innovations. In a way, if you remember, that's what Bill Gates did as a technology advisor or as a partner, if you remember, at ACP. The goal is, you know, Bernard Charlès is very well recognized in the industry, have been, been basically being the architect of the different version of the, of the software. He's really, not only recognized, but he's evaluated for this. I think this is important to keep Bernard Charlès engaged with us. In a way, he, he, he will do what he, he likes. In a way, it's a way for him to have the freedom to continue to push what we are, what we started a few years ago.
The way we will structure the collaboration has been defined, and he will continue to be with us for, for a time. That's what I can say, Charlie, at this time.
Perfect. Thank you. Good luck in the new role.
Thank you.
Thank you. We will now take the next question from the line of Laurence Daure from Kepler Cheuvreux. Please go ahead.
Yes, thank you. Good morning, Pascal. I have three questions. First, Bernard had very close relationship with a couple of customer. Do you expect him to be still a little bit engaged with clients, or his role will be only devoted to the AI part? My second question is, you're taking more on your plate. I think there are some few changes at management level. If you could summarize a little bit the adapt that you've made or planning to do to help you on the management side. The third question is, on the 3D UNIV+RSES, you're on the way, but what could be your biggest challenge in terms of AI development in the years to come? Thank you, Pascal.
Okay. you know, for, we, we, we have built this transition for a certain time. between me and the rest of the executive team, really, we master all the relationship between all the different customers we have. Nevertheless, I think we still have Bernard still have close relationship with some of them, and no need, you know, to ask him to step down. He, he will continue, but keep in mind that anyway, the company is organized and structured in a way to, to lead those conversations without him being involved. Now, related to the changes from a management standpoint, I already started to do this, and if you remember, I made some announcement during the quarter, during the earnings.
The first one is, I look at what was not working last year, specifically Centric and the go-to market for Medidata. We took some radical decision because we changed already the, the management for Centric. We rebuilt almost half of the management team. On the Medidata go-to market, we changed the leader. We have someone coming from AWS. He was the one leading the entire scope and space for AWS. Very well connected to promote large enterprise solutions, very well connected also with the IT. I think it's a very good complement compared to what we have.
I'm also reinforcing the management team, the executive team, with someone coming externally in order to accelerate the transformation of the indirect channels, which is something you heard me many times saying that we need to accelerate because the solution we are bringing to the market require different specialties, different focus, different set of skills, and we need to diversify our ecosystem, and he will bring this expertise to us. I'm also hiring someone coming from McKinsey in order to lead the global transformation for the company, more from a, let's say, an efficiency and a process standpoint than a, a pure business standpoint. That's for the management changes. The last command related to 3D UNIV+RSES, I think it's, you know, it's our focus, and, and you know that I'm accelerating the, the development of, of the solutions.
This year, we will come with something like, 60 new companions and, 440 new Generative Experiences. This will be a critical mass to serve all the industry we are targeting. We will continue, anyway, to accelerate by using also the capital allocations in order to target some external, you know, companies to fulfill some of the— or at least to accelerate some of the development we are doing. That's for the 3D UNIV+RSES topic.
Thank you, Pascal.
Thank you.
Thank you. There are no further questions at this time. I would like to hand back over to the speakers for closing remarks.
Okay. Thank you, all of you, for your participation, and let me close with a simple message. This transition is about, you know, continuity and acceleration on one hand. Continuity, because we remain true to what defined Dassault Systèmes for more than four decades, and accelerations because we are entering into in a new phase with 3D Universes, and we have this clear ambition to lead Industrial AI transformation and to make Generative AI a concrete driver for the value creation for our customers and for our shareholders. I think the direction is clear, the governance is aligned, and our commitment is strong. Again, thank you again for your trust and for joining us today. We look forward to continuing this conversation. Rowan and Marie will be on the road in the coming days, so I'm sure you will have an opportunity to discuss more.
Thank you so much. Have a great day.