SIMULIA Welcomes 2026 Champions to Program

These simulation ambassadors are from around the world and represent countries across Asia, Europe, North America, South Africa, and Brazil. They work in industries, including aerospace, automotive, energy, high-tech, manufacturing, life sciences, consumer packaged goods, and academia. Our Champions include scientists, engineers, professors, and researchers who focus on electronics, additive manufacturing, energy, and more.

Our 2026 Champions include companies such as 3M, Airbus, Amazon Lab126, Boeing, Caterpillar, Daimler Truck, Henkel, Kuhmo Tire, Mahindra, Panasonic, Pratt & Whitney, Tata Motors, Thales Alenia Space Italia, and Yangtze Delta Region Institute of Tsinghua University — to name a few.

This year’s Champions include:

• Muhammad Ashraf is actively engaged in the research and development of commercial antenna products as an RF Engineer at Poynting Antennas. He applies his strong hands-on expertise in electromagnetic simulation and RF system design using SIMULIA tools, especially CST Studio Suite, to model, analyze, and optimize antennas, RF-EMF exposure, and RF systems.

• Pawel Bajerski isan R&D Team Leader on the Simulation Specialists Team at the ABB Corporate Technology Center, with more than 14 years of experiencein engineering, research, and numerical simulations of electrotechnical products. He specializes in analyzing internal arcs, environmental calculations, plastic processing, and complex multiphysics phenomena, with a focus on coupling the electromagnetic field with the overall system’s mechanical response.

• Carlo Bergamelli, a Process Engineer in the R&D department in the steel manufacturing sector at Tenaris S.p.A., is responsible for developing industrial numerical simulations across all Tenaris production sites worldwide to enhance product quality and optimize manufacturing processes.

• Lorenzo Castiglioni, CAE Manager at Fabbrica D’Armi Pietro Beretta S.p.A., has extensively used Abaqus to improve the design of existing firearms and develop new models in close cooperation with product development platforms. He is currently working on a project to analyze both fluid and solid domains of a firing process, including bullet crimping, powder burning, bullet engraving, bullet exit, and the uncorking of gas into the atmosphere.

• Adrien Cheminet, a Principal Physics Expert and R&D Technical Manager at Sodern, with more than 10 years of industry experience, specializes in designing, validating, and qualifying sealed neutron tubes and uses CST Studio Suite to master complex multiphysics challenges, focusing on electrostatic and magnetostatic simulations and charged-particle transport.

• Dario Dotolo,as the Head of Virtual Modeling at Prometeon Tyre Group, uses his expertise in Abaqus to focus on dynamic material characterization, aiming to understand elastomer behavior and has developed advanced models to validate experimental curves and an automated methodology using Python scripts to run thermo-mechanical simulation loops.

• Kevin Fallon is an Associate Technical Fellow at The Boeing Company with more than 28 years of experience in the aerospace industry and more than 20 years using Abaqus, CATIA, ENOVIA, and the 3DEXPERIENCE platform. He currently serves as the Digital Tools and Process Lead for the Mechanical and Structural Engineering functions supporting existing BCA programs (such as 737, 777, and 787), upcoming product offerings, and specializes in the nonlinear behavior of large assembled airframe structures for both metallic and composite material systems.

• Abolhasan Giashi is a simulation engineer at SIG Combibloc System with more than 13 years of experience in finite element method (FEM) simulations, including extensive use of SIMULIA software, develops and implements FEM models for packaging processes, material improvements, product development, filling machine design, and process optimization.

• Alessandro Giordani, a Satellite Systems Engineer at Thales Alenia Space Italia, specializes in electromagnetic compatibility and advanced simulation for optimizing Earth observation satellites using CST Studio Suite to design and optimize Earth observation satellites, focusing on antenna modeling, inter-antenna coupling, resonant cavities, magnetostatic analysis, and the propagation of electromagnetic waves in advanced materials.

• Ashwin Balaji Govindaraj, a CFD and Durability Lead at Royal Enfield with more than 15 years of simulation and engineering experience, specializing in FEA and motorcycle performance improvement, uses a range of SIMULIA tools to address complex engineering problems in the two-wheeler industry, including Abaqus for nonlinear structural analysis, fe-safe for fatigue and durability, Tosca for topology optimization, and Isight for process automation.

• Sami Hienonen, an Antenna Technology Manager at Convergentia Ltd., in addition to working with RF/EMI/SI/PI simulations, millimeter-wave antenna arrays, and their radomes, has designed internal antennas for hundreds of portable devices, including smartwatches, phones, rings, trackers, and various IoT devices.

• Ashraf Idkaidek, a Senior Engineering Team Lead at Caterpillar with more than 20 years of experience in structural design, finite-element analysis, and safety-critical system development, manages analytical and design initiatives for ROPS, FOPS, and OPS structures, while driving cross-functional solutions to complex structural issues, managing ISO certification testing, and continuously improving structural analysis methodologies.

• Bob Johnson,a Technical Director at Realistic Engineering Analysis, having been extensively using Abaqus since 1993, is a seasoned mechanical engineer and finite element analysis expert with decades of experience and is well-known for his expertise in detailed stress and failure analysis of offshore structures, including wellhead systems, mooring systems, jacket structures, and other similar systems.

• Hongbin Ju,as a Senior Principal Engineer at Pratt & Whitney, specializing in unsteady CFD/CAA, aerodynamic noise prediction and mitigation, flow-structure interaction, flutter analysis, and reduced-order modeling for system instability, has contributed to the design of turbofan engines, including the GE9X, GEnx, geared turbofan engines, PW1100G/1500G/1900G, the F135 military engine, and open rotors.

• Hoje Kang, as Head of Virtual Modeling at Prometeon Tyre Group, applies his expertise in Abaqus to focus on dynamic material characterization, aiming to understand elastomer behavior and has developed advanced models to validate experimental curves and created an automated methodology using Python scripts to run thermo-mechanical simulation loops.

• Sung Ju Kang,an Antenna Technology Manager at Kumho Tire with more than 15 years of experience, specializing in structural analysis, simulation workflows, and the integration of physical testing with virtual engineering for tire innovation, has recently expanded her expertise to tire manufacturing process simulations, working closely with Dassault Systèmes engineers to develop advanced analysis tools on the 3DEXPERIENCE platform.

• Saharash Khare,a seasoned simulation expert at Hero MotoCorp with more than 18 years of experience, currently leading advanced simulation methodologies and digital validation platforms by using Abaqus, fe-safe, Verity, Tosca, and Isight to develop numerous simulation techniques to establish a comprehensive digital validation platform covering linear, nonlinear, fatigue, implicit/explicit analyses, and optimization to ensure robust and reliable designs.

• Kuljinder Khera specialized in strength, durability, and multibody dynamics as a CAE Engineer in Underbody Systems Engineering at Ford Motor Company. Kuljinder has more than 25 years in the automotive industry and extensive experience with Abaqus, Tosca, CATIA V5, and the 3DEXPERIENCE platform and is currently supporting Ford’s digital transformation by leading the migration of legacy CATIA V5 CAD and CAE templates to the 3DEXPERIENCE platform while fully aligning with Ford’s vision of a unified ecosystem.

• Marc Lässing, as a Senior CAE Engineer at Daimler Truck AG with nearly 25 years of experience in Simpack, including modeling, scripting, and developing user elements, is responsible for full vehicle simulations focused on drivetrain-induced vibrations and SiL co-simulations, as well as managing Simpack installation and licensing at Daimler Truck.

• Gang Hoon Lim, as a Senior Manager at LG Display, uses Abaqus to evaluate structural performance before physical testing by analyzing design trends and assessing material structures in advance, thereby optimizing performance, reducing physical testing, enhancing development efficiency and reliability, and lowering costs.

• Xu Long,a professor at Tsinghua University and a renowned expert in electronic packaging mechanics, holding multiple degrees in mechanics and earning more than 30 international and national awards, has played a leading role in integrating Abaqus into the electronic packaging community, closely combining advanced finite-element simulation with scientific research and real-world engineering applications.

• Paul Lucas, a Technical Fellow for Loads and Dynamics at Daimler Trucks North America, with 15 years of experience in advanced CAE, specializing in finite element analysis (FEA) and multibody dynamics (MBS), provides technical leadership in durability, vibration, and dynamic load analysis, supporting the development and validation of commercial vehicle platforms.

• Max Mao,a Principal FEA Engineer at Maxxis International with more than 20 years of experience applying SIMULIA solutions to advanced engineering challenges, leads a global cross-functional team to develop high-fidelity virtual tire models, mainly focusing on tire force and moment simulations that facilitate simulation-driven design and product innovation.

• Victor Messias, an R&D Engineer at Titan Tire with more than years of experience advancing R&D capabilities in off-road (OTR) tire development and a leader in integrating R&D workflows, implementing new calculation methods with Abaqus and the 3DEXPERIENCE platform, specializes in simulation-driven design, virtual and physical prototyping, and innovation management.

• Yasunori Miyamoto,with more than 25 years of experience in advanced acoustic simulations and multiphysics analyses, works as a Senior Expert at Panasonic Connect and uses Wave6 for acoustic simulations, including developing new acoustic devices, active vibration and noise control systems, and conducting large-scale room acoustic analyses, such as Speech Transmission Index (STI) evaluations for public spaces like railway stations.

• Giovanni Mongini,an EMC and Electrical System Engineer at Thales Alenia Space Italia in Rome, leads EMC engineering for various satellite programs and specializes in system-level electromagnetic compatibility analysis.

• Gwenael Neveu, an M&T Predictive and MBSE Engineer at Airbus Helicopters, has led digital transformation efforts in Simulation Process and Data Management (SPDM), deployed parametric modeling and Model-Based Systems Engineering solutions, and fostered cross-disciplinary collaboration using the 3DEXPERIENCE platform.

• Khaled Obeidat, an Antenna Engineer Technologist at AmazonLab126 and a distinguished antenna and RF engineer with a Ph.D. and more than 20 years of experience in wireless technology, has led innovative antenna engineering projects in wearables, mobile, UAV, and ground satellite stations, resulting in more than 20 patents and significant cost savings through design optimizations.

• Sanjay Patil,a seasoned automotive R&D expert with more than 20 years at Tata Motors, specializing in virtual validation, digital transformation, and full-vehicle program delivery, extensively using Abaqus, Isight, and Tosca to develop high-confidence simulations for both ICE and EV platforms.

• Christoph Rudhart, a Ph.D. theoretical physicist and development engineer at Mercedes-Benz, specializes in multibody and finite element modeling for powertrain, chassis systems, and ride comfort assessment of passenger cars using digital prototypes with Simpack.

• Fay Salmon, with more than 25 years of experience with Abaqus and other SIMULIA tools, as a Senior Staff Scientist at 3M, develops advanced physics-based modeling methods to support technology and product development across the company through various simulations—covering adhesives, abrasives, consumer electronics displays, and semiconductor chemical–mechanical planarization—to optimize product performance and deliver solutions for 3M customers.

• Hiroshi Sato is a Senior Engineering Manager at Panasonic Systems Networks R&D Lab who introduced CST Studio Suite to the company and has led R&D driven by electromagnetic simulations for antennas and wireless systems. He develops SAR-compliant, low-coupling/low-correlation MIMO antennas for smartphones and IoT devices, designs antennas for space missions and automotive platforms, and engineers high-efficiency wireless power transfer (WPT) coils for IoT terminals, including operation in seawater.

• Sanjeet Sharma, an accomplished engineering leader at Mahindra with more than 20 years of experience, possesses expertise across the entire product lifecycle—conceptual design, detailed engineering, validation, structural qualification testing, and advanced FEA, using SIMULIA to optimize designs, improve durability, and accelerate product development.

• Harsharoop Singanamalla, as a Manager at Henkel Consumer Brands, oversees predictive modeling for packaging by using simulation-based methods to enhance packaging design and performance, with a current focus on integrating simulation into packaging development by fostering a virtual development mindset and including it in standard engineering workflows.

• Julnar Musmar Solis is a communication engineer and signal-processing specialist at AUMOVIO and holds advanced degrees in Communication Engineering and Statistical Signal Processing. Her expertise includes high-speed design, PCB engineering, and signal integrity simulation, with a current focus on high-speed channel analysis and optimizing signal integrity for electronic systems.

• Sjoerd Van der Veen, a Senior Expert at Airbus Operations SAS with a background in mechanical and aeronautical engineering, specializes in physics-based simulation of manufacturing processes.

• Xiao Xu, a Senior CAE Engineer at Shenzhen Inovance Technology Co., Ltd., uses Dassault Systèmes mechanical simulation software to perform analyses such as Harmonic Response Analysis, Random Vibration Analysis, Shock Analysis, Response Spectrum Analysis, PCB Assembly Stress, and Thermal Stress during product development to identify structural failure risks at the digital prototype stage, facilitate design optimization and risk mitigation, enable forward-looking design, and shorten the product development cycle.

• Lawrence Yan is a Strength Simulation Specialist and Technical Leader at Scania and focuses on strength simulation and fatigue-related models. He helps develop strategies and methods to accelerate Scania’s development through CAE-driven predictions.

SIMULIA is pleased to welcome the 2026 Champions and thanks them for their efforts to advance the development and adoption of simulation technology. You can find a more detailed look into our Champions’ backgrounds by visiting our SIMULIA Champions Program web page. We look forward to learning about their work and expertise as they share their stories here in the SIMULIA blog and in the SIMULIA Community.

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