The 3DEXPERIENCE FORUM is right around the corner and next week the company will host hundreds of customers, partners, industry thought leaders, and technology experts in Las Vegas. Before heading out, we had the opportunity to speak with Dean Marsh, North America Managing Director, and hear his thoughts on key themes that will be explored during the event.
Dean, the 3DEXPERIENCE FORUM is one of the major ways to communicate the value of the platform for customers, what are you excited for them to hear about?
On the main stage at the 3DEXPERIENCE FORUM, attendees will hear directly from five of our customers, Boeing, NXP, McDermott, Canoo, and Boom Supersonic, who will be discussing how they’re using the 3DEXPERIENCE platform to compete in their markets and benefit from the Industry Renaissance. As our CEO and Vice Chairman of the Board Bernard Charlès has said, ‘‘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.”
Dassault Systèmes talks about addressing an Industry Renaissance, which is also a theme of the conference. What do you mean by Industry Renaissance?
Just like the original Renaissance which brought new ways of inventing, learning, producing, trading, and seeing the world. Digital technology is the catalyst and enabler of this Renaissance just as the printing press was before.
But we’re not talking about the mere digitization of the past or even the present. In this 21st century Renaissance, we can invent the industry of tomorrow. In this Renaissance, the virtual world extends and improves the real world.
In the virtual world, your business can be reimagined. People can think differently. They can simulate and evaluate impacts before producing the product itself. This opens astounding possibilities.
In addition to the customers speaking in the plenary there are also a number of customers in the breakout tracks. Any you are excited to hear from?
I’m excited for all the customers but really I’m excited our attendees will have such a wide range of stories to hear about and learn from. We have Smithfield Foods, the largest pig and pork producer in the world talking about how the Factory of the Future is helping them better manage their supply chain. We have Honda Manufacturing of America discussing Virtual Twins. And Lockheed Martin will have two speakers on Model Based Engineering.
The company talks a lot about the Experience Economy and you have a great example in the EV market with Canoo who is speaking on Wednesday.
The electronic vehicle market is very, very strong for us. Almost every start-up in this space is partnering with us. But the interesting thing is they all have different approaches to the market. Canoo is doing a subscription model – others are creating “driverless pods” or sports cars. And of course there is Tesla who pushes the envelope.
Anything else you’d like to highlight?
Our keynotes will be delivering compelling stories. We talk a lot about perception and emotion in the Experience Economy, and Dawn Hudson has been with both Pepsi and the NFL – two brands that are very focused on those two things. And Pro Football Hall of Fame running back Emmitt Smith will share his inspiring story of moving from the NFL to the business world. I think our attendees will be inspired by both.