It marks a leadership handover at the helm of one of France’s technology crown jewels, the country’s leading enterprise software vendor. On February 21, 2026, Dassault Systèmes’ board unanimously named Pascal Daloz to the role of Chief Executive Officer of the group, listed on Euronext Paris.
He succeeds Bernard Charlès who informed the board, with immediate effect, of stepping down from his roles as Chairman of the Board and director, citing personal reasons. A decision that, in his own words, does not call into question his deep attachment to the company he co-founded with Charles Edelstenne. “I have a deep fondness for Dassault Systèmes. I am very proud of its employees, its teams, its clients, its purpose, its values and what we are building together,” he said.
A 25-Year Partnership
Far from a total withdrawal, Bernard Charlès intends to put his 43 years of experience at the service of the company, notably to accelerate the adoption of the 3D UNIV+RSES—the group’s strategic platform—and to support the AI-driven transformation of industrial design and production processes.
If the transition may seem sudden, it is far from improvisation. Pascal Daloz and Bernard Charlès have worked together for 25 years. The succession has been prepared with care, as testified by Charles Edelstenne, founder and chairman emeritus of the Board: “Over the past three years, Bernard has prepared his succession with care, ensuring that the seventh generation of our AI-based industrial solutions is fully engaged.”
The Gen7 Legacy
For Pascal Daloz, who now takes on both the chair and the CEO role, the roadmap is clear: continue the 3D UNIV+RSES strategy and position Dassault Systèmes as a leader in industrial AI. “Our ambition is clear: to drive the transformation of industrial AI through 3D UNIV+RSES. It is a long-term commitment aimed at redefining innovation, operations, and industrial competitiveness in the era of the generative economy,” he said on the occasion of his appointment.
Bernard Charlès hands the keys to a well-built house. The man who has led, in his own words, “six generations of industrial transformations” leaves behind a seventh generation of solutions—the “Gen7”—which he describes as “perfectly defined and architected.” It is on this foundation that Pascal Daloz and his team will now rely to accelerate the group’s growth.
Photo : © DR Dassault Systèmes
