Bernard Charlès was born and grew up in Brittany, France. He is a graduate from the Ecole Normale Supérieure engineering school in Cachan (ENS Cachan) and has a PhD in mechanical engineering majoring in automation engineering and information science. Bernard Charlès joined Dassault Systèmes in 1983 to develop new design technology – less than two years after the company was created. In 1986 he founded a New Technologies, Research and Strategy department. In 1988 he was named to the position of President of Strategy, Research & Development. He was appointed president and CEO of the company in 1995, and has worked for Dassault Systèmes for over 39 years.