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Dassault Systemes

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FY2016 Annual Report · Dassault Systemes
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CONTENTS

1

2

3

4

Person responsible 

Presentation  of the Group 

1.1  Key Figures 

1.2  History 

1.3  Group Organization 

1.4  Business Activities 

1.5  Research and Development 

1.6  Risk factors 

Social, Societal and Environmental 
Responsibility 

2.1  Social and Societal Responsibility 

2.2  Environmental Responsibility 

2.3 

Independent Verifi er’s Report on Consolidated Social, 
Environmental and Societal Information Presented 
in  the Management Report 

2.4  Statutory Auditors’ Attestation on the information 
relating to the Dassault Systèmes SE’s total amount 
paid for sponsorship 

Financial Review and prospects 

3.1  Operating and Financial Review 

3.2  Financial Objectives 

3.3 

Interim and Other Financial Information 

Financial Statements 

4.1  Consolidated Financial Statements 

4.2  Parent Company Financial Statements 

4.3  Legal and Arbitration Proceedings 

3

5

6

8

13

14

29

30

39

40

60

72

75

77

78

89

90

91

92

133

160

5

6

7

Corporate governance 

5.1  Report of the Chairman on Corporate Governance 

and Internal Control 

5.2  Report of the Statutory Auditors on Corporate 

Governance and Internal Control 

5.3  Summary of the Compensation and Benefi ts Due 

to  Corporate Offi cers (mandataires sociaux) 

5.4  Transactions in the Company’s Shares 
by the Management of the Company 

5.5  Statutory Auditors 

161

162

183

184

194

196

Information about 
Dassault Systèmes SE, the share capital 
and the ownership structure 

197

6.1 

Information about Dassault Systèmes SE 

6.2 

Information about the Share Capital 

6.3 

Information about the Shareholders 

6.4  Stock Market Information 

General Meeting 

7.1  Presentation of the resolutions proposed 

by the Board of Directors to the General Meeting 
on May 23, 2017 

7.2  Draft resolutions proposed by the Board of Directors to 

the General Meeting on May 23, 2017 

Cross-reference tables 

198

202

207

212

213

214

223

232

ANNUAL REPORT 2016
ANNUAL FINANCIAL REPORT

This document is an English-language translation of Dassault Systèmes’ Document de référence (Annual Report), which was filed 
with the AMF (French Financial Markets Authority) on March  22 , 2017, in accordance with Articles 212-13 of the AMF General 
Regulation.

DASSAULT SYSTÈMES  ANNUAL REPORT 2016 1

Only the French version of the Document de référence is legally binding

GENERAL

This Annual Report also includes:

 › the annual financial report to be prepared and published by 
every listed company within four months of the end of its 
fiscal year, pursuant to Article L. 451-1-2 of the Monetary 
and Financial Code and Article  222-3 of the French Financial 
Markets Authority (“AMF”) General Regulation; and

 › the annual management report of Dassault Systèmes SE’s 
Board of Directors, which must be provided to the General 
Meeting of Shareholders approving the financial statements 
for  each  completed  fiscal  year,  pursuant  to  Articles 
L. 225-100 et seq. of the French Commercial Code.

The 
index  set  forth  on  pages  232  and  233   provides 
cross-references to the relevant portions of these two reports.

All references to “euro” or to the symbol “€” refer to the legal 
currency of the French Republic and certain countries of the 
European Union. All references to the “U.S. dollar” or to the 
symbol “$” refer to the legal currency of the United States.

As  used  herein,  “Dassault  Systèmes”,  the  “Company”  or  the 
“Group” refers to Dassault Systèmes SE and all the companies 
included in the scope of consolidation.

“Dassault   Systèmes  SE”  refers  only  to  the  European  parent 
company of the Group, which is governed by French law.

In  compliance  with  Article  28  of  European  Regulation  no. 
809/2004  of  the  Commission,  the  following  information  is 
incorporated by reference in this Annual Report:

 › the consolidated financial statements on pages 86 to 121 
(inclusive),  the  parent  company  financial  statements  on 
pages 124 to 145 (inclusive), and the related audit reports on 
pages 122 to 123 and, 146 to 149 (inclusive) of the Annual 
Report  (Document  de  référence)  for  the  year  2015  filed 
with the AMF on March 23, 2016, under no.  D. 16- 0197;

 › the  financial  information  on  pages  72  to  84  (inclusive)  of 
the  Annual  Report  (Document  de  référence)  for  the  year 
2015  filed  with  the  AMF  on  March  23,  2016,  under  no. 
D.16-0197;

 › the consolidated financial statements on pages 84 to 120 
(inclusive),  the  parent  company  financial  statements  on 
pages 123 to 143 (inclusive), and the related audit reports on 
pages 121 to 122 and, 145 to 148 (inclusive) of the Annual 
Report  (Document  de  référence)  for  the  year  2014  filed 
with the AMF on March 24, 2015, under no.  D.  15-0195;

 › the  financial  information  on  pages  70  to  82  (inclusive) 
of  the  Annual  Report  (Document  de  référence)  for  the 
year  2014  filed  with  the  AMF  on  March  24,  2015,  under 
no. D. 15-0195;

The portions of these documents which are not incorporated 
herein  are  either  not  relevant  for  current  investors,  or  are 
covered in another section of this Annual Report.

2 ANNUAL REPORT 2016  DASSAULT SYSTÈMES

PERSON RESPONSIBLE

Person Responsible for the Annual Report

Bernard Charlès – Vice-Chairman and Chief Executive Officer.

Certification by the Person Responsible 
for the Annual Report

I have received a completion letter (lettre de fin de travaux) from 
the  auditors  stating  that  they  have  verified  the  information 
regarding the financial situation and the financial statements 
included  in  this  Annual  Report  and  that  they  have  read  this 
document in its entirety.

Vice-Chairman and Chief Executive Officer

Bernard Charlès

Vélizy-Villacoublay, March 22 , 2017.

I  hereby  certify,  after  having  taken  all  reasonable  measures 
for this purpose, that the information contained in this Annual 
Report  (Document  de  référence)  is,  to  my  knowledge,  in 
accordance  with  the  facts  and  that  no  information  liable  to 
affect its significance has been omitted.

I  certify  that,  to  my  knowledge,  the  financial  statements 
have been prepared in accordance with applicable accounting 
standards  and  give  a  faithful  representation  of  the  assets, 
financial  situation  and  results  of  Dassault  Systèmes  SE  and 
all the companies included in the scope of consolidation, and 
that the “management report” the content of which is cross-
referenced  in  a  table  at  page  233 ,  included  in  this  Annual 
Report,  presents  a  faithful  representation  of  the  business 
trends, results and financial situation of Dassault Systèmes SE 
and all the companies included in the scope of consolidation 
as well as a description of the principal risks and uncertainties 
which they face.

DASSAULT SYSTÈMES  ANNUAL REPORT 2016 3

4 ANNUAL REPORT 2016  DASSAULT SYSTÈMES

1.1  Key Figures 

1.2  History 

1.2.1  History and Development of the Company 

1.2.2  Investments 

1.3  Group Organization 

1.3.1  Dassault Systèmes SE’s Position within the Group 

1.3.2  Principal Subsidiaries of the Company 

1.4  Business Activities 

1.4.1  Principal Activities 

1.4.2  Dassault Systèmes' offering 

1.4.3  Material Contracts 

6

8

8

11

13

13

13

14

14

18

28

1

PRESENTATION 
OF THE GROUP

1.5  Research and Development 

1.5.1  Overview 

1.5.2  Intellectual Property 

1.6  Risk factors 

1.6.1  Risks Related to the Company’s Business 

1.6.2  Financial and Market Risks 

1.6.3  Insurance 

29

29

29

30

30

37

38

DASSAULT SYSTÈMES  ANNUAL REPORT 2016 5

1 Presentation of the Group 

Key Figures

1.1  Key Figures

The  selected  financial  information  set  forth  below  has  been 
prepared in accordance with International Financial Reporting 
Standards (“IFRS”) as adopted in the European Union, unless 
otherwise indicated.

A financial review including a comparison of 2016 and 2015 
can be found in Chapter 3, “Financial review and prospects”.

(in millions of euros, except percentages and per share data)

Total revenue

Software revenue

Operating income

As a percentage of total revenue

Net income attributable to equity holders of the Company

Diluted net income per share

Dividend per share

Supplemental non-IFRS financial information (2)

Total revenue

Software revenue

Operating income

As a percentage of total revenue

Net income attributable to equity holders of the Company

Diluted net income per share

Year ended December 31,

2016

€3,055.6

2,694.7

672.0

22.0%

447.2

€1.74

€0.53  (1)

2015

€2,839.5

2,502.8

633.2

22.3%

402.2

€1.57

€0.47

2014

€2,294.3

2,035.0

430.8

18.8%

291.3

€1.14

€0.43

€3,065.6

2,704.3

€2,876.7

2,537.9

€2,346.7

2,078.6

957.7

31.2%

640.3

€2.49

884.9

30.8%

576.6

€2.25

699.2

29.8%

465.5

€1.82

(1)  To be proposed for approval at the General Meeting of Shareholders scheduled for May 23, 2017.
(2)  Readers are cautioned that the supplemental non-IFRS financial information is subject to inherent limitations. It is not based on any comprehensive set of accounting rules or 
principles and should not be considered in isolation from or as a substitute for IFRS measurements. The supplemental non-IFRS financial information should be read only in 
conjunction with the Company’s consolidated financial statements prepared in accordance with IFRS. Furthermore, the supplemental non-IFRS financial information may not be 
comparable  to  similarly  titled  adjusted  measures  used  by  other  companies.  For  a  reconciliation  of  this  non-IFRS  financial  information  with  the  Company’s  audited  financial 
statements, see paragraph 3.1.1.2 “Supplemental Non-IFRS Financial Information”.

6 ANNUAL REPORT 2016  DASSAULT SYSTÈMES

Presentation of the Group 
Key Figures

1

Year ended December 31,

2016

2015

2014*

1

(in millions of euros)

ASSETS

Cash, cash equivalents and short-term investments

€2,492.8

€2,351.3

€1,175.5

Trade accounts receivable, net

Other assets

TOTAL ASSETS

LIABILITIES AND EQUITY

Unearned revenue

Borrowings

Other liabilities

Parent shareholders’ equity

TOTAL LIABILITIES AND EQUITY

820.4

3,629.9

6,943.1

853.1

1,000.0

1,229.8

3,860.2

739.1

3,221.0

6,311.4

778.0

1,000.0

1,064.9

3,468.5

627.7

3,159.2

4,962.4

636.8

360.1

1,022.0

2,943.5

€6,943.1

€6,311.4

€4,962.4

* 

The consolidated balance sheet as of December 31, 2014 has been restated to reflect the finalized purchase price allocation for prior year business combinations.

(in millions of euros)

Net cash provided by operating activities

Net cash used in investing activities

Net cash provided by (used in) financing activities

Effect of exchange rate changes on cash and cash equivalents

INCREASE (DECREASE) IN CASH AND CASH EQUIVALENTS

Year ended December 31,

2016

€621.7

(298.9)

(202.4)

35.8

€156.2

2015

€633.3

(60.5)

548.4

55.1

2014

€499.5

(1,000.9)

(170.3)

38.0

€1,176.3

€(633.7)

DASSAULT SYSTÈMES  ANNUAL REPORT 2016 7

1 Presentation of the Group 

History

1.2  History

1.2.1  History and Development of the Company

1.2.1.1 

Summary

Dassault  Systèmes,  the  3DEXPERIENCE  Company,  has  the 
mission to provide business and people with 3DEXPERIENCE  
universes  to  imagine  sustainable  innovations  harmonizing 
product,  nature  and  life.  Unveiled  in  2012,  this  purpose  has 
given birth to a broad portfolio of Industry Solution Experiences 
whose  key  strengths  are  in  their  scientific  content  and 
deep  understanding  of  industrial  processes.  The  Company’s 
software  portfolio  is  applicable  from  Natural  Resources  to 
Cities,  Transportation,  Buildings,  Smart  Products,  Consumer 
Goods,  all  the  way  to  biological  systems  and  chemistry. 
Founded  in  1981,  Dassault  Systèmes  has  been  developing 
technologies and solutions that propel digital transformation 
in  industries  ranging  from  aerospace  to  life  sciences  and  is 
participating  in  more  than  50  global  initiatives  dedicated  to 
advance  world-class  production  technologies  and  processes. 
Dassault Systèmes brings value to over 210,000 customers of 
all sizes, in all industries, in more than 140 countries.

The  Company’s  Industry  Solutions  Experiences  portfolio  is 
powered by the Company’s 3DEXPERIENCE business platform 
which  was  designed  to  enable  companies  to  bring  their 
different departments together, in a holistic manner to drive 
their innovation – in products, in new business models and in 
customer experience successes. The 3DEXPERIENCE business 
platform  has  proven  uniquely  suited  to  help  companies 
thanks to its ability to  improve and connect processes across 
the  principal  disciplines,  from  ideation,  design,  scientific 
simulation  and  manufacturing  to  marketing  and  sales,  feed 
them  with  meaningful  data  analytics,  and  ensuring  the 
automatic propagation of changes across all disciplines.

launch  of  3DEXPERIENCE,  the 
In  connection  with  the 
Company introduced a  management system, organized   along 
three  axes  with:  (i)  a  strategy  to  cover  customer  processes 
through  an  industry-focused  set  of  offerings,  “Industry 
Solution Experiences” based upon the Company’s underlying 
software  applications  portfolio,  content  and  services;  (ii)  a 
domain  focused  portfolio  of  software  applications  organized 
by brand in order to ensure a strong focus on the satisfaction of 
end user needs; and (iii) a global local specialized organization 
in  order  to  leverage  its  global  strengths,  while  at  the  same 
time  ensuring  a  strong  local  proximity  with  customers  and 
partners and enabling a more flexible management structure 
responsive to local needs at the client, partner and employee 
level thanks to its twelve geographic management teams.

in 

The  Company’s  investments,  both  through  expenditures 
internally 
research  and  development  and  through 
acquisitions,  are  closely  aligned  with  its  strategic  roadmap. 
The  Company’s  internal  R&D  investments  are  the  principal 
driver  of  its  product  innovations  and  enhancements.  In 
addition,  with  its  expanded  purpose  and  Social  Industry 
Experiences strategy the Company is growing its addressable 
market  along  two  axes:  (i)  broadening  its  offer  to  cover  the 
key  disciplines of clients adding upstream consumer insights 
to  its  core  markets  of  design,  engineering,  simulation  and 
manufacturing,  and  extending  through  to  business  planning 
and  operations  and  point  of  sales  and  end-consumer 
experiences; and (ii) expanding its market coverage to address 
industries focused on the interaction of business and people 
with  nature  (geosphere)  and  business  and  people  with  life 
sciences (biosphere). As a result, the Company will continue to 
evaluate  potential  external  investments  complementing  and 
extending the  value it brings to industries, clients and users. 
 See  paragraphs  1.2.1.3  “Dassault  Systèmes’  Purpose  and 
Strategy”,  1.4.1.1  “Summary”  and  1.4.1.4  “Technology  and 
Science” for further information.

8 ANNUAL REPORT 2016  DASSAULT SYSTÈMES

Presentation of the Group 
History

1

1

1.2.1.2 

Summary Timeline

1981
 (cid:96) Creation  of  Dassault  Systèmes  to  design  products  in  3D 
through the spin-off of a team of engineers from Dassault 
Aviation;

2000
 (cid:96) Creation of the DELMIA brand, initially addressing the digital 
manufacturing  domain  (digital  process  planning,  robotic 
simulation and human modeling technology).

 (cid:96) The Company’s flagship brand, CATIA, is launched;

 (cid:96) Worldwide  marketing,  sales  and  support  agreement  with 

IBM, beginning of a long-standing partnership;

 (cid:96) Initial industry focus: automotive and aerospace.

1986
 (cid:96) V3 software introduced for 3D Design.

1994
 (cid:96) V4  architecture  introduced  offering  a  new  technology 
enabling  the  full  Digital  Mock-Up  (“DMU”)  of  a  product, 
enabling  customers  to  significantly  reduce  the  number  of 
physical prototypes and to have a complete understanding 
of the virtual product;

 (cid:96) Expansion  of  the  Company’s  industry  focus  to  seven 
industries,  adding  fabrication  and  assembly,  consumer 
goods, high-tech, shipbuilding and energy.

1996
 (cid:96) Initial public offering in Paris and listing on the NASDAQ (the 
Company voluntarily delisted from the NASDAQ in 2008).

1997
 (cid:96) Broadening  of  the  Company’s  3D  design  product  line  to 
the  entry  3D  market,  with  the  acquisition  of  the  start-up 
SOLIDWORKS,  with  Windows-native  architecture,  to  target 
principally the 2D to 3D migration market opportunity;

 (cid:96) Formation of the Company’s Professional channel, focused 

on marketing, sales and support of SOLIDWORKS .

2005
 (cid:96) Creation  of  the  SIMULIA  brand,  addressing  realistic 
simulation,  representing  a  significant  expansion  of  the 
Company’s simulation capabilities, leveraging the acquisition 
of Abaqus;

 (cid:96) Creation  of  the  Company’s  Value  Solutions  sales  channel, 
an indirect channel specifically focused on supporting SMB 
companies, including suppliers to OEMs. The Value Solutions 
channel  becomes  the  Company’s  second  indirect  channel, 
complementing its Professional channel which is focused on 
SOLIDWORKS  users.

2006
 (cid:96) Expansion  of  the  ENOVIA  portfolio  with  the  acquisition  of 
MatrixOne, a global provider of collaborative PDM software 
and services;

2007
 (cid:96) Amendment  of  the  IBM  partnership  agreement,  outlining 
the Company’s progressive assumption of full responsibility 
for the Value Solutions channel;

 (cid:96) Creation  of  the  3DVIA  brand.  Building  upon  several  years 
of  research  and  investment,  3DVIA  was  launched  to  bring 
3D technology to new users to imagine, communicate and 
experience in 3D;

 (cid:96) Further  expanding  its  product  offering  for  CATIA,  the 
Company  acquired  ICEM,  a  company  well-known  in  the 
automotive industry for its styling and high-quality surface 
modeling and rendering solutions.

1998
 (cid:96) Creation  of  the  ENOVIA  brand,  focused 

initially  on 
management of CATIA product data with the acquisition of 
IBM’s Product Manager software.

2008
 (cid:96) Unveiling of the Company’s V6 architecture. The V6 software 
architecture will become the foundation of the revolutionary 
3DEXPERIENCE Industry Solutions portfolio.

1999
 (cid:96) Launch  of  V5,  a  new  architecture  software  for  the  PLM 
(design,  analysis,  digital  manufacturing  and  product  data 
management)  market  designed  for  both  Windows  NT  and 
UNIX environments;

 (cid:96) The  Company  expands  its  ENOVIA  product  line  with 
the  acquisition  of  SmarTeam  focused  on  product  data 
management  for  the  small  and  mid-sized  companies 
(“SMB”) market.

2010
 (cid:96) The  Company  acquires  full  control  of  its  distribution  sales 
channels with the acquisition of IBM PLM, the IBM business 
unit dedicated exclusively to the marketing, sale and support 
of  the  Company’s  PLM  software  (CATIA,  ENOVIA  and 
DELMIA principally);

 (cid:96) Acquisition of EXALEAD, a French company providing search 
platforms  and  search-based  applications  for  consumer  and 
business users.

DASSAULT SYSTÈMES  ANNUAL REPORT 2016 9

1 Presentation of the Group 

History

2011
 (cid:96) DELMIA’s offering expands with the acquisition of Intercim, 
offering  manufacturing  and  production  management 
software for advanced and highly regulated industries;

 (cid:96) 100%  of  the  Company’s  total  revenues  are  derived  from 
its  wholly-directed  three  sales  channels,  completing  the 
transition from IBM begun in 2005.

2012
 (cid:96) Expansion of the Company’s strategy to 3DEXPERIENCE and 
expansion of the Company’s purpose. See paragraph 1.2.1.3 
“Dassault Systèmes’ Purpose and Strategy”;

 (cid:96) Creation  of  a  new  brand,  GEOVIA,  dedicated  to  model  the 
planet, focus on a new industrial sector, Natural Resources, 
with the acquisition of Gemcom in the mining sector;

 (cid:96) Acquisitions of Netvibes, bringing intelligent dashboarding 
capabilities,  and  SquareClock,  providing  cloud-based 
3D space planning solutions;

 (cid:96) Introduction  of  the  Company’s  first  Industry  Solution 

Experiences.

2013
 (cid:96) Unveiling of V6 Release 2014, available to select customers, 
on premise as well as Software as a Service (SaaS), featuring 
the  controlled  availability  of  existing  and  new  industry-
focused  and  user-focused  offerings  and  the  introduction 
of  a  new  navigational  user  interface,  the  3DEXPERIENCE 
platform;

 (cid:96) Broadening  of  the  Company’s  manufacturing  offerings  to 
Manufacturing Operations Management with the acquisition 
of Apriso.

2014
 (cid:96) Introduction  of  3DEXPERIENCE  R2014x,  the  first  release 
of  the  Company’s  new  3DEXPERIENCE  platform,  offering 
end-to-end 
engineering, 
manufacturing and business capabilities and services, with 
the V6 architecture as its foundation;

integrated 

scientific, 

and 

 (cid:96) Creation  of  a  new  brand,  3DEXCITE,  with  the  acquisition 
of  Realtime  Technology  AG  (“RTT”)  providing  professional 
high-end  3D  visualization  software,  marketing  solutions 
and  computer  generated  imagery  services  to  extend  the 
Company’s offerings to marketing professionals;

10 ANNUAL REPORT 2016  DASSAULT SYSTÈMES

 (cid:96) Creation of a new brand, BIOVIA, addressing science-based 
industries principally, combining the acquisition of Accelrys 
and the Company’s internal developments;

 (cid:96)  Quintiq acquisition in operations planning and optimization.

2015
 (cid:96) Introduction of 3DEXPERIENCE R2015x, offering a simplified 
and improved user experience, with powerful enhancements 
that significantly increase productivity on premise as well as 
on  public  or  private  cloud.  In  addition,  R2015x  introduces 
groupings  of  applications  called  “roles”,  to  cover  industry-
specific user needs;

 (cid:96) Dassault  Systèmes  completed  the  change  of  the  legal 
status of the parent company from that of a French public 
limited  company  (société anonyme)  to  that  of  a  European 
company  (Societas  Europaea,  SE).  The  adoption  of  the 
status of European company well reflected the international 
dimension  of  the  Company  and  its  growing  presence 
throughout Europe;

 (cid:96) CATIA’s  capabilities  were  expanded  to  further  enhance  its 
coverage  of  complex  mechatronics  systems  engineering, 
with the acquisition of Modelon GmbH, an expert in “ready-
to-experience” content for systems modeling and simulation 
which  are  strategic  to  transform  the  Transportation  & 
Mobility industry.

2016
 (cid:96) 3DEXPERIENCE 2016x general availability;

 (cid:96) Extension  of  SIMULIA’s  multi-physics,  multi-scale 
offer  with  the  acquisition  of  CST,  a  technology  leader  in 
electromagnetic simulation, and the addition of Next Limit 
Dynamics,  bringing  capabilities 
in  computational  fluid 
dynamics simulation;

 (cid:96) Expansion  of  the  Company’s  DELMIA’s  manufacturing 
portfolio  with  the  acquisition  of  Ortems,  focused  on 
production planning and scheduling;

 (cid:96) In April 2016, jointly with Geometric Ltd, Dassault Systèmes 
announced  plans  to  acquire  full  ownership  of  3D  PLM 
Software  Solutions  Ltd  (3DPLM),  its  joint  venture  in  India 
with Geometric Ltd. 3DPLM is already fully consolidated in 
Dassault Systèmes’ financial statements.

For  further  information  on  acquisitions  over  the  last  three 
years, see paragraph 1.2.2 “Investments”.

1.2.1.3  Dassault Systèmes’ Purpose 

and Strategy

Dassault  Systèmes’  corporate  purpose  is  to  provide  business 
and  people  with  3DEXPERIENCE   universes  to 
imagine 
sustainable  innovations  capable  of  harmonizing  product, 
nature and life.

A  growing  number  of  companies  in  all  industry  verticals  are 
evolving their innovation processes to imagine the future both 
with,  and  for,  their  end-consumers.  To  meet  this  challenge, 
it  is  vital  to  ensure  collaborative  work  processes  internally 
and  externally  to  the  enterprise  with  designers,  engineers, 
researchers  and  marketing  managers,  as  well  as  external  ad 
hoc  participants  because  the  innovation  flow  comes  from 
many directions. Enabling this flow unleashes the innovation 
its  3DEXPERIENCE 
potential.  Dassault  Systèmes,  with 
platform leveraging its V6 architecture, provides this “linkage”, 

1.2.2 

Investments

The  Company’s  investments,  both  through  expenditures  on 
its  internal  R&D  efforts  and  acquisitions,  are  closely  aligned 
with  its  strategic  roadmap.  The  Company’s  internal  R&D 
investments are the principal driver of its product innovations 
and  enhancements.  In  addition,  with  its  expanded  purpose 
and  Industry  Solution  Experiences  strategy  the  Company  is 
growing its addressable market along two axes: (i) broadening 
its offer to cover the key product disciplines of clients adding 
upstream  consumer  insights  to  its  core  markets  of  design, 
engineering,  simulation  and  manufacturing,  and  extending 
through to business planning and operations and point of sales 
and end-consumer experiences; and (ii) expanding its market 
coverage  to  address  industries  focused  on  the  interaction  of 
business and people with nature (geosphere) and business and 
people with life sciences (biosphere).

extending 

As  a  result,  the  Company  has  and  will  continue  to 
investments  complementing 
evaluate  potential  external 
and 
to 
industries,  clients  and  users.  For  further 
information, 
see  paragraphs  1.2.1.3  “Dassault  Systèmes’  Purpose  and 
Strategy” and 1.4.1.3 “Growth Strategy”.

the  business 

it  brings 

value 

Presentation of the Group 
History

1

enabling  its  clients  to  create  the  value  that  their  ultimate 
consumers  are  seeking.  The  Company’s  3DEXPERIENCE 
portfolio is designed to support 3D realistic virtual experiences 
representing  usage  of  future  products,  and  is  comprised  of 
social and collaborative applications, 3D modeling applications, 
simulation 
intelligence 
and 
applications.

applications, 

information 

1

For  Dassault  Systèmes  to  be  able  to  help  its  customers 
simulate  the  end-consumer  experience,  it  is  important  to 
have  a  complete  understanding  of  the  most  critical  business 
needs  of  the  industries  in  which  its  customers  operate. 
Therefore, Dassault Systèmes has adapted its organization to 
provide  a  strong  focus  on  the  users  of  its  software  through 
its  brands  structure,  while  at  the  same  time,  advancing  the 
understanding and development of the needs of its 12 target 
industries through the combined action of its organization by 
industry, sales channels and local geographic presence.

Acquisitions from 2014-2016

During  2016  Dassault  Systèmes  has  performed  acquisitions 
well  aligned  with 
its  strategy,  for  a  total  amount  of 
€262.7 million, net of cash acquired.

On  October  3,  2016,  Dassault  Systèmes  completed 
largest  acquisition  of  the  year,  acquiring  Computer 
its 
Simulation  Technology  AG  (“CST”),  the  technology  leader  in 
electromagnetic  (EM)  simulation  to  offer  full  spectrum  EM 
simulation  of  autonomous  cars,  connected  homes,  medical 
equipment,  wearable  electronics  and  other  smart  objects. 
Dassault Systèmes will integrate CST solutions into its portfolio 
of industry solution experiences based on the 3DEXPERIENCE 
platform  to  offer  a  new  standard  in  multiphysics  and 
multiscale  simulation.  CST  STUDIO  SUITE  software  is  used 
by  designers  and  engineers  at  more  than  2,000  leading 
companies  in  the  high-tech,  transportation  and  mobility, 
aerospace and defense, and energy industries to evaluate all 
types  of  EM  effects  during  every  stage  of  electronic  system 
design processes.

DASSAULT SYSTÈMES  ANNUAL REPORT 2016 11

1 Presentation of the Group 

History

The  Company  also  completed  additional  acquisitions  well 
complementing and extending its capabilities in manufacturing 
and in simulation during 2016:

 › Ortems,  focused  on  production  planning  and  scheduling, 
is  now  part  of  DELMIA’s  product  line.  Ortems’  Agile 
Manufacturing  and  PlannerOne  solutions  are  used  in 
the  manufacturing  operations  management  of  smart 
factories,  where  a  highly  synchronized  manufacturing 
IT  system  supports  the  link  between  virtual  design  and 
physical  production.  More  than  16,000  users 
in  60 
countries  at  aerospace,  automotive,  industrial  equipment, 
high-tech,  life  sciences,  packaging  and  consumer  goods 
industrial  companies,  use  its  solutions  to  schedule  their 
daily  production  runs.  Customers  include  AIA,   GE  Power , 
Heineken,   Mecaplast,   Nexans ,  Sanofi,  Sidel,  Solvay  and 
Thales;

 › Dassault Systèmes completed the acquisition of Next Limit 
Dynamics,  developer  of  Xflow  technology,  to  enhance  its 
industry  solution  experiences  for  multiphysics  simulation 
on the 3DEXPERIENCE platform and strengthen its presence 
in  the  strategic  computational  fluid  dynamics  (“CFD”) 
market. Next Limit Dynamics’ software solutions are used 
by  simulation  analysts  for  accurate  and  robust  simulation 
of  highly  dynamic  fluid  flow  in  order  to  solve  challenging 
CFD  problems  faster  than  traditional  methods.  Customers 
include Airbus, AISIN AW, Caterpillar, Doosan, Ford, Google 
X, Honda, Mitsubishi, NASA, Safran Helicopter Engines and 
Toyota.

In 2015, the Company expanded CATIA’s capabilities in complex 
mechatronics  systems  engineering,  acquiring  Modelon 
GmbH,  an  expert 
in  “ready-to-experience”  content  for 
systems modeling and simulation which are strategic for the 
Transportation and Mobility industry. Acquisition investments 
totalled €20.2 million during 2015.

During  2014  Dassault  Systèmes  invested  €952.9  million  on 
a net cash basis to acquire companies in several key areas: (i) 
addressing  principally  science-focused  industries,  where  it 
introduced a new brand, BIOVIA, based upon the acquisition 
of  Accelrys  and  the  Company’s  internal  research  in  bio-
intelligence; (ii) addressing marketers with the RTT acquisition, 
rebranded  as  3DEXCITE,  which  enables  the  reuse  of  virtual 
mock-ups or 3D product designs to create images, marketing 
brochures, promotional films or virtual but very realistic show 
rooms; and (iii) addressing business operations management 
with the acquisition of Quintiq, for supply chain, logistics and 
workforce operations planning and optimization. In addition, 
the  Company  strengthened  the  capabilities  of  its  simulation 
brand,  SIMULIA  with  the  acquisition  of  SIMPACK  for  multi-
body simulation.

The  Company’s  principal  acquisitions  with  an  individual 
purchase  price  greater  than  €100  million  over  the  last  three 
years include:

Acquisition

CST

Accelrys

Quintiq

RTT

Year

2016

2014

2014

2014

Purchase Price

€295 million

€542 million

€260 million

€191 million

12 ANNUAL REPORT 2016  DASSAULT SYSTÈMES

Presentation of the Group 
Group Organization

1

1.3  Group Organization

1

1.3.1  Dassault Systèmes SE’s Position within the Group

integrated 

Dassault  Systèmes  SE,  the  Group’s  parent  company,  fulfills 
several  roles:  first,  it  is  one  of  the  Group’s  largest  operating 
companies  and  one  of  its  principal  R&D  centers,  responsible 
for  the  development  of  a  number  of  the  Group’s  software 
the  3DEXPERIENCE  platform. 
solutions 
Dassault  Systèmes  SE  also  operates  as  a  holding  company 
as it owns directly or indirectly all the companies that make 
up  the  Group.  Dassault  Systèmes  SE  plays  a  centralizing 
role,  defining  the  Group’s  overall  strategy  and  the  means 
for  its  deployment,  as  well  as  the  marketing  and  sales 
policy  through  the  Group’s  three  sales  channels  (described 

in 

in  paragraph  1.4.2.5  “Sales  and  Marketing”).  The  parent 
company  manages  cash  for  subsidiaries  whose  currency  is 
the euro, and provides support to the Group for a number of 
activities, including finance, communication, marketing, legal 
affairs  (including  management  and  protection  of  IP),  human 
resources and IT, and pools certain costs for its subsidiaries.

its 
Dassault  Systèmes  SE  receives  dividends  paid  by 
subsidiaries.  Additionally,  the  costs  of  providing  centralized 
services  are  charged  back  to  the  respective  subsidiaries 
benefiting  from  support  services  and  cost  pooling,  and  it 
receives royalties related to the IP it holds.

1.3.2  Principal Subsidiaries of the Company

At  December  31,  2016,  the  Company  included  Dassault  Systèmes  SE  and  116  operational  subsidiaries,  as  compared  to 
118 operational subsidiaries in 2015. The decrease was due principally to the effort of the Company to simplify the organization 
of its legal entities throughout the world, partly offset by 2016 acquisition effects.

The chart below sets forth the Company’s main subsidiaries.

Dassault Systèmes SE

Dassault Systemes Deutschland GmbH
(Germany)

Dassault Systemes Americas Corp.
(USA)

Dassault Systemes UK Ltd
(United Kingdom)

Dassault Systemes Solidworks 
Corporation (USA)

%
0
0
1

Dassault Systemes K.K.
(Japan)

100%

Dassault Systemes Korea Corp.

(South Korea)

Dassault Systemes (Shanghai)
Information Technology Co., Ltd 
(China)

Europe

Asia

Americas

Direct and indirect equity interest

See also Note 28 to the consolidated financial statements and the table of subsidiaries and shareholdings under Note 24 to the 
parent company financial statements.

DASSAULT SYSTÈMES  ANNUAL REPORT 2016 13

1 Presentation of the Group 

Business Activities

1.4  Business Activities

1.4.1  Principal Activities

1.4.1.1 

Summary

Dassault  Systèmes,  the  3DEXPERIENCE  Company,  has  the 
mission to provide business and people with 3DEXPERIENCE  
universes  to  imagine  sustainable  innovations  harmonizing 
product,  nature  and  life.  This  purpose  has  given  birth  to  a 
unique portfolio of products and Industry Solution Experiences 
whose  key  strengths  are  in  their  scientific  content  and 
deep  understanding  of  industrial  processes.  The  Company’s 
software  portfolio  spans  a  wide  spectrum  of  domains  from 
modelling and scientific simulation to production and logistics 
optimization,  and  is  applicable  from  Natural  Resources  to 
Cities,  Transportation,  Buildings,  Smart  Products,  Consumer 
Goods, all the way to biological systems and chemistry.

Consumers  today  demand  product  experiences  that  enrich 
their  lives  in  meaningful  ways.  Experience  Thinking  is  a 
framework  for  innovation,  focusing  on  engaging  consumers 
with  breathtaking  product  experiences  that  are  smarter, 
intuitive  and  sustainable.  Product  experience  thinking 
encourages companies to consider all aspects of the consumer 
experience journey – only possible when all the players in the 
innovation process from marketing, sales, design, engineering, 
manufacturing and the supply chain work collaboratively.

14 ANNUAL REPORT 2016  DASSAULT SYSTÈMES

The  3DEXPERIENCE  platform  and  apps  are  purpose  built  to 
digitalize  the  entire  customer  journey,  with  capabilities  to 
analyze, design, simulate, engineer and deliver experiences. The 
platform enables innovators to develop a deep understanding 
of their customer’s expectations  by analyzing social and usage 
information in a unique data-driven approach. Enterprises can 
then model, simulate and optimize their offerings to best suit 
each customer experience. During the operating lifecycle, this 
model  is  enriched  with  valuable  insights  gleaned  from  the 
usage data, setting the stage for the next cycle of innovation.

1.4.1.2 

Key Strengths of Dassault Systèmes

The  solutions  of  Dassault  Systèmes,  the  3DEXPERIENCE 
Company, 
 transform  the  way  products  are  designed, 
simulated, produced, marketed and supported, leveraging the 
virtual world to improve the real world.

Dassault  Systèmes’  focus  has  been  on  enabling  digital 
continuity  and  to  do  so  in  a  much  broader  fashion  as  the 
entire  enterprise  is  involved  in  driving  successful  customer 
experiences.  This  digital  continuity  begins  with  Upstream 
Thinking,  to  then  Design  and  Engineering,  Manufacturing, 
Sales & Marketing all the way to Ownership with after-sales. 
The 3DEXPERIENCE platform is a critical enabler of this digital 
continuity.

The  Company  believes  its  global  market  leadership  and 
financial performance benefit from key characteristics of the 
Company.

Dassault  Systèmes  is  a  scientific  company  serving  science 
and  technology  for a sustainable society.

The Company’s DNA to model and represent as scientifically 
accurate as possible products, nature and life has given birth 
to  a  unique  Industry  Solutions  Experiences  portfolio  based 
on the 3DEXPERIENCE platform, whose key strengths are in 
their  scientific  content  and  deep  understanding  of  industrial 
processes.

Dassault  Systèmes  has  had  a  long-standing  leadership 
position  in  its  industry  thanks  to  its  ability  to  define  and 
create  new  markets,  expanding  from  3D  Design  to  Digital 
Mock-Up,  to  Product  Lifecycle  Management  and  now 
3DEXPERIENCE.  Underpinning  this  market 
leadership 
has  been  the  Company’s  clear  and  strong  commitment  to 
technological innovation.

Important areas of investment in R&D include, among others, 
the  3DEXPERIENCE  business  platform  foundations  and 
services,  Modeling  Technologies  (3D,  systems  engineering, 
natural  resources  and  biosystems),  technologies  for  product, 
production  and  usage 
intelligent 
information 
(indexing,  dashboarding  and 
data  science)  and  connectivity  technologies  (for  social 
and  structured  collaboration  and  program  management 
&  compliance).  Moreover,  the  Company’s  R&D  efforts  are 
centered  on  advancing  breakthrough  user  experiences,  and 
expanding  the  reach  of  its  solution  with  native  cloud  and 
mobility and immersive solutions.

realistic  simulation, 

technologies 

The  Company  works  closely  with  customers  in  different 
industries  in  order  to  develop  software  solutions  that  well 
address  its  clients’  business  goals,  are  highly  suited  to  their 
industries,  and  designed  to  maximize  user  productivity  and 
experience.

Dassault  Systèmes  maintains  a  long-term  focus,  well 
supported  by  its  financial  model  with  a  high  level  of 
recurring software revenue.

The  Company  believes  that  sustainable  market  leadership 
requires a long-term vision which is characterized by investing 
in people and its long-term financial model. The Company has 
a  diverse,  highly-educated  workforce  which  totalled  15,133 
at  the  end  of  2016,  from  124  countries.  The  Company’s 
long-standing  financial  model,  with  a  high  level  of  recurring 
software  revenue,  representing  71%  of  the  Company’s 
total  non-IFRS  software  revenue  in  2016,  has  enabled  the 
Company  to  maintain  as  well  as  increase  investments  in 
critical  resources  in  R&D  and  customer  support  even  during 
challenging macroeconomic environments.

Dassault  Systèmes’  3DEXPERIENCE  software  applications, 
comprised  of  leading  market  brands,  have  been  integral  to 
the Company’s success and continue to be principal areas of 
investment  through  internal  research  and  development  as 
well as through selective acquisitions.

The  Company’s  3DEXPERIENCE  portfolio  is  comprised  of 
3D  modeling  applications,  simulation  applications  creating 
virtual  twins  of  products  or  production  systems,  social  and 
intelligence 
collaborative  applications,  and 

information 

Presentation of the Group 
Business Activities

1

1

applications. The Company’s objective is to create a portfolio 
of  brands,  leaders  within  their  respective  markets  (see 
paragraph 1.4.2.4  “3DEXPERIENCE  Software  Applications 
Portfolio – Addressing the Needs of its User Communities”). In 
support of its “Social Industry Experiences” strategy, brands 
are focused on providing value to end-users. The Company’s 
portfolio  architecture  has  been  therefore  designed  to  offer 
at  three  levels  value  creation:  for  the  enterprise,  for  the 
organization or team, and for the user role.   

The Company is benefiting from a sophisticated organization 
supporting its multiple growth drivers.

In  connection  with  the  Company’s  3DEXPERIENCE  strategy , 
 the  Group  has  organized  itself  along  three  axes  with: 
(i)   a   strategy  to  cover  customer  processes  with  an  industry-
focused  set  of  offerings,  “Industry  Solution  Experiences” 
based upon the Company’s underlying software applications 
portfolio, content and services; (ii) a domain-focused group of 
software  applications  organized  by  brand  in  order  to  ensure 
a strong focus on the satisfaction of end-user needs; and (iii) 
a global-local-specialized organization in order to leverage its 
global  strengths,  while  at  the  same  time  ensuring  a  strong 
local  proximity  with  customers  and  partners  and  enabling  a 
more flexible management structure responsive to local needs 
at the client, partner and employee level thanks to its twelve 
geographic management teams.

The  Company  believes  the  structure  of  its  sales,  well-
balanced between its direct and indirect sales channels, has  
enabled it to develop a diverse customer base and to extend 
and deepen its global reach.

Dassault  Systèmes  has  a  diverse  customer  base  by  size, 
geographic origin and industry. The Company’s clients range 
from  the  smallest  companies  in  the  world  to  global  leaders, 
and  includes  clients  in  12  vertical  sectors:  Transportation  & 
Industrial  Equipment;  Aerospace  &  Defense; 
Mobility; 
Financial  &  Business  Services;  High-Tech;  Life  Sciences; 
Energy,  Process  &  Utilities;  Consumer  Goods  &  Retail; 
Natural Resources; Architecture, Engineering & Construction; 
Consumer  Packaged  Goods  &  Retail  and  Marine  &  Offshore. 
For  marketing  and  sales,  the  Company  operates  through 
both  a  direct  sales  force  and  indirectly  through  value-added 
resellers,  with  total  sales  well  balanced  between  direct  and 
indirect  sales  channels.  It  continues  to  selectively  expand 
and extend its sales radius, deepen its industry expertise and 
relationships, as well as domain or discipline knowledge of its 
three sales channels. See paragraph 1.4.2.2 “3DEXPERIENCE 
Industries Served” and 1.4.2.5 “Sales and Marketing”.

DASSAULT SYSTÈMES  ANNUAL REPORT 2016 15

1 Presentation of the Group 

Business Activities

Dassault  Systèmes  has  had  a  long  history  of  partnering, 
leading  to  the  development  of  a  resilient  and  dynamic 
ecosystem of partners, including sales and services, software 
development, technology, education and research and with 
system integrators.

offering over the coming years, as well as with the release 
of  mobile  applications  using  tablets  because  of  the  quick 
implementation  time  and  the  reduction  in  total  cost  of 
ownership it provides to customers. For further information 
see paragraph 1.4.1.4 “Technology and Science”;

 › Brands  Value  Creation:  The  Company  continues  to  invest 
in  expanding  the  coverage  of  each  of  its  brands  and  in 
expanding the disciplines it addresses. Within a corporation, 
the  Company’s  applications  now  cover  a  large  portion  of 
the  enterprise  employees  engaged  in  contributing  to  the 
end-consumer  product  experience,  spanning  from  design, 
engineering  and  simulation,  to  manufacturing,  quality 
assurance and compliance, and from project management, 
business planning & operations and service departments to 
marketing  and  point  of  sales.  The  Company’s  functional 
coverage  in  total  more  than  doubled  with  3DEXPERIENCE 
compared 
software  application 
portfolio.  For  further  information  see  paragraph  1.4.2 
“Dassault Systèmes' offering ”;

its  Version  5 

to 

 › Sales Channel Coverage in Geographies: the Company sees 
opportunities to grow its presence in all geographic markets. 
In order to strengthen and broaden its global footprint, the 
Company has established 12 regional field organizations to 
prioritize  and  drive  the  Company’s  growth  initiatives  at  a 
local  level.  See  paragraph  3.1.1.1  “Executive  Overview  for 
2016”  for  further  information  on  growth  by  geographic 
region;

 › Acquisitions:  in  2012,  the  Company  unveiled  its  current 
horizon, 3DEXPERIENCE, representing a potential doubling 
of  its  addressable  market,  expanded  its  purpose  and 
defined it Social Industry Experience strategy. Aligned with 
its  strategy,  the  Company  is  complementing  its  internal 
developments, 
in  particular  for  brand  value  creation, 
with  key  selected  acquisitions.  For  further  information 
see  paragraphs  1.2.2  “Investments”,  1.4.1.4  “Technology 
and Science” and 1.4.2 “Dassault Systèmes' offering  ”.

For  a  description  of  the  challenges  that  must  be  met  to 
maintain  growth,  see  paragraph  1.6.1  “Risks  Related  to  the 
Company’s Business”.

1.4.1.4 

Technology and Science

Dassault  Systèmes  has  a  clear  and  strong  commitment 
to  technological  innovation.  Important  principal  areas  of 
investment  in  R&D  include  the  3DEXPERIENCE  business 
platform  foundations  and  services;  Modeling  Technologies 
(3D, systems engineering, natural resources and biosystems); 
technologies  for  product,  production  and  usage  realistic 
simulation;  intelligent  information  technologies  including 
indexing,  dashboarding  and  data  science;  and  connectivity 
technologies for social and structured collaboration. Moreover, 
the  Company’s  R&D  efforts  are  centered  on  advancing 

its  relationships  with  system 

Since its founding in 1981 the Company has worked in close 
partnership with other professionals in software development 
and  technology,  in  sales  and  marketing,  in  services  and 
in  education  and  research.  More  recently,  the  Company 
has  extended 
integrators 
with  strong  industry  expertise  and  regional  presence  for 
both  sales  and  service  engagements.  Moreover,  the  Group 
is  engaging  with  its  ecosystem,  working  with  more  than 
400  software  development  partners  building  applications 
complementing  its  software  applications  as  well  as  working 
with  key  technology  partners.  Looking  to  the  future, 
Dassault  Systèmes  has  had  a  long-standing  commitment 
and is actively growing connections with academic, research 
and medical organizations around the world, working to use 
3D to enable an improved learning environment for students 
throughout  the  world  and  to  collaborate  in  accelerating  the 
creation of new software dedicated to help the digital world 
improve the real world.

1.4.1.3  Growth Strategy

Based upon the Company’s mission, business strategy and its 
software  portfolio,  Dassault  Systèmes  has  estimated  that  it 
has  a  current  addressable  software  market  of  approximately 
$24  billion.  The  Company’s  growth  drivers  are  centered  in 
three  main  areas:  Build  on  Value  with  the  3DEXPERIENCE 
platform,  industry  focus  and  cloud/mobile  apps;  Domain 
Leadership  through  Brand  Value  Creation  and  Improve 
Efficiency leveraging its sales channel coverage.

 › 3DEXPERIENCE  Platform:  The  3DEXPERIENCE  platform 
has  two  potential  opportunities.  The  first  is  focused  on 
being  an  operating  platform,  applicable  to  all  employees 
within  an  enterprise.  The  second  opportunity  longer  term 
is to become  a trading platform connecting customers and 
partners;

 › Industry  Focus:  through  its  focus  on  developing  specific 
solutions for each of the 12 vertical industries it addresses, 
including 
its  Industry  Solution  Experiences,  processes 
and  roles,  the  Company  sees  opportunities  to  expand  its 
presence in each of the industrial sectors it targets including 
through  coverage  of  new  sub-segments  within  its  target 
industries.  For  further  information,  see  paragraph  1.4.2.2 
“3DEXPERIENCE Industries Served”;

 › Cloud  and  Mobile  Applications:  with  the  Company’s 
3DEXPERIENCE  platform  utilizing   on  line   V6  architecture, 
the  Company  is  positioned  to  grow  through  its  Cloud  and 
Mobile offerings. The Company believes that it will become 
a growth driver with the progressive roll-out of its services 

16 ANNUAL REPORT 2016  DASSAULT SYSTÈMES

Presentation of the Group 
Business Activities

1

1

breakthrough user experiences, and expanding the reach of its 
portfolio with native cloud, mobility and immersive solutions.

3DEXPERIENCE  business  platform,  based  on  the  V6  organic 
architecture

Since  inception  in  1981,  the  Company  has  introduced  six 
versions of its architecture, the most recent of which is V6. The 
V6 software architecture is the foundation of the revolutionary 
3DEXPERIENCE  Industry  Solutions  portfolio  that  offer  end-
to-end  and  integrated  scientific,  engineering,  marketing, 
manufacturing and business capabilities and services. This is 
a unique holistic business-oriented platform.

These solutions are based upon the 3DEXPERIENCE platform 
offering the following services:

 › 3D  Dashboarding  Technologies  and  Services:  The 
3DEXPERIENCE platform provides capabilities to dashboard, 
monitor  and  summarize  all  enterprise  and  business 
activities.  With  semantics  and  6W  (why;  what;  where; 
when;  who;  and  how)  tagging  technologies,  the  platform 
provides  unique  ways  of  compassing  any  businesses  with 
real-time  streamed  media  and  information  in  a  context-
aware, managed and intuitively-experienced fashion;

 › social  Collaboration  Technologies  and  Services:  The 
3DEXPERIENCE  platform  allows  any  business  to  become 
social, extending from structured program and organization 
to  social  and  open  communities.  The  technology  and 
services allow seamless integration of communities, people, 
rich profiles and media with access control and best of breed 
practices  (project  management,  ideation,  wikis,  blogs, 
suggestion engines, distributed open innovation);

 › technologies and Services for Enterprise Data and Assets: 
The 3DEXPERIENCE platform integrates Dassault Systèmes’ 
brands  and  industry  offerings,  with  the  semantic  breadth 
representation and deepness to handle any kind of data and 
corporate  Intellectual  Property  for  any  product,  nature  or 
life  data  sets.  These  dedicated  technologies  and  services 
help enable unique experiences for social industries in terms 
of modeling, lifecycle management and data protection for 
all social industries; Unique Cobot (collaborative robot) and 
Automation  technologies  and  services  moreover  enable 
digitized  enterprises  to  scale  up  to  the  next  level  and 
reach  a  productivity/reactivity  dimension  at  the  heart  of 
tomorrow’s competitive challenges;

 › cloud  Technologies  and  Services:  The  3DEXPERIENCE 
platform  provides  cloud-based  workspaces  services  and 
technologies to enable secured, concurrent, and controlled 
online collaborative environments to share, and innovate on 
any  IP.  This  technology  is  unique,  optimized  for  big  data 
and available for remote usage for a wide variety of industry 
practices;

 › experiences  Play  Technologies  and  Services:  The 
3DEXPERIENCE  platform  aims  at  providing  real-time, 
realistic 3D experiences. The Play Technologies and Services 
deliver  unmatched  visualization,  execution,  interactivity, 
and scenarios experience in heterogeneous virtual universes.

3D Modeling Technologies

The Company’s DNA to model and represent as scientifically 
accurate as possible products, nature and life has given birth 
to  a  unique  portfolio  of  modeling  technologies  and  services 
ranging from 3D Modeling to Systems Logical and Functional 
Modeling.  This  applies  to  a  wide  spectrum  of  applicative 
domains  from  Smart/Connected  Products  to  urban  systems, 
to natural resources, to biological systems and chemistry.

Virtual + Real Technologies

ranging 

3DEXPERIENCE 
is  made  possible  by  real-time  realistic 
simulation  of  virtual  universes.  The  Company  has  therefore 
made  significant  investments  in  technologies  and  services, 
enabling  simulation 
from  product’s  complex 
behaviors; 
factory  and  production  systems  execution; 
additive  manufacturing;  logistics  operations  and  consumer 
usages  in  everyday  life.  This  relies  on  unique  assets  for 
complexity  management  and  distributed  massive  multiscale, 
multi-discipline  simulation  execution  and  experience  run.
Specifically,  the  integration  among   design,  simulation  and 
digital  manufacturing  makes  it  possible  to  optimize  product 
design  depending  on  the  manufacturing  process  (including 
3D  printing)  and  constraints  of  robustness,  weight  and 
production costs that final product has to fulfil. 

Intelligent Information Technologies

Thanks  to  the  Company’s  EXALEAD’s  unique  technologies, 
Dassault Systèmes  has significantly expanded its indexing and 
search capabilities technology with an important search-based 
infrastructure for the development of information intelligence 
applications.  The  Company’s  search-based  applications 
combine  the  sophisticated  search  and  access  typically 
associated  with  databases  with  the  speed,  scalability  and 
simplicity of the Web. This allows the 3DEXPERIENCE platform 
customers to tackle very big data challenges and benefit from 
next  generation  technologies  to  search,  sort,  filter,  navigate 
and understand data. The real-time dashboarding technologies 
provided by Netvibes are in that regard a unique combination 

DASSAULT SYSTÈMES  ANNUAL REPORT 2016 17

1 Presentation of the Group 

Business Activities

for  all  businesses  consuming  and  producing  massive  sets  of 
information. Finally, leveraging the ultimate new data science 
learning  technologies,  the  3DEXPERIENCE 
and  machine 
p latform  offers  unique  model  based  supervised  data  science 
capabilities, to understand, analyse, correlate, infer, describe, 
predict and prescript very complex information. The Company 
believes that this profound dialogue between the virtual world 
and  intelligent  information  is  unique  to  Dassault  Systèmes 
and cannot be found elsewhere.

Connectivity Technologies

The  3DEXPERIENCE  platform  is  serving  the  Company’s 
social industry experience strategy. With unique connectivity 
technologies  and  services,  allowing  people  and  communities 
to  connect  in  a  secure  and  controlled  environment,  with 
mobility and online hybrid environments, it enables a new era 
of innovation on extended ecosystems and fosters a truly open 
platform innovation for all businesses. It also enables improved 
project  management,  conformity  to  standards,  process 
certification for customers and value chain relationships.

Software, Technology and Science Partners

The  Company  has  established  long-standing,  scientific  and 
technical collaborations with key partners in order to maximize 
the benefits from available technology and increase the value 
for shared customers. The Company’s research and technology 
alliances  are  established  with  three  objectives:  to  cover  end-
to-end  solutions  with  holistic  offerings;  to  participate  to 
the  future  structure  of  industries;  and  to  integrate  the  most 
advanced  features  of  these  technologies  into  its  solutions. 
Further, Dassault Systèmes is a participant in several hundred 
public-private  projects  (for  example  with  DARPA,  Harvard, 
INRIA,  INSERM,  MIT),  collaborates  with  renowned  scientists 
(including Nobel Prize winners) and is engaged in technology 
partnerships  across  the  12  industries  (and  industry  sub-
segments) it serves.

Finally,  the  Company  has  software  development  partners 
working  in  each  domain  of  its  software  solutions.  The 
Company’s  global  affiliate  program  enables  developers  to 
create and market their own applications fully integrated with 
and complementary to the Company’s software solutions.

1.4.2  Dassault Systèmes' offering 

1.4.2.1  Overview

In  connection  with  the  Company’s  3DEXPERIENCE  strategy 
and  reflecting  its  broad  software  applications  capabilities, 
the  Company  has  organized  itself  along  three  axes:  (i)  a 
strategy to cover customer processes based upon an industry-
focused  set  of  offerings,  “Industry  Solution  Experiences” 
based upon the Company’s underlying software applications 
portfolio,  content  and  services;  (ii)  a  domain-focused  group 
of  software  applications  organized  by  brand  in  order  to 
ensure  a  strong  focus  on  the  satisfaction  of  end-user  needs; 
and  (iii)  a  global-local-specialized  organization  in  order  to 
leverage its global strengths, while at the same time ensuring 
a  strong  local  understanding  and  field  operations.  See  also 
paragraph 1.4.1.3 “Growth Strategy”.

1.4.2.2 

3DEXPERIENCE Industries Served

The  Company’s  global  customer  base  includes  companies  in 
12  industrial  sectors:  Transportation  &  Mobility;  Industrial 
Equipment;  Aerospace  &  Defense;  Financial  &  Business 
Services; High-Tech; Life Sciences; Energy, Process & Utilities; 
Consumer  Goods  &  Retail;  Natural  Resources;  Architecture, 
Engineering  &  Construction;  Consumer  Packaged  Goods  & 
Retail  and  Marine  &  Offshore.  Commencing  in  2012,  the 
Company’s go-to-market strategy moved to an industry focus 

from the previous brand focus. Today, the Company has the 
largest Industry Solution Experiences portfolio powered by the 
3DEXPERIENCE platform on the market. Its Industry Solution 
Experiences  are  designed  to  address  key  business  processes 
of  the  respective  individual  industry  and  are  comprised  of 
industry  process  experiences  and  user  roles  matching  up  to 
those of the respective industry.

For its latest full fiscal year 2016, the composition of end-user 
software  revenue  by  major  industry  was  approximately  as 
follows: Transportation & Mobility about 31% (32% in 2015); 
Industrial Equipment about 16% (15% in 2015); Aerospace & 
Defense  about  13%  (14%  in  2015);  Business  Services  about 
10%  (9%  in  2015);  Diversification  Industries  represented 
about 31% of software revenue in 2016, compared to about 
30% in 2015 and 28% in 2014.

Outlined  below  are  several  examples  of  the  Company’s 
customer engagements:

Leveraging  3DEXPERIENCity  to  improve  city  experiences  of 
residents, business and government

The  National  Research  Foundation,  Prime  Minister’s 
Office,  Singapore,  and  Dassault  Systèmes   have  formed 
a  cooperation  agreement  to  develop  Virtual  Singapore,  a 
realistic  and  integrated  three-dimensional  (3D)  model  with 
semantics  and  attributes  in  the  virtual  space  building  upon 

18 ANNUAL REPORT 2016  DASSAULT SYSTÈMES

Presentation of the Group 
Business Activities

1

1

Dassault Systèmes’ 3DEXPERIENCity to create a dynamic, 3D 
digital  model  of  Singapore  and  connect  all  stakeholders  in  a 
secured and controlled environment.

In one of the world’s most ambitious information technology 
initiatives , the city-state is building a system that will virtualize 
the buildings, infrastructures, green spaces and almost every 
aspect of city life and then display the results as an interactive, 
3D replica.

With  this  parallel  virtual  universe ,  Singapore,  will  be  able 
to  improve  city  experiences  of  residents,  business  and 
government. Users will be able to digitally explore the impact 
of  urbanization  on  the  city-state  and  develop  solutions  that 
optimize  logistics,  governance  and  operations  related  to 
environmental  and  disaster  management, 
infrastructure, 
homeland security or community services

Accelerating New Product Development Timeframe in Financial 
Business Services

In Financial Business Services, BNP Paribas Securities Services, 
adopted Dassault Systèmes’ 3DEXPERIENCE platform and its 
Innovation Factory industry solution experience to accelerate 
the  “Ideas  to  Sales”  process  which  includes  end-to-end 
financial products management.

BNP  Paribas  Securities  Services  needed  to  optimize  the 
productivity of its product development processes to address 
the  complexities  of  a  changing  financial  sector  under 
reinforcing regulatory regimes.

With  the  3DEXPERIENCE  platform  BNP  Paribas  Securities 
Services can streamline global collaboration, redeploy existing 
services  and  components  to  develop  new  financial  products 
with  agility,  ensure  that  these  products  are  regulation-
compliant  and 
reducing 
time  to  market.  The  company  can  also  better  collect  and 
capture  insights  from  the  market  to  improve  and  accelerate 
communication  with  their  client,  and  fuel  the  portfolio  of 
innovation initiatives. 

improve  competitiveness  by 

 Improving  Manufacturing  in  Industrial  Equipment  Thanks  to 
Digital Continuity

Doosan  Infracore  chose  Dassault  Systèmes’  3DEXPERIENCE 
platform  for  product  development,  multi-site  collaboration 
and manufacturing simulation.

To become one of the top three global machinery suppliers by 
2020,  Doosan  Infracore  wanted  to  improve  the  productivity 
and product quality of its 14 subsidiaries and R&D centers in 
the U.S., China, Norway and the Czech Republic.

With the 3DEXPERIENCE platform, Doosan Infracore expects 
to  reduce  product  development  time  thanks  to  concurrent 
engineering, cut errors and rework during production phase up 
to 90%,  and enhance data protection via a common database.

Leveraging  Virtual  Reality  to  Create  an  Immersive  Sales 
Experience

The  luxury  division  of  PSA  Group,  DS  Automobiles,  selected 
Dassault  Systèmes’  3DEXPERIENCE  p latform  and  its  Virtual 
Garage  Industry  Solution  Experience  to  create  its  immersive 
experience DS Virtual Vision.

DS  Automobiles  wanted  to  develop  a  digital  system  of 
communication, distribution and sales.

DS  Virtual Vision allows DS Automobiles’   clients to customize 
their car mixing and matching 3 million personalizations and 
then visualize it in a  totally immersive 3D  environment.

To  deepen  its  penetration  of  each  industry,  the  Company 
undertakes  the  continuing  development  of  industry-specific 
solutions,  both  through 
internal  development  and  by 
acquisition, and increasing its expertise through partnerships 
with  leading  companies  and  system  integrators  and  the 
addition of specialized direct sales and sales partners.

Through strategic alliances with leading IT system integrators, 
service  providers  and  consulting  firms  with  deep  expertise 
in  industry  processes,  the  Company’s  Industry  Solution 
Partnerships  provide  innovative  solutions  and  services  by 
industry  or  industrial  segment  to  address  clients’  business 
challenges.  Based  on  their  strong  competence  in  industries 
and application domains as well as their regional expertise, in 
conjunction with Dassault Systèmes’ products and solutions, 
these  partners  help  to  deliver  innovative  solutions  that 
customers need for success in their business.

See paragraph 1.2.2 “Investments”.

1.4.2.3 

3DEXPERIENCE Platform and 
3DEXPERIENCE Industry Solutions

3DEXPERIENCE Platform
The  3DEXPERIENCE  platform  and  apps  are  purpose  built 
to  digitalize  the  entire  customer  innovation  journey,  with 
capabilities to analyze, design, simulate, engineer and deliver 
product  experiences.  The  platform  enables  innovators  to 
develop  a  deep  understanding  of  their  customer’s  products 
operating  environment  by  analyzing  social  and  usage 

DASSAULT SYSTÈMES  ANNUAL REPORT 2016 19

1 Presentation of the Group 

Business Activities

information  in  a  unique  data-driven  approach.  Enterprises 
can then model, simulate and optimize their offerings to best 
suit each customer experience. During the product operating 
lifecycle, this model is enriched with valuable insights gleaned 
from  the  usage  data,  setting  the  stage  for  the  next  cycle  of 
innovation.

A single user interface – the 3D Compass – provides easy-to-
use navigation, search, and collaboration in the 3DEXPERIENCE 
platform environment that is extensible to any discipline in a 
company  –  engineering,  manufacturing,  simulation,  sales, 
marketing, finance, procurement, and management.

Key differentiating attributes of the 3DEXPERIENCE platform 
include:

 › Digitally Connected: the 3DEXPERIENCE platform is about 
eliminating  silos  within  companies,  moving  from  a  static, 
filed-based world to a digitally connected world, where live 
data drives innovation, processes and business-decisions.

 › Data Driven: Data is at the heart of product innovation and is 
now the ultimate monetizable asset. However this data sits 
across  many  disparate  systems  today  at  many  companies 
and is not readily visible nor is the data an easily available 
corporate asset. Capabilities of the 3DEXPERIENCE platform 
enable  the  indexation  of  data  across  different  systems, 
discover  meaning  through  semantics  and  create  a  new 
class  of  data-driven  applications,  in  order  to  leverage  the 
data of an enterprise. Further, data is not just what’s in the 
enterprise; there’s a lot of relevant data on the internet and 
with the Company’s Netvibes and Exalead technologies and 
apps,  enterprises  can  use  these  applications  to  help  them 
extract data from the internet to improve their innovation, 
products, their brands and their consumers experiences.

 › Model-based:  Such  an   approach  is  at  the  core  of  the 
3DEXPERIENCE  platform  and 
is  valuable  to  ensure 
innovation  effectiveness.  The  innovation  process  typically 
calls for multiple models of varying degrees of fidelity and 
a  variety  of  simulation  techniques.  Early  in  the  process,  a 
low fidelity model is employed to understand the systems 
interactions  and  behavior;  while  later  as  the  product 
definition  matures,  higher  fidelity  models  are  adopted 
to  guide  optimization  along  often-conflicting  functional 
attributes  and  cost.  This  model-based  approach  is  not 
confined  to  the  research  phase;  it  is  employed  in  many 
activities across the enterprise. For example, planners define 
the  process  model  and  simulate  the  assembly  operations 
to  meet  cycle-time  constraints;  service  engineers  define 
reliability  models  to  guide  maintenance  planning.  Thus,  a 

model of the entire product from conception to operations 
is built during product development.

 › Virtual + Real:  Virtual  models  can  be  correlated  with 
actual  behavior  during  the  operating  life  of  the  product. 
The  knowledge  gained  from  this  correlation  can  be 
used  to  enhance  the  fidelity  of  the  virtual  models.  Any 
enhancements  required  in  the  operating  product  is  first 
simulated  in  the  virtual  model,  fine-tuned  and  optimized, 
before incorporating in the real world. In fact, the accuracy of 
the simulation can be significantly enhanced by connecting 
the virtual model to physical systems, also called Hardware 
in  the  Loop.  When  the  physical  systems  are  assembled, 
they  are  just  a  twin  of  the  model.  The  real  and  virtual 
worlds reinforce each other – modelling and simulating the 
real  world  virtually  and  enhancing  the  virtual  model  with 
experiences from the real world.

See paragraph 1.4.1.4 “Technology and Science”.

1.4.2.4 

3DEXPERIENCE Software 
Applications Portfolio – Addressing 
the Needs of its User Communities

Dassault  Systèmes’  3DEXPERIENCE  software  applications 
portfolio  is  designed  to  enable  the  powering  of  3D  realistic 
is  comprised  of  3D  modeling 
virtual  experiences  and 
applications,  simulation  applications,  social  and  collaborative 
applications,  and 
intelligence  applications. 
The  Company  has  successively  expanded  its  portfolio  of 
applications and organizes them by brand internally in order 
to maintain a strong research and development focus on the 
users served by these applications. All of the Company’s major 
brands are world leaders in their respective disciplines.

information 

The Company continues to expand its brands and create new 
brands to meet the evolving needs of existing and new users 
across  its  expanded  addressable  market.  Dassault  Systèmes’ 
investments in research and development, as well as targeted 
acquisitions,  enable  the  Company  to  deepen  and  broaden 
its  offerings  for  customers  as  well  as  to  bring  its  significant 
assets  to  help  advance  innovation  in  other  target  domains 
and  industries.  These  investments  advance  the  Company’s 
brand  portfolio  and  have  led  to  the  introduction  of  new 
brands.  In  2014  the  Company  introduced  two  new  brands: 
(i) BIOVIA, focused on science driven industries to help them 
introduce  scientific  innovation  in  the  biologic,  chemical  and 
material  sciences;  and  (ii)  3DEXCITE,  focused  on  helping 
companies across core and other industries create marketing 
materials  from  virtual  product  representations.  Acquisitions 
in  2016  further  strengthened  the  Company’s  multiscale 

20 ANNUAL REPORT 2016  DASSAULT SYSTÈMES

and  multiphysics  simulation  capabilities  as  well  as 
manufacturing applications portfolio.

its 

3D Modeling Applications

SOLIDWORKS – Inspiring Innovation
SOLIDWORKS   applications  cover  all  aspects  of  the  product 
development  process  with  a  seamless,  integrated  workflow 
for  design,  simulation,  technical  communication  and  product 
data management. Designers and engineers can span multiple 
disciplines  with  ease,  shortening  the  design  cycle,  increasing 
productivity and delivering innovative products to market faster.

SOLIDWORKS   software applications are easy to learn and use 
and  work  together  to  help  professionals  to  design  products 
better,  faster,  and  more  cost  effectively.  The  SOLIDWORKS   
focus  on  ease  of  use  allows  more  engineers,  designers  and 
other  technology  professionals  than  ever  before  to  take 
advantage of 3D in bringing their designs to life.

Key disciplines include:

 › 3D  Design:  3D  design  applications  for  rapid  creation  of 
parts, assemblies, and 2D drawings with minimal training. 
Application-specific  tools  for  sheet  metal,  weldings, 
surfacing,  and  mold  tool  and  die  make  it  easy  to  deliver 
best-in-class designs.

Presentation of the Group 
Business Activities

1

1

 › Electrical  Design:  SOLIDWORKS    Electrical  applications 
provide a range of electrical system design functionality to 
meet the needs of design professionals. All project design 
data is synchronized with real-time, bi-directional updates 
between schematics and the 3D model. Powerful schematic 
design  tools  quickly  develop  embedded  electrical  systems 
for machines or products.

 › Product  Data  Management:  SOLIDWORKS   product  data 
management applications help professionals to get design 
data under control and substantially improve the way teams 
manage and collaborate on product development.

 › Simulation:  SOLIDWORKS    offers  a  comprehensive  suite 
of  simulation  applications  to  set  up  virtual  real-world 
environments to test product designs before manufacture. 
Tests can be conducted against a broad range of parameters 
during  the  design  process  –  like  durability,  static  and 
dynamic response, motion of assembly, heat transfer, fluid 
dynamics, and plastics injection molding.

 › SOLIDWORKS  3DEXPERIENCE  solutions:  SOLIDWORKS    
on  the  3DEXPERIENCE  platform  delivers  a  new  design 
experience  focused  on  enabling 
its  users  to  create 
innovative  products  in  a  connected  and  truly  collaborative 
environment. SOLIDWORKS  3DEXPERIENCE solutions help 
users  easily  develop,  review,  and  select  mechanical  and 
stylized concepts before committing to detailed design and 
manufacturing.

 › Technical  communication:  SOLIDWORKS     Composer  allows 
users  to  easily  repurpose  existing  3D  design  data  to  more 
rapidly create and update high quality graphical assets for 
product  deliverables,  including  documentation,  technical 
illustrations, animations, and interactive 3D experiences.

In  addition  to  the  products  it  offers  to  SOLIDWORKS     users, 
SOLIDWORKS     operates  a  development  partnership  program 
bringing  together  companies  supplying  complementary 
products that are either compatible with or tightly integrated. 
Through  this  program,  over  300  compatible  products  have 
been  made  available  to  customers  in  many  functional  areas, 
including manufacturing, rapid prototyping and mold design.

CATIA – Shape The World We Live In
“CATIA is Dassault Systèmes’ pioneer brand and the world’s 
leading  solution  for  3D  product  design  and  innovation” 
(source: CIMdata, July 2016).

CATIA  addresses  the  complete  development  and  innovation 
process, from early concept definition to delivering interactive 

DASSAULT SYSTÈMES  ANNUAL REPORT 2016 21

 
1 Presentation of the Group 

Business Activities

virtual product experiences. Providing innovators with “state 
of  the  art”  user  experiences,  the  complete  Brand  portfolio 
covers from design to engineering, and from styling to systems 
modeling,  within  a  single  integrated  platform.  CATIA  shifts 
traditional  3D  CAD  (Computer  Aided  Design)  expectations, 
delivering  high-end  solutions  adapted  to  imagine  and  shape 
a  human  centric  connected  world.  In  alignment  with  its 
mission,  CATIA  proposes  the  capacity  to  design  products  in 
context of their intrinsic usage, ultimately enabling innovator 
communities  to  virtually  experience  and  share  their  vision. 
So by being able to model all disciplines as well as behaviors, 
designers  have  the  power  to  create  the  next  generation  of 
connected experiences.

Generative  Multi-Physics  driven  design,  unifies  modeling, 
simulation  and  optimization  in  a  single  environment.  This  is 
a  step-change  in  product  engineering  efficiency,  removing 
bottlenecks which in the past made it cost-prohibitive to explore 
optimized  parts.  Now,  a  streamlined  and  intuitive  workflow 
allows  non-expert  designers  to  achieve  expert  results  at  the 
push of a button with the automatic generation of function-
driven conceptual shapes and previously unimaginable organic 
shapes.

This is all achieved in a single environment and creates fully 
usable 3D geometry which can be directly refined and shared 
on  the  3DEXPERIENCE  p latform  by  all  disciplines,  enabling 
seamless  collaboration  between  design,  simulation  and 
manufacturing engineers.

3DEXPERIENCE CATIA delivers:

 › a  social  design  environment  driving  product  experience 

innovation, providing real collaborative features;

 › an instinctive user experience, powered by state of the art 

and intuitive 3D modeling functionalities;

 › an  inclusive  experience  development  platform,  easily 
integrated with both modern and legacy tools, enabling all 
relevant communities to participate to the design process.

 › CATIA Design: Delivering Advantage by Design

Successful  product  designs  evoke  positive  emotional 
responses  from  their  consumers.  Creative  designers  need 
software  solutions  that  enable  them  to  easily  craft  such 
products,  while  collaborating  with  engineering  on  the  same 
functional  scope.  CATIA  addresses  the  entire  shape  design, 
styling,  and  surfacing  workflow,  from  Creative  &  Industrial 
Design to Class-A surfacing and Creative Experience. Intuitive 
shape design solutions deliver flexibility to simplify the design 
of  any  kind  of  complex  shape,  with  advanced  functionality 
like  reverse  engineering,  real-time  diagnostics,  unified 

surface  modeling,  rapid  propagation  of  design  changes,  and 
ultra  high-end  realtime  visualization.  CATIA  enables  creative 
designers,  design  studios,  and  engineering  departments  to 
easily and concurrently collaborate and optimize both product 
aesthetics and engineering.

 › CATIA Engineering: Engineering Excellence

CATIA  Engineering  enables  the  creation  of  any  type  of 
3D components and assemblies for all engineering processes. 
It addresses the requirements of a complete range of industries 
and processes, covering from cast and forged parts, to plastic 
injection & molding operations, up to composites part design 
and manufacturing, sheet metal parts design or even advanced 
fastening  operations.  Engineers  rely  on  CATIA  3D  Modeling 
capabilities to define complete mechanical products, including 
functional  tolerances,  3D  annotations  as  well  as  kinematics. 
Highly adapted roles in CATIA empower engineers to deliver 
greatly  improved  productivity,  not  only  during  mechanical 
design completion, but also when performing design changes 
for new releases.

 › CATIA  Systems  Engineering:  Creating  the  internet  of 

Experiences

Within  an  increasingly  connected  world,  the  complexity 
of  embedded  systems  continues  to  grow.  The  definition, 
modelling  and  simulation  of  individual  systems,  as  well  as 
their interaction with other systems, are becoming strategic. 
Systems Engineering is essential to avoid detecting unexpected 
system  interactions  during  the  validation  and  verification 
phases  of  the  product  development  process.  CATIA  Systems 
Engineering  delivers  a  complete  portfolio,  fully  supporting 
cross-discipline  systems  engineering 
including  Electrical 
and  Fluidic  systems,  covering  from  systems  definition  up  to 
modeling,  simulation,  and  verification.  Within  this  solution, 
CATIA provides a unified and integrated approach to systems 
engineering that manages the overall development process of 
cross  discipline  definition  of  the  many  relationships  existing 
between different systems artifacts that are defining today’s 
complex products.

GEOVIA – Virtual Planet
GEOVIA  provides  business,  government  and  individuals  with 
3DEXPERIENCE   universes  to  model  and  simulate  the  Earth 
from the vast expanse of the geosphere to the smallest details 
of urban settlements.

The dramatic increase of the world’s urban population affects 
the  entire  planet,  causing  a  rapid  change  in  the  geosphere, 
and a limited availability of global resources.

22 ANNUAL REPORT 2016  DASSAULT SYSTÈMES

GEOVIA  supports  the  sustainable  capture,  use  and  re-use  of 
natural resources across the planet, including minerals, fresh 
water,  air,  oil  and  gas,  and  various  other  forms  of  energy. 
From mining to urbanization, GEOVIA delivers innovations to 
improve people’s life.

Mining
In  mining,  GEOVIA’s  customers  are  increasing  productivity, 
efficiency, and safety during the identification and extraction 
of natural resources. At the same time, they are also achieving 
a greater level of production predictability and sustainability. 
With  GEOVIA,  geologists,  mining  engineers,  operations 
managers,  and  executives  improve  how  they  model,  plan, 
optimize  and  understand  mining  performance  to  increase 
profitability.

including: 
GEOVIA’s  software  spans  all  mining  phases, 
exploration and evaluation; mine planning; optimization; and 
mine production. Its applications include:

 › Geology  and  Mine  Planning:  GEOVIA  Surpac,  GEOVIA 
GEMS,  and  GEOVIA  Minex  enable  mineral  deposits  to  be 
modeled and their extraction to be designed and planned in 
3D. GEOVIA PCBC provides specific solutions for modeling 
and planning underground block cave deposits;

 › Optimization and Scheduling: GEOVIA Whittle links business 
strategy to mine optimization by examining the viability of 
mineral  deposits  in  consideration  of  mine  designs,  mining 
equipment,  and  economic  factors  for  strategic  mine 
planning.  GEOVIA  MineSched  further  refines  the  mine 
planning & scheduling cycle by developing tactical medium 
term and short term plans for practical execution;

 › Secure, Remote Collaboration: GEOVIA Hub provides secure 
remote collaboration that organizes, centralizes and enables 
the reliable sharing of exploration, planning, and production 
data over low-bandwidth connections;

 › Mine  Production  Management:  GEOVIA  InSite  increases 
the  confidence  in  a  company’s  operations’  ability  to  meet 
production targets, manage costs, and improve efficiencies 
to deliver expected results to stakeholders.

Cities
During 2014 the Company unveiled GEOVIA 3DEXPERIENCity, 
with the objective to help potential clients improve the quality 
of life for the citizens by creating better urban environments 
for  today  and  tomorrow.  With  3D EXPERIENCity,  urban 
planners  work  in  a  virtual  world  to  model  and  simulate  the 
cityscapes  and  all  components  making  up  a  city  to  improve 
its functions.

Presentation of the Group 
Business Activities

1

GEOVIA  3D EXPERIENCity  creates  unique  user  experiences 
that  holistically  model  and  analyze  all  parts  and  processes 
constituent to urban life in the geosphere.

1

Within the geosphere, human activities continuously relocate 
resources.  In  particular,  urban  settlements  are  aggregations 
and  condensation  points  capturing,  using,  and  reusing  the 
planet’s  natural  resources.  Consequently,  the  effects  of 
urbanization are not limited to the city, but rather affect the 
entire geosphere, the entire planet.

Through  3D  simulation,  the  future  can  be  displayed,  by 
actively  involving  government,  business,  and  individuals  to 
facilitate  critical  decision-making  processes  with  the  aim  to 
harmonize product, nature and life.

BIOVIA – Virtual Biosphere and Materials
BIOVIA  provides  a  scientific  collaborative  environment  for 
biological,  formulated  products  and  advanced  materials  to 
help  science-  and  process-driven  companies  develop  better 
products  faster  and  more  cost-effectively  in  regulated  and 
non-regulated environments.

is 

industry-leading  BIOVIA  portfolio 

The 
focused  on 
integrating  the  diversity  of  science,  experimental  processes, 
and information requirements across research, development, 
QA/QC,  and  manufacturing.  Capabilities  cover  scientific 
data  management;  small  molecule,  biological,  and  materials 
modeling  and  simulation;  chem-  and  bioinformatics; 
systems  biology  and  integrative  therapeutics;  collaborative 
network  research;  scientific  pipelining;  enterprise  laboratory 
management;  regulatory  and  quality  management;  process 
knowledge  and  collaboration;  and  chemical 
inventory 
management.

The  following  BIOVIA  solution  areas  integrate  the  diversity 
of  scientific  and  experimental  processes,  information  and 
compliance  requirements  across  research,  development,  QA/
QC (Quality Assurance and Quality Control) and manufacturing 
domains:

 › Collaborative Science – faster discovery and innovation by 
leveraging multi-disciplinary collaboration and knowledge-
based understanding, as well as modelling/simulation and 
predictive science;

 › Unified  Lab  Management  –  optimized  lab  operations  by 
managing  all  laboratory  workflows  and  resources  as  well 
as supporting information sharing and collaboration within 
and between laboratories, internally and externally;

 › Process  Production  Operations  –  providing  real-time,  on-
demand data access, analysis and reporting of quality and 

DASSAULT SYSTÈMES  ANNUAL REPORT 2016 23

1 Presentation of the Group 

Business Activities

process  data  to  optimize  manufacturing  processes  and 
outcomes globally and throughout the wider ecosystem;

 › Quality  and  Regulatory  Management  –  supporting 
regulatory  and  quality  operations  to  ensure  compliance 
and reduce operational risk in life sciences and other highly 
regulated industries.

BIOVIA’s  vision  is  to  allow  organizations  to  collaborate  more 
effectively  by  managing  and  sharing  scientific  information 
across  the  value  chain  from  research  to  commercialization, 
internally and externally, with the supply chain and partners. 
By managing and sharing information down to the molecular 
level, scientists can better understand chemical, biological and 
new material substances.

Content and Simulation Applications

SIMULIA – Simulation for Product, Nature and Life
SIMULIA  helps  engineers  and  designers  perform  realistic 
virtual testing to provide simulation for product, nature, and 
life – from Products such as simple parts to entire airplanes, 
to Nature such as volcano magma chambers and oil reservoir 
geomechanics, to Life such as Dassault Systèmes’ Living Heart 
Project and Virtual Human initiative.

As an integral part of the Dassault Systèmes 3DEXPERIENCE 
platform,  SIMULIA’s  applications  accelerate  the  process  of 
evaluating the performance, reliability, and safety of materials 
and  products  before  committing  to  physical  prototypes.  The 
Company’s global team of simulation experts helps customers 
meet their education, research, and development needs.

SIMULIA  has  expanded  its  technology  applications  through 
recent  acquisitions  to 
include  multiphysics  simulation; 
multiscale  simulation;  optimization;  and  simulation  process, 
lifecycle  management.  SIMULIA’s  technology 
data  and 
portfolio  includes  Abaqus,  CST,  fe-safe,  Isight,  Simpack, 
Simpoe-Mold, and Tosca.

Multiphysics Simulation
 › Structural Analysis (Finite Element Analysis): Create a virtual 
structural  model  to  predict  and  analyse  the  performance 
of  components,  sub-systems  or  systems  for  any  Industry 
applications.  In  addition  two  or  more  interacting  physical 
phenomena  within  a  virtual  prototype  such  as  fluid-
structure interaction, structural-acoustics, thermal-electric, 
and  thermal-fluid-mechanical,  among  others  can  be 
simulated as well.

 › Electromagnetic Analysis: Realistic multiphysics-multiscale 
simulation technology portfolio to include full spectrum EM 
design  simulation,  from  static  and  low  frequency  to  high 
frequency microwave and radio frequency (RF).

 › Computational Fluid Dynamics (CFD) Analysis: Gain deeper 
understanding  of  how  fluids  and  gasses  flow  through  or 
around  products  or  systems,  such  as  piping,  valves,  and 
human  blood  vessels.  SIMULIA  has  expanded  its  portfolio 
to  include  highly  dynamic  fluid  flow  simulation  based  on 
an extended Lattice Boltzmann method used in Aerospace 
and Defense, Transportation & Mobility, High-Tech, Energy, 
Process & Utilities and other industries.

 › Plastic Injection Simulation: Predict and avoid manufacturing 
defects during the earliest stages of part and mold design. 
Also  simulate  the  filling  and  packing  phases,  clamping 
forces for tools, and cooling of molds and parts, as well as 
many others.

 › Durability  and  Fatigue:  Analyze  structural  failure  and  life 
expectancy  due  to  repeated  or  random  loading  cycles. 
Also  analyze  fatigue  life  and  crack  locations  in  metals, 
elastomers, and welded joints.

Multiscale Simulation
 › Multibody Dynamics: Generate and solve virtual 3D models 
to  predict  and  visualize  motion,  forces,  and  stresses, 
including  high-frequency  transient  analyses, 
into  the 
acoustic range and complex nonlinear models with flexible 
bodies and harsh shock contact.

Optimization
 › Parametric  Optimization:  Manipulate  and  map  parametric 
data  between  process  steps  and  automate  multiple 
simulations  to  greatly  improve  efficiency,  reduce  manual 
errors,  and  accelerate  the  evaluation  of  product  design 
alternatives.

 › Topology  Optimization:  Create 

lightweight,  ready-to-
manufacture  product  designs  and  reduce  time-to-market, 
physical tests, and prototype builds.

Simulation Process, Data, and Lifecycle Management
Simulation and test data management enable to simplify the 
capture- and deploy-approved simulation methods, automate 
standard  simulation  processes,  collaborate  on  performance-
based decisions, and manage and secure simulation-generated 
intellectual property.

24 ANNUAL REPORT 2016  DASSAULT SYSTÈMES

Presentation of the Group 
Business Activities

1

from  thousands  of  other  projects,  build  their  own  concepts 
or  simply  visualize  ideas  quickly  using  dedicated  room 
configurators.

1

Social and Collaborative Applications

ENOVIA – The Place to Plan Your Definition of Success
ENOVIA  enables  companies  to  bring  together  people, 
processes,  content  and  systems 
in  planning, 
governance, product creation, development, introduction and 
maintenance.

involved 

ENOVIA  offers  a  rich  portfolio  of  collaborative  enterprise 
business process applications that leverage the 3DEXPERIENCE 
platform and facilitate business processes orchestration.

ENOVIA applications by business themes include:

 › Product Planning and Programs: ENOVIA’s applications for 
Program and Project Management, Contract Management, 
and  Design  History  File  Management  for  regulatory 
compliance  processes  address  the  need  for  informing  and 
monitoring  enterprise-wide  critical  business  processes 
leveraging invisible governance;

 › Strategic  Customer  Relationships:  ENOVIA’s  customer 
relationship  portfolio  enables  users  to  manage  and 
leverage requirements, manage the product to be delivered, 
understand  customer  needs,  and  define  point  of  sale 
experience using 3DMerchandising. These products enable 
companies to transform from designing products to creating 
customer experiences;

 › Global  Product  Development:  ENOVIA’s  applications 
eliminate 
errors  by 
costly  product  development 
enhancing  collaborative  innovation  among  the  product 
development  stakeholders.  Designers,  product  engineers, 
manufacturing  professionals  and  others  collaborating  on 
product  development  are  able  to  innovate  leveraging  bill 
of  materials,  enterprise  change  management,  design  in 
configured context and digital mock-up (DMU);

 › Strategic Supplier Relationships: ENOVIA’s users in supplier 
management, supplier quality, procurement, sourcing and 
sampling  are  able  to  leverage  applications  that  reduce  the 
latency typically found in supply chain innovation processes. 
Its  solutions  help  buyer  agents,  supplier  relationship 
managers and supplier representatives manage their most 
critical  business  processes  and  increase  the  value  addition 
of the development supply chain;

DELMIA – The World of Value-Making
An  integral  part  of  the  Dassault  Systèmes  3DEXPERIENCE 
platform is the connection between the virtual and real worlds. 
Operational  excellence  requires  harmony  across  design, 
production,  distribution,  human  resources  management 
and  processes.  DELMIA  enables  global  industrial  operations 
to:  design  and  test  the  manufacturability  of  products  in  a 
simulated,  virtual  environment;  optimize  the  supply  chain 
and factories to meet objectives; and to operate the factories, 
warehouses  and  distribution  to  manage  and  fulfill  customer 
demand.

DELMIA Digital Manufacturing solutions drive manufacturing 
innovation  and  efficiency  by  digitally  planning,  simulating, 
and  modeling  global  production  processes.  DELMIA  allows 
manufacturers  to  virtually  experience  their  entire  factory 
production.  These  simulation  activities  allow  manufacturers 
to better address and shift processes so as to quickly respond 
to  the  competition,  or  to  take  advantage  of  new  market 
opportunities.

DELMIA  Manufacturing  Operations  Management  solutions 
help improve visibility into, control over and synchronization 
across manufacturing operations and supply chain processes 
on  a  global  scale.  The  end  result  is  improved  agility  and 
expanded continuous improvement across the enterprise and 
extended global supply chain. Manufacturers leverage DELMIA 
solutions to establish a common set of operational processes 
that can be managed holistically across diverse manufacturing 
models and supply chains.

For  better  clients’  performance  and  higher  profitability, 
QUINTIQ  powers  planning,  scheduling  and  optimization 
for  complex  logistic  and  operational  processes.  It  enables 
customers  to  build  on  their  competitive  differentiators  and 
plan for profit by capturing their operational reality – down to 
the last detail, integrating supply chain and optimizing their 
workforce, factories and logistics operations. 

3DVIA – The Consumer Brand Experience
3DVIA  provides  enterprises  and  consumers,  smart  3D  space 
planning solutions that enable new ways to engage, consider, 
and make the best choice. For enterprises, 3DVIA Home offers 
home  improvement  retailers  and  brand  manufacturers  a 
cloud-based, omnichannel space planning solution to engage 
consumers,  generate  high  quality  sales  leads,  and  shorten 
sales cycle. For individuals, HomeByMe enables consumers to 
design  and  plan  home  projects  in  a  social  way  providing  an 
online space-planning service. Consumers can find inspiration 

DASSAULT SYSTÈMES  ANNUAL REPORT 2016 25

boost the bottom-line for manufacturers while innovating 
a brand’s reputation in the marketplace;

 › Computer  Generated  Imagery  Services  Highest  visual 
quality,  sophisticated  artistic  effects,  and  spellbinding 
interactive  experiences  are  what  make  the  CGI  services 
portfolio  so  unique.  The  main  categories  of  CGI  services 
include:  Stills;  Films  and  animations;  Real-time  interactive 
visuals; and Data preparation.

Information Intelligence Applications

EXALEAD – Data In Business
EXALEAD  helps  organizations  access,  analyze  and  reveal 
any  enterprise  digital 
intellectual  properties  or  external 
information,  thus  transforming  big  data  into  data  discovery 
and analytics applications.

More specifically, EXALEAD is focusing on three areas:

Sourcing & Standardization Intelligence – to drive full reuse, 
make or buy processes and enforce standardization

EXALEAD  offers  a  full  set  of  roles  to  classify  company 
assets,  identify  master  parts  for  reuse,  develop  standard 
part  initiatives  and  ensure  Engineering  selects  the  preferred 
part,  while  monitoring  over  time  the  execution  of  company 
policy.  Even  more,  Sourcing  and  Procurement  will  leverage 
these  applications  to  optimize  ordering  by  grouping  orders 
or  selecting  the  right  price  of  technically  viable  alternative 
solutions.

PLM Analytics – t o reveal, measure and analyse PLM Data

Dassault  Systèmes  has  developed   analytics  and  made  it 
applicable to PLM.  EXALEAD PLM Analytics allows customers 
to fully manage product programs, from design to traceability 
of  changes,  cost,  quality,  and  issue  intelligence.  It  provides 
leading edge self-service analytics capabilities for managers to 
collaborate on their dashboards.

1 Presentation of the Group 

Business Activities

 › Quality  and  Compliance:  ENOVIA’s  applications  support 
users  in  material  compliance,  auditing,  document,  and 
records  management.  These  applications  help  companies 
pro-actively  manage  regulatory  compliance  as  part  of  the 
product development process;

 › IP  Classification  and  Security:  ENOVIA’s  applications 
for  IP  Classification  and  Security  provide  users  with  the 
flexibility to collaborate on a global scale while maintaining 
the  security  required  for  operating  their  businesses.  This 
provides  teams  with  the  confidence  to  innovate  while 
optimizing  the  product  catalog  and  reducing  the  carrying 
cost of non-value added design inventory.

3DEXCITE – Marketing in the Age of Experience
3DEXCITE blends cutting-edge technology with an exclusive, 
creative  vision  to  bring  brand  experiences  to  life.  Broad-
spectrum  marketing  solutions  leveraged  through  online, 
mobile, or retail engagements connect the immediate to the 
immersive and set a new standard for experiential marketing 
across a multi-industry landscape.

3DEXCITE  software,  solutions,  and  computer-generated 
imagery  (“CGI”)  services  provide  premium  3D  visualizations 
in  real-time.  3DEXCITE  opens  up  creative  freedom  to  deliver 
emotional  assets  for  digital,  interactive  marketing,  and  sales 
experiences. From consulting to workflow to final visualization 
assets,  3DEXCITE  transforms  engineering  data  into  powerful 
visual experiences. 

Drawing  on  the  innovative  software  applications,  creative, 
interactive solutions cover all aspects of the customer journey. 
3DEXCITE Services, and Solutions are structured along the two 
key disciplines of Marketing and Sales:

 › 3DEXCITE  Marketing  Solutions  create  a  seamless 
interplay  between  design  and  marketing  disciplines 
to  accelerate  communication  from  early  stages,  taking 
internal awareness of a new product to a new level. Global 
agencies and marketing teams are only a mouse-click away 
from the latest visualizations of future products, allowing 
them to fine-tune for local requirements. Companies can 
plan  launch  events  and  customized  campaign  content 
even  before  a  product  is  built  –  thanks  to  cross-channel 
imagery productions based on 3D design data;

 › 3DEXCITE  Sales  Solutions  provide  the  tools  for  unique 
product experiences built on source-data created in earlier 
stages  of  the  development  process.  At  the  Point  of  Sale 
(PoS),  at  events,  online,  or  on  the  go;  3DXCITE  delivers 
digital  continuity 
integrated,  personalized 
experiences  for  the  omni-channel.  Leveraging  this 
approach  can  significantly  reduce  the  sales  cycle  and 

through 

26 ANNUAL REPORT 2016  DASSAULT SYSTÈMES

Customer Support & Service Analytics – t o reinvent customer 
support and services through Data

Companies  are  able  to  compile,  analyze  and  uncover  the 
value  of  “product-generated”  data,  combined  with  customer 
information  and   data  found  in  any  business  or  on  the  web 
systems , creating new services and enhancing competiveness 
and customer satisfaction.

With a 360-degree view of customers and analytics capabilities, 
OneCall unlocks the value of data and information, improving 
customer interaction, recommendations, and engagement.

Product  Intelligence  is  a  range  of  collaborative  search-based 
solutions developed for collecting, analyzing and capitalizing 
on information about product and machine use. Organizations 
can  manage  in  real  time  after-sales,  maintenance,  and 
customer  interactions.  Processes  are  optimized  while  new, 
innovative products and services are created.

NETVIBES – Dashboard Intelligence
NETVIBES  dashboard  intelligence  helps  enterprises  identify 
and manage everything on real-time, personalized dashboards 
designed  to  enable  better,  faster  decision-making.  All 
employees  can  understand  everything  that  matters  across 
all  internal  systems  and  across  the  social  web,  anywhere, 
anytime, on any device – all in one place. NETVIBES also goes 
beyond business intelligence with real-time, industry-specific 
social analytics and SmartTagging for gathering expert human 
opinions, and it helps users save time with automated reporting 
and  intelligent  alerts  on  what  matters.  NETVIBES  includes  a 
Dashboard  of  Things  which  enables  users  to  program  their 
business logic by automating digital activities and customizing 
individualized real-time alerts from the dashboard. By creating 
a “Potion” with specific Trigger(s) and Action(s), anyone can 
easily program automatic interactions between data, apps and 
connected devices. Through a customer-facing, programmable 
dashboard, enterprises can also empower consumers to design 
their own custom product experiences.

1.4.2.5 

Sales and Marketing

The  Company’s  customers  range  from  start-ups,  small  and 
mid-sized companies to the largest companies in the world as 
well as educational institutions and government departments. 
To  ensure  sales  and  marketing  coverage  of  all  its  customers, 
the  Company  has  developed  three  sales  and  distribution 
channels,  with  approximately  59%  of  revenue  generated 
through  direct  sales  and  41%  through  the  Company’s  two 
indirect  sales  channels  in  2016.  No  single  customer  or  sales 
channel partner represented more than 5% of the Company’s 
total revenue in 2016 and 2015.

Presentation of the Group 
Business Activities

1

1

 › 3DS  Business  Transformation  channel:  sales  to 

large 
companies  and  government  entities  are  generally 
conducted  through  the  Company’s  direct  sales  channel, 
the  3DS  Business  Transformation  channel.  Direct  sales 
represented  59%  of  the  Company’s  total  revenue  in  both 
2016 and 2015;

 › 3DS   Value  Solutions  channel: sales to small and mid-sized 
companies  are  conducted  indirectly  generally  through  the 
Company’s  Value  Solutions  channel,  a  global  network  of 
value-added  resellers  with  Industry  specialization.  This 
channel  represented  21%  of  the  Company’s  total  revenue 
in both 2016 and 2015;

 › 3DS  Professional  channel:  the  3DS  Professional  channel 
is  an  indirect  channel  focused  on  the  volume  market.  It 
is  comprised  of  a  network  of  value-added  resellers  and 
local  training, 
distributors  worldwide  providing  sales, 
services  and  support  to  customers.  Sales  through  this 
channel  represented  20%  of  the  Company’s  total  revenue 
in both 2016 and 2015.

In  addition  to  its  sales  channels,  the  Company  continues 
to  actively  develop  and  expand  relationships  with  system 
integrators with industry and domain expertise.

1.4.2.6 

Education Initiatives

its  solutions 

Dassault  Systèmes  has  had  a  long-standing  commitment 
to  education,  with 
in  more  than 
40,000  schools  around  the  world.  An  estimated  six  million 
students  have  used  the  Company’s  solutions.  Students  that 
apply  Dassault  Systèmes  tools  in  school  and  in  research  are 
well prepared for their future jobs and careers.

in  use 

As  the  3DEXPERIENCE  leader  Dassault  Systèmes  not  only 
participates  in  the  industry  digital  revolution,  but  is  also 
committed  to  helping  transform  the  world  of  education 
and  preparing  the  talents  of  today  and  for  the  future.  The 
Company  works  hand-in-hand  with  teachers  all  over  the 
world  to  develop  innovative  pedagogical  curriculum  and 
learning  experiences  through  enhanced  teaching  methods 
and 3D experiences, which will contribute to the training for 
the engineers of tomorrow. Dassault Systèmes is committed 
to help develop the 21st century global skill sets.

In  2015,  Dassault  Systèmes  successfully 
launched  the 
3DEXPERIENCE  for  Academia  on  the  Cloud.  In  addition, 
Dassault  Systèmes  has  also  invented  a  very  innovative 
pedagogical  approach  named  the  Peer  Learning  Experience. 
It  consists  of  gathering  teachers  from  various  universities 
together  and  to  have  them  co-develop  very  comprehensive 
multi-disciplinary  and  very  flexible  curricula  which  then 
become available, free of charge, for any new school joining 
the  3DEXPERIENCE  for  Academia  community.  To  do  so, 
they  use  a  methodology,  templates,  data  and  data  models 
provided by the Company which also does the overall project 
management.

DASSAULT SYSTÈMES  ANNUAL REPORT 2016 27

1 Presentation of the Group 

Business Activities

Dassault  Systèmes  put  in  place  a  new  Certification  Program 
which aims at certifying students trained on the Company’s 
solutions to ensure that they master them at a good enough 
level compatible with employers’ expectations thus maximizing 
employment and careers perspectives. That program is mostly 
based on proctored practice workbenches run on the Cloud. At 
the  end  of  2016,  there  were  approximately  80  Certification 
Centers in operation all over the world with a majority of them 
located on universities’ campuses.

Dassault  Systèmes  is  one  of  the  founders  of  key  academic 
associations  such  as  the  Global  &  European  Engineering 
Deans  Councils,  the  International  Federation  of  Engineering 
Education Societies or the Cartagena Network of Engineering.

1.4.2.7 

Competition

its  current  product  portfolio,  diversifying 

The  Company  operates  in  a  highly-competitive  marketplace. 
As  it  continues  to  broaden  its  addressable  market,  by 
expanding 
its 
client  base,  and  developing  new  applications  and  markets, 
the  Company  faces  an  increasing  level  of  competition,  from 
new  competitors  ranging  from  technology  start-ups  to  the 
largest technology and industrial companies in the world. The 

Company’s competitors generally compete with it in specific 
areas of its portfolio or in a specific set of industries, but due 
to the breadth of the Company’s activities, no single company 
competes with it across its entire scope.

The  Company’s  competitors  include  Siemens  PLM  Software 
(within Siemens Digital Factory Division), Autodesk (principally 
with respect to the Company’s SOLIDWORKS    product line) and 
PTC. Competitors also include companies focusing on specific 
domains  or  industries,  including,  among  others,  Oracle  and 
SAP with respect to ENOVIA and DELMIA software applications 
and Altair Engineering, ANSYS, and MSC Software (acquisition 
by  Hexagon  announced),  with  respect  to  SIMULIA  software 
applications.

Additional  companies,  principally  software  developers  who 
 compete occasionally directly or indirectly with the Company 
include,  among  others,  Adobe,  ARAS,  Aveva  Group,  Bentley 
Systems,  Centric  Software,  Intergraph  (owned  by  Hexagon 
AB),  JDA,  Microsoft,  Nemetschek,  Onshape,  Salesforce.com, 
and other software companies in the mining sector or offering 
information intelligence and social enterprise innovation and 
collaboration software capabilities, and developers in all areas 
of  molecular  chemistry  or  biology,  optimizing  processes  or 
digital marketing.

1.4.3  Material Contracts

Other  than  contracts  entered  into  in  the  ordinary  course  of 
business,  the  Company’s  material  contracts  are  principally 
the  distribution  agreements  with  its  value-added  resellers 
and  system  integrators,  as  described  in  paragraph  1.4.2.5 
“Sales and Marketing”,  and the strategic partnership contracts 
described in paragraph 1.4.1.4 “Technology and Science” (see 
“Software, Technology and Science Partners”).

Commencing  in  2011  Dassault  Systèmes  has  been  engaged 
with  Outscale  to  provide  Cloud  computing  infrastructure 
services  to  the  Company’s  clients.  In  addition,  the  Company 
has a minority investment in Outscale since that time.

In June 2013, Dassault Systèmes SE entered into a term loan 
facility  agreement  for  €350  million,  which  will  be  repaid  in 
July 2019. In October 2015, the Company entered into a new 
five-year  term  loan  facility  agreement,  which  maturity  can 
be  extended  by  two  additional  years,  for  €  650  million.  The 
facility was immediately fully drawn down and bears interest 

at Euribor 1 month plus 0.50% per annum. In October 2016, 
the  Company  exercised  the  option  extension  for  one  year. 
See paragraph 3.1.4 “Capital Resources” and Note 20 to the 
consolidated financial statements.

The  Company  signed  long-term  leases  (for  12  years)  for  its 
corporate headquarters in Vélizy-Villacoublay, France (the 3DS 
Paris  Campus)  in  2008  and  for  its  offices,  technology  lab 
and  data  center  in  Waltham,  outside  Boston,  United  States 
(the  3DS  Boston  Campus)  in  2010.  In  February  2013,  the 
Company  entered  into  a  new  lease  for  its  headquarters 
facilities for a non-cancelable initial term of 10 years as from 
the fourth quarter of 2016 on the date an additional building 
was  delivered.  Close  to  that  site,  the  Company  also  leases 
approximately 11,000 square meters more in a building located 
in Meudon-La-Forêt, since October 2010. In September 2016, 
3DS Boston Campus lease has been extended for 25 months 
and will end June 30, 2026. See paragraph 1.6.2.3 “Liquidity 
Risk” and Note 25 to the consolidated financial statements.

28 ANNUAL REPORT 2016  DASSAULT SYSTÈMES

Presentation of the Group 
Research and Development

1

1.5  Research and D evelopment

1

1.5.1  Overview

included 

(including  those 

At December 31, 2016, the Company’s R&D teams included 
6,375  personnel 
in  cost  of 
software), compared to 5,853 at year-end 2015, representing 
approximately  42%  of  the  Company’s  total  headcount  of 
15,133.  The  Company  increased  its  total  R&D  headcount  by 
8.9% in 2016, principally reflecting growth in R&D resources 
through acquisitions and by 5.2% in 2015 primarily through 
internal growth.

The Group has R&D facilities in the countries where its clients 
and  high -talent  employees  are  located:  in  Europe  (mainly 
France,  Germany,  the  United  Kingdom,  the  Netherlands  and 
Poland),  the  Americas  (United  States  and  Canada)  and  Asia-
Pacific (mainly India, Malaysia and Australia).

R&D expenses totaled €540.5 million for 2016, compared to 
€492.5 million for 2015, increasing 9.7%. R&D costs benefited 
from  government  grants  and  other  governmental  programs 

1.5.2 

Intellectual Property

its  technology  by  applying  a 
The  Company  protects 
combination  of  IP  rights 
including  copyrights,  patents, 
trademarks  and  trade  secrets.  The  Company  distributes  its 
software products to its customers under licenses that grant 
software utilization rights without transfer of ownership. The 
contracts contain various provisions protecting the Company’s 
IP rights over its technology, as well as related confidentiality 
rights.

The  source  code  (set  of  instructions  under  an  intelligible 
form,  and  used,  once  compiled,  to  generate  the  object  code 
licensed to clients and partners) of the Company’s products is 
protected both as a copyrighted work and as a trade secret. In 
addition, some of the key capabilities of its software products 
are protected through patents whenever possible.

However, no assurance can be given that others will not copy 
or  otherwise  obtain  and/or  use  the  Company’s  products 
or  technology  without  authorization.  In  addition,  effective 
copyright,  trade  secret,  trademark  and  patent  protection  or 
enforcement may be unavailable or limited in certain countries.

The  Company  is  nevertheless  engaged  in  an  active  policy 
against  piracy  and  takes  systematic  measures  to  prevent 
the  illegal  use  and  distribution  of  its  products,  ranging  from 
regularizing illegal use to initiating legal proceedings.

supporting  R&D  of  €29.9  million  in  2016  and  €34.8  million 
in  2015.  These  government  grants  include  research  and 
development tax credits received in France.

The  Company’s  R&D  is  conducted  in  close  cooperation  with 
customers and users in their respective industries to develop 
a  deeper  understanding  of  the  unique  business  processes  of 
these  industries  as  well  as  the  future  product  directions  and 
requirements of these industries, customers and users.

Dassault  Systèmes  is  deeply  committed  to  creating  quality 
solutions that allow its  customers to meet the critical business 
requirements  of  the  industries  in  which  they  operate.  This 
commitment  to  quality  is  evidenced  by  its   well-established 
Quality  Management  System   certified  to  ISO  9001:2015 
–  the  latest  version  of  the  standard  focusing  on  operational 
excellence and performance.

With  regard  to  trademarks,  the  Company’s  policy  is  to 
register  trademarks  for  its  principal  products  and  services 
in  the  countries  where  it  does  business.  Protection  through 
the  trademark 
international 
trademark, European Community trademarks and/or national 
registrations.

is  a  combination  of 

law 

In order to protect its technology and key product capabilities, 
the  Company  generally  files  patent  applications  in  countries 
where  many  of  its  main  customers  and  competitors  are 
located. At year-end 2016, the Company’s portfolio comprised 
468  protected  inventions,  including  39  new  inventions  in 
2016. Patents have been granted in one or more countries for 
more  than  half  these  inventions,  and  patents  for  the  others 
are pending. When a patent protection is deemed unsuitable, 
certain inventions are kept secret, with the proof of creation 
being saved. The Company also has a cross-license policy for 
patents with major players in its industry.

See  paragraph 
 1.6.1  “Risks  Related  to  the  Company’s 
Business” ,  and  particularly  paragraph   1.6.1.3   “Challenges  to 
the Company’s Intellectual Property Rights”  for the difficulties 
in  ensuring  adequate  protection  for  the  Company’s  own 
intellectual  property,  and  paragraph   1.6.1.14   “Infringement 
of Third-Party Intellectual Property Rights and of Third-Party 
Technology’s  Licenses”   for  risks  concerning  possible  third-
party  allegations  of  unauthorized  use  of  their  intellectual 
property.

DASSAULT SYSTÈMES  ANNUAL REPORT 2016 29

1 Presentation of the Group 

Risk factors

1.6  Risk factors

The Risk Factors are set out hereafter in two main categories: 
risks related to the Group’s Business (1.6.1) and financial and 
market  risks  (1.6.2).  These  are  the  main  risks  identified  as 
being material, relevant and likely to have a negative impact 
on  the  Company’s  business  and  financial  position  as  of  the 

date  on  which  this  Annual  Report  (Document de référence) 
was filed with the AMF. However, other risks not mentioned 
or  not  yet  identified  can  affect  the  Company,  its  financial 
position,  its  reputation,  its  outlook  or  the  share  price  of 
Dassault Systèmes SE.

1.6.1  Risks Related to the Company’s Business

1.6.1.1  Uncertain Global Economic 

Environment

In  light  of  the  continuing  uncertainties  regarding  economic, 
business, social and geopolitical conditions at the global level, 
the  Company’s  revenue,  net  earnings  and  cash  flows  may 
grow  more  slowly,  whether  on  an  annual  or  quarterly  basis, 
mainly due to the following factors:

 › the deployment of the Company’s solutions may represent 
a  large  portion  of  a  customer’s  investments  in  software 
technology.  Decisions  to  make  such  an  investment  are 
impacted  by  the  economic  environment  in  which  the 
customers  operate.  Uncertain  global  economic  conditions 
and  the  lack  of  visibility  or  the  lack  of  financial  resources 
may cause some customers to reduce, postpone or terminate 
their investments, or to reduce or not renew ongoing paid 
maintenance  for  their  installed  base.  Such  situations  may 
impact  the  Company’s  revenues.  This  is  particularly  the 
case  in  core  industries  (aerospace,  automotive,  industrial 
equipment),  which  represent  a  significant  portion  of  the 
Company’s revenue;

 › continued  pressure  on  raw  materials  and  energy  prices 
could also slow down the Company’s diversification efforts 
in new industries;

 › the sales cycle of the Company’s products – already relatively 
long  due  to  the  strategic  nature  of  such  investments  for 
customers  –  could  further  lengthen  due  to  the  uncertain 
global economic context; and

 › the economic and monetary situation in certain geographic 
regions  where  the  Company  operates  could  become  more 
volatile as political uncertainties increase.

The Company makes every effort to take into consideration this 
uncertain  macroeconomic  outlook.  The  Company’s  business 
results, however, may not develop as anticipated. Furthermore, 

due to factors affecting sales of the Company’s products and 
services as described above, there may be a substantial time 
lag between an improvement in global economic and business 
conditions and an upswing in the Company’s business results.

The current economic context may also adversely impact the 
financial situation or financing capabilities of the Company’s 
potential  and  existing  customers,  reseller  network  and 
technology partners, some of whom may be forced to cease 
operations  due  to  cash  flow  and  profitability  issues.  The 
Company’s  ability  to  collect  outstanding  receivables  may  be 
affected.  In  addition,  the  uncertain  economic  environment 
could  generate  increased  price  pressure,  as  customers  seek 
lower prices from various competitors, which could negatively 
impact  the  Company’s  revenue,  financial  performance  and 
market position.

Finally,  an  increase  in  tax  pressure  resulting  from  either  the 
modification of current tax regimes, the creation of new taxes 
or  more  aggressive  positions  taken  by  government  or  tax 
authorities  could  have  a  negative  effect  on  the  Company’s 
business results.

To  limit  the  impact  of  the  economic  environment  on  its 
business  and  financial  results,  the  Company  continues  to 
further  diversify  its  customer  base  through  expanding  its 
presence in new business sectors and new geographic markets 
(see  paragraph 
Information:  2016 
Compared to 2015”  for the breakdown of consolidated Group 
revenue by geographic region). It also continues to ensure that 
its costs are controlled for the entire organization.

 3.1.2  “Consolidated 

1.6.1.2 

Security of Internal Systems 
and Facilities

The  Company’s  R&D  facilities  are  computer-based  and  rely 
entirely  on  the  proper  functioning  of  complex  software  and 
integrated  hardware  systems.  However,  it  is  not  possible  to 

30 ANNUAL REPORT 2016  DASSAULT SYSTÈMES

guarantee the uninterrupted operation and complete security 
of these systems. For example, the invasion of the Company’s 
computer-based  systems  by  either  computer  hackers  or 
industrial pirates could interfere with their proper functioning 
and  cause  substantial  damage,  loss  of  data  or  delays  in  on-
going R&D activities. It could also lead to damage to or loss of 
data hosted by the Company on behalf of its customers as part 
of its cloud offerings, or to increased liability with respect to 
interrupted access to online service. Computer viruses, whether 
deliberately  or  unintentionally  introduced,  could  also  cause 
similar  damage,  loss  or  delays.  The  increasing  use  of  mobile 
devices  (cellular  telephones,  tablets  and  portable  computers) 
linked  to  certain  of  the  Company’s  computer  systems  tends 
to increase the risk of unauthorized access as a result of their 
loss or theft.

In addition, because the Company’s key facilities are located 
in  a  limited  number  of  sites,  including  Japan  and  California, 
which  may  be  exposed  to  earthquakes,  substantial  physical 
damage to any one of the Company sites, by natural causes or 
by terrorist attack or local violence, could materially reduce its 
ability to continue its normal business operations.

If  any  of  these  circumstances  were  to  arise,  the  resulting 
damage, loss or delays could have a material negative impact 
on the Company’s business, results of operations and financial 
condition, as well as its reputation.

In order to reduce this risk, the Company therefore maintains 
an IT security framework, including intrusion protection, data 
storage back-up and restricted access to critical and sensitive 
information, and also subscribes to insurance policies covering 
these risks (see paragraph  1.6.3 “Insurance” ).

Access to sites and security of employees traveling to specific 
countries is also monitored.

1.6.1.3 

Challenges to the Company’s 
Intellectual Property Rights

is  heavily  dependent  upon 

The  Company’s  success 
its 
proprietary  software  technology.  The  Company  relies  on  a 
combination of copyright, patent, trademark, trade secret law 
and contractual restrictions to protect the proprietary aspects 
of its technology. These legal protections don’t provide a full 
coverage  of  the  Company’s  products  and  can  be  breached 
by  third  parties.  In  addition,  effective  copyright,  patent, 
trademark and trade secret protection may be unavailable or 
limited in certain countries where IP rights are less protected 
than  in  the  United  States  or  Western  Europe.  If,  despite  the 
Company’s  strategies  for  protecting  its  IP,  certain  third-

Presentation of the Group 
Risk factors

1

1

parties are able to develop similar technology, a reduction in 
the  Company’s  software  revenues  may  result.  Furthermore, 
although the Company entered into confidentiality and license 
agreements  with 
its  employees,  distributors,  customers 
and  potential  customers,  and  limits  access  to  and  carefully 
controls  the  distribution  of  its  software,  documentation 
information,  the  measures  taken 
and  other  proprietary 
may  be  inappropriate  to  deter  misappropriation  or  prevent 
independent  third-party  development  of  the  Company’s 
technology.

In  addition,  like  most  of  its  competitors,  the  Company  faces 
a  significant  level  of  piracy  of  its  leading  products,  by  both 
individuals  and  groups  acting  worldwide,  which  could 
potentially affect the Company’s growth in specific markets.

Litigation  may  be  necessary  to  enforce  the  Company’s  IP 
rights and determine the validity and scope of the proprietary 
rights of third-parties. Any litigation could result in substantial 
costs and diversion of Company resources and could seriously 
harm the Company’s operating results. The Company may not 
prevail  in  any  such  litigation  and  its  IP  rights  may  be  found 
invalid or unenforceable.

In  order  to  protect  its  IP,  the  Company  regularly  registers 
patents for its most advanced innovations and systematically 
registers  copyrights.  The  Company  continues  to  maintain 
licence  compliance  programs,  which  are  proving 
strong 
effective.

1.6.1.4  Deployment Delays, Product Errors 

and Defects

software 

sophisticated 

Deploying 
solutions  becomes 
increasingly complex. Such projects need to take into account 
the  Group’s  customer’s  infrastructure  and  diverse  software 
environment.  Appropriate  project  and  change  management 
controls are also critical to the success of deploying complex 
software  solutions  which  impact  a  large  number  of  users 
across multiple organizations and processes. If the Company is 
not able to carefully plan and execute these projects timely, it 
might need to commit additional resources, both financial and 
operational, which could adversely impact its operating result.

Sophisticated  software  also  often  contains  errors,  defects  or 
other  performance  problems  when  first  introduced  or  when 
new versions or enhancements are released. If the Company 
is  not  able  to  correct  in  a  timely  manner  errors  or  defects 
discovered  in  its  current  or  future  products  or  provide  an 
adequate response to its customers, the Company may need 
to  expend  significant  financial,  technical  and  management 

DASSAULT SYSTÈMES  ANNUAL REPORT 2016 31

1 Presentation of the Group 

Risk factors

resources,  or  divert  some  of  its  development  resources,  to 
resolve or work around those defects. The Company may also 
incur an increase in its service and warranty costs.

Errors,  defects  or  other  performance  problems 
in  the 
Company’s  products  may  also  result  in  the  loss  of,  or  delay 
in,  the  market  acceptance  of  its  products  or  postponement 
of  customer  deployment.  Such  difficulties  could  also  cause 
the  Company  to  lose  customers  and,  particularly  in  the 
case  of  its  largest  customers,  the  potentially  substantial 
associated  revenues  which  would  have  been  generated  by 
its sales to companies participating in the customer’s supply 
chain.  Technical  problems,  or  the  loss  of  a  customer  with  a 
particularly  important  global  reputation,  could  also  damage 
the Company’s own business reputation and cause the loss of 
new business opportunities.

Because deployment delays, product errors and defects could 
result in significant financial or other damage to its customers, 
such  customers  could  pursue  claims  against  the  Company. 
A  product  liability  claim  brought  against  Dassault  Systèmes, 
even if not successful, would likely be time consuming for its 
management and costly to defend and could adversely affect 
the Company’s marketing efforts.

To reduce the risk of product errors or defects, the Company 
carries out advanced testing of its new products, releases, and 
versions prior to market launch. The Company also works as 
closely  as  possible  with  its  customers  to  ensure  successful 
product installation.

The Company has also subscribed to an “Errors & Omissions” 
insurance  policy  covering  possible  defects  in  its  products, 
although  insurance  carried  by  the  Company  may  only 
partially  offset  the  cost  of  correcting  significant  errors 
(see paragraph  1.6.3 “Insurance” ).

1.6.1.5 

Currency Fluctuations

The  Company’s  results  of  operations  have  been  affected  by 
changes and high volatility in exchange rates in 2016, and are 
likely  to  continue  to  be  impacted  in  the  future.  In  particular, 
exchange rate fluctuation of the Japanese yen,the U.S. dollar 
and to a lesser extend the British pound relative to the euro, 
can impact revenues and expenses recorded in the Company’s 
statement  of  income  upon  translation  of  other  currencies 
into euro.

The Company bills its customers in major currencies, principally 
euros, U.S. dollars and Japanese yen. The Company also incurs 
expenses in different currencies, principally euros, U.S. dollars 
and  Japanese  yen,  depending  on  the  Company’s  employees 
and  suppliers  location  in  different  countries.  Moreover,  the 
Company  engages  in  mergers  and  acquisitions,  particularly 
outside  the  euro  zone  and  may  lend  money  in  different 
currencies  to  its  wholly  or  partially  owned  subsidiaries 
or affiliates.

Although  the  Company  currently  benefits  from  a  natural 
coverage  of  most  of  its  exposure  to  U.S.  dollars  from  an 
operating  margin  perspective,  exchange  rate  fluctuation  of 
the U.S. dollar relative to the euro may impact the Company’s 
revenue  and  consequently  its  operating  income,  net  income 
and earnings per share. In addition, the Company’s revenues 
denominated in Japanese yen, Korean won and British pound 
substantially  outweigh  its  expenditures  in  these  currencies. 
As  a  result,  the  Company’s  financial  results  are  exposed  to 
a potential depreciation in the value of these currencies – in 
particular the Japanese yen, and the British Pound to a lesser 
degree – relative to the Euro, which could adversely affect the 
Company’s revenue, as well as its operating income, operating 
margin, net income and earnings per share.

The Company’s net financial revenue can also be significantly 
affected by changes in exchange rates between the time the 
revenue is recognized and when cash payments are received, 
and between the time an expense is recorded and when it is 
paid.  Any  such  differences  are  accounted  for  in  the  “foreign 
exchange  gain/loss”  caption  of  the  Company’s  financial 
statements.

The  main  items  of  financial  income  subject  to  fluctuations 
linked to exchange rates are:

 › the  difference  between  the  exchange  rate  used  to  record 
invoices in foreign currencies and the exchange rate when 
the Company receives or makes the payment; and

 › the 

revaluation  of  monetary  assets  and 

liabilities 

denominated in foreign currencies.

To  address  the  risks  created  by  currency  fluctuations,  the 
Company  carries  out  hedging  operations  on  a  case-by-case 
basis (see  Note 21 to the consolidated financial statements ).

Since  market  growth  rates  for  the  Company’s  software 
applications  and  the  revenue  growth  rates  of  its  significant 
competitors  are  computed  in  U.S.  dollars,  such  growth  rates 
from period to period may not be comparable to the Company’s 
euro-computed revenue growth rates for the same periods.

Finally, in spite of less stress on sovereign debt and financial 
institutions, the Company continues to maintain a strengthened 
review of the quality of its investments and remains vigilant as 
to the liquidity of its assets (see paragraphs  1.6.2.3 “Liquidity 
Risk”  and  1.6.2.4 “Credit or Counterparty Risk” ).

1.6.1.6 

Competition and Pricing Pressure

In  the  past  few  years,  there  have  been  fewer  contenders  in 
the  Company’s  historical  software  markets.  As  the  various 
players  compete  for  market  share,  adoption  by  competitors 
of  business  models  different  from  Dassault  Systèmes’  could 
lead  to  substantial  declines  in  pricing,  which  could  require 
the Company to adapt to a substantially different commercial 
environment. These competitive pricing pressures could cause 

32 ANNUAL REPORT 2016  DASSAULT SYSTÈMES

Presentation of the Group 
Risk factors

1

competitive wins by competitors and could negatively impact 
the  Company’s  revenue,  financial  performance  and  market 
position.

increase the cost of regulatory compliance. Furthermore, the 
focus  on  tax  matters  is  rapidly  increasing  in  many  countries 
where the Company has operations.

1

At  the  same  time,  by  regularly  expanding  its  product 
portfolio,  entering  new  geographic  markets,  diversifying  its 
client  base  in  new  sectors  of  activity,  and  developing  new 
applications  for  its  products,  the  Company  encounters  new 
competitors. Such competitors could have, as a result of their 
size  or  prior  presence  in  these  markets,  financial,  human  or 
technological resources not readily available to the Company. 
The development of cloud computing offers may also lead to 
new participants entering the market. The Company’s ability 
to expand its competitive position may thus be reduced.

In  the  event  the  Company  has  difficulties  setting  up  the 
organization  needed  to  manage  its  businesses  and  the  new 
competitive  context,  the  revenues,  results  of  operations, 
competitive  position  and  reputation  of  Dassault  Systèmes 
could be negatively impacted.

1.6.1.7 

Complex International Regulatory 
and Compliance Environment – 
Legal Proceedings

Establishing  or  strengthening  the  Company’s  presence  in 
countries where it previously had not been located or had been 
present only marginally until now, and increasing the breadth 
of its business and the diversity of its customers (particularly 
individuals),  have  added  to  the  complexity  of  the  regulatory 
environment in which the Company operates. The Company 
is  subject  to  complex  and  rapidly  evolving  laws,  regulations 
and requirements. The complex laws and regulations to which 
the  Company  is  subject  apply  to  many  different  fields,  such 
as  general  business  practices,  competitive  practices,  anti-
corruption,  handling  of  personal  data,  consumer  protection, 
corporate  governance, 
financial 
employment  laws,  internal  controls,  local  and  international 
tax regulations and export compliance for high-tech products. 
Being listed on the French stock exchange, the Company also 
is subject to specific requirements and reporting standards.

standards, 

reporting 

The Company seeks to conduct its business in a wholly ethical 
manner and requires all of is employees, subsidiaries, indirect 
sales channels and third party intermediaries to comply with 
all  applicable  laws  and  regulations.  The  failure  or  suspected 
failure  to  comply  with  any  of  these  laws  and  regulations 
may result in increased regulatory scrutiny through inquiries 
or  investigations,  adverse  media  attention  and  fines  and 
sanctions, as well as an increase to the Company’s litigation 
risk  or  limits  on  the  Company’s  business  operations.  A 
number  of  these  adverse  consequences  could  occur  even  if 
it  is  ultimately  determined  that  there  has  been  no  failure  to 
comply. There can be no assurance that additional regulation 
in  any  of  the  jurisdictions  in  which  the  Company  currently 
operates, or may operate in the future, would not significantly 

risk  of 

The  Company’s 
litigation  and  administrative 
proceedings also increases as it expands its activities, enhances 
its position and visibility on the software market, and develops 
new approaches to its business, including product distribution 
and online services. Litigation can be lengthy, expensive, and 
disruptive to the management of Company operations. Results 
cannot be predicted with certainty, and adverse outcomes in 
some or all of the claims pending against the Company may 
result  in  significant  monetary  damages  or  injunctive  relief 
against  the  Company  that  could  adversely  affect  its  ability 
to conduct business. Actual outcomes of litigation and other 
claims  may  differ  from  management  expectations,  which 
could  result  in  a  material  adverse  impact  on  the  Company’s 
financial position and results of operations.

In  order  to  reduce  this  risk,  the  Company  continues  to 
reinforce its Ethics & Compliance program (as further described 
in  paragraph   2.1.5  “Business  Ethics,  Social  Dialogue  and 
Personal  Safety” )  which  in  particular  requires  all  employees 
to perform online Ethics & Compliance trainings. Moreover the 
Company audits its subsidiaries around the world on a regular 
basis and consults outside experts to validate the compliance 
of various aspects of its practices with applicable regulations. 
The  Company’s  Legal  department,  assisted  by  technical 
experts, also monitors on a regular basis all outstanding claims 
and  litigation  (see  also  paragraph   4.3  “Legal  and  Arbitration 
Proceedings”   and   Note  25  to  the  consolidated  financial 
statements ),  some  of  which  may  be  covered  by  insurance 
(see paragraph  1.6.3 “Insurance” ).

1.6.1.8  Relationships with Extended 
Enterprise Partners

The  Company’s  3DEXPERIENCE  strategy  requires  a  fully 
integrated  platform  with  access  to  computer-aided  design 
(“CAD”),  simulation,  collaboration,  manufacturing  and  data 
increasingly  complex 
management  products,  which  are 
and  for  which  customer  installations  represent  significant 
enterprise projects. To implement its 3DEXPERIENCE strategy, 
Dassault  Systèmes  has  continued  to  develop  an  extended 
enterprise model and partners with other companies in areas 
such as:

 › computer  hardware  and  technology,  to  maximize  benefits 

from available technology;

 › product  development,  to  enable  software  developers  to 
create  and  market  their  own  software  applications  using 
Dassault Systèmes’ open product architecture; and

 › consulting  and  services,  to  support  and  assist  customers 
as  needed  to  deploy  Industry  Solution  Experiences  on  the 
3DEXPERIENCE platform.

DASSAULT SYSTÈMES  ANNUAL REPORT 2016 33

1 Presentation of the Group 

Risk factors

The  Company  believes  that  its  partnering  strategy  allows  it 
to  benefit  from  complementary  resources  and  skills,  and  to 
reduce  costs  while  achieving  broader  market  coverage.  The 
Company’s  broad  partnering  strategy  nevertheless  creates  a 
degree of dependency on such partners.

In  addition  to  its  own  sales  force,  the  Company  also  relies 
on  an  international  network  of  distributors  and  value-added 
resellers. The type of relationship that the Company has with 
its  distributors  and  value-added  resellers,  as  well  as  their 
financial and technical reliability, could impact the Company’s 
ability to sell and deploy its product and service offerings.

The  Company’s  ability  to  establish  partner  relationships  for 
the development, sale and deployment of its 3DEXPERIENCE 
platform is an important element of its strategy.

Serious  difficulties  in  the  Company’s  relationships  with  its 
partners, or an unfavorable change of control of these partners, 
may  adversely  affect  the  Company’s  product  and  business 
development,  and  could  cause  it  to  lose  the  contribution  of 
the  employees  or  contractors  of  the  Company’s  partners, 
particularly in the area of R&D. In addition, any failure by the 
Company’s partners to deliver products of quality or according 
to the expected timing may cause delays in the delivery of, or 
deficiencies in, the Company’s own products.

Due to the rapid evolution of the software development and 
distribution  sectors,  it  is  difficult  to  ensure  the  long-term 
success  of  the  Company’s  relationship  with  any  particular 
partner.  As  the  Company  strives  to  expand  its  coverage  and 
network  of  distributors  and  partners,  it  applies  thorough 
processes in evaluating each potential distributor or partners’ 
technical and financial viability, whenever entering into a new 
relationship.

1.6.1.9  Organizational and Operational 

Challenges Arising from the Evolution 
of the Company

through 

its  addressable  market 

Dassault  Systèmes  has  continued  to  expand  through 
acquisitions and internal development, and has substantially 
launching 
increased 
3DEXPERIENCE.  The  Company’s  management  policies  and 
internal  systems  must  be  adapted  on  an  on-going  basis 
to  meet  the  needs  of  a  larger,  more  complex  structure  and 
implement the Company’s strategy to reach a broader market. 
The Company must continue to reorganize itself to maintain 
efficiency and operational excellence while ensuring customer 
retention  and  the  integration  of  newly  acquired  companies. 
It  must  also  continue  to  focus  on  quality  of  execution  while 
maintaining innovation.

As  its  organization  evolves,  the  Company  must  also  ensure 
the profiles and competencies of its employee are constantly 
upgraded and adapted.

If  the  Company  does  not  address  these  issues  effectively 
and on a timely basis, the Company’s product development, 
internal  processes,  cost  management  and  commercial 
operations  could  be  impacted  or  fail  to  satisfy  adequately 
market or customer demands, which could negatively impact 
its financial or operational performance.

In  addition,  in  order  to  realize  acquisitions  or  investments, 
the  Company  may  use  significant  financial  resources,  make 
potentially dilutive issuances of equity securities or incur debt.

Moreover,  these  operations  may  require  the  Company  to 
recognize  amortization  of  acquired  intangible  assets  and/or 
depreciation  of  goodwill  in  case  of  impairment  (see   Note  2 
to  the  consolidated  financial  statements ).  Minority  interests 
in  unaffiliated  partners  or  other  investments  may  also  have 
to  be  written  down  in  the  Company  accounts  as  a  result  of 
impairment. Acquired companies may also carry risks related 
to  off-balance  sheet  commitments,  including  litigation  risk 
related  to  pre-acquisition  events  (such  as  IP  or  tax  claims). 
Each  of  these  potential  consequences  of  an  investment  or 
acquisition  could  reduce  the  Company’s  operating  margin, 
net income or cash.

The Company seeks to adjust on a regular basis its organization 
and management model to support its current level of growth 
by enhancing its geographic-based organization and providing 
a consistent client experience around the globe. It has also put 
in  place  a  dedicated  integration  process  to  establish  a  clear 
path to convergence for its acquisitions.

1.6.1.10  Market introduction of a New Services 
Offering for Cloud Computing

Dassault  Systèmes  is  developing  and  distributing  a  services 
offering  for  the  online  use  of  certain  of  its  products  (SaaS) 
based  on  a  cloud  computing  infrastructure.  It  continues  to 
grow its portfolio of software solutions and processes available 
on  the  cloud.  An  inability  to  introduce  such  solutions  at  the 
desired speed, with the appropriate pricing model and with the 
right level of quality could impact the Company’s growth and 
future results, and give rise to technical and legal challenges:

 › the  progressive  roll-out  of  these  services  and  their 
distribution  also  involves  the  deployment  of  new  support 
and management processes (for example, processing orders 
and billing);

34 ANNUAL REPORT 2016  DASSAULT SYSTÈMES

increased 

 › the  Company  also  will  become  exposed  to  a  complex 
risk 
legal  environment  and  could  have 
regarding  regulatory  compliance  in  the  countries  where 
it  has  operations,  in  particular  with  respect  to  data 
privacy,  consumer  laws  and  data  confidentiality.  In  case 
of  difficulties  in  providing  its  clients  with  online  services 
under  appropriate  conditions,  the  Company’s  revenues, 
results  of  operations  and  competitive  position,  as  well  as 
the  reputation  of  Dassault  Systèmes,  could  be  negatively 
affected.

The Company is seeking to minimize these risks by developing 
alliances with partners with recognized technical capabilities, 
and by simulating and controlling, to the extent possible, the 
technical, legal and financial consequences of processes put in 
place to serve its customers.

1.6.1.11  Rapidly Changing and Complex 

Technologies

The  Company’s  software  solutions  are  characterized  by 
the  use  of  rapidly  changing  technologies  and  frequent  new 
product  introductions  or  enhancements.  These  solutions 
must  address  complex  engineering  needs  in  various  areas 
of  product  design,  simulation  and  manufacturing,  and  must 
also  meet  sophisticated  process  requirements  in  the  areas 
of  change  management,  industrial  collaboration  and  cross-
enterprise work.

As a result, the Company’s success is highly dependent upon 
its ability to:

 › understand  its  customers’  complex  needs  in  different 
business  sectors,  and  support  them  in  reengineering  key 
product  lifecycle  processes,  managing  the  migration  of 
substantial amounts of data in the process;

 › enhance its existing solutions by developing more advanced 

technologies;

 › anticipate  and  take  timely  advantage  of  quickly  evolving 

technologies and standards; and

 › introduce  new  solutions  in  a  cost-competitive  and  timely 

manner.

The  Company  also  continues  to  face  the  challenge  of  the 
increasingly  complex  integration  of  its  products’  different 
functionalities  to  address  customers’  requirements.  As  a 
result, more difficult industrialization work is required for new 
releases  and  offerings,  with  limitations  on  the  options  for 
interfacing with third-party systems installed at the customer. 
In  addition,  if  the  Company  is  not  successful  in  anticipating 
leaps  and  developing  new  solutions  and 
technological 
services that address its customers’ increasingly sophisticated 

Presentation of the Group 
Risk factors

1

expectations, demand for its products could decline, and the 
Company’s results of operations and financial condition could 
be negatively affected.

1

To reduce this risk and keep abreast or ahead of technological 
developments  which  may  affect  its  products,  the  Company 
commits  substantial  resources  to  the  development  of  new 
offerings. It also maintains close and regular contacts with its 
key  customers  to  identify  and  capture  their  emerging  needs 
and  to  offer  the  most  adapted  solutions.  In  addition,  the 
Company provides training courses to its R&D teams on new 
technologies. Complementing its internal R&D, the Company 
seeks  to  maintain  an  active  monitoring  of  third-party 
technologies  that  it  might  acquire  to  improve  its  technology 
offerings where appropriate.

1.6.1.12  Variability in Quarterly Operating 

Results

The  Company’s  quarterly  operating  results  have  in  the  past 
varied significantly, and may vary significantly in the future, 
depending on factors such as:

 › the  timing  and  cyclical  nature  of  revenues  received  due 
to  the  signing  of  important  new  customer  orders,  the 
completion of major service contracts or the completion of 
customer deployments;

 › the timing of any significant acquisition or divestiture;

 › fluctuations in foreign currency exchange rates;

 › the Company’s ability to develop, introduce and market new 
and enhanced versions of its products and customer order 
deferrals in anticipation of these new or enhanced products;

 › the  number, 

significance  of  product 
enhancements or new products that the Company develops 
or that are released by its competitors;

timing  and 

 › general conditions in the Company’s software markets (as 
a  whole  or  on  a  regional  basis)  and  the  software  industry 
generally; and

the increased complexity in planning and forecasting as new 
business  models  are  introduced  alongside  the  traditional 
licensing model of the industry.

A substantial portion of the Company’s orders and shipments 
typically  occur  in  the  last  month  of  each  quarter,  and, 
therefore,  if  any  delay  occurs  in  the  timing  of  significant 
orders,  the  Company  may  experience  quarterly  fluctuations 
in  its  results  of  operations.  Additionally,  as  is  typical  in  the 
software applications industry, the Company has historically 
experienced  its  highest  licensing  activity  for  the  year  during 
the  last  quarter  of  the  year.  Delays  in  orders  and  shipments 
can also affect the Company’s revenue and income.

DASSAULT SYSTÈMES  ANNUAL REPORT 2016 35

1 Presentation of the Group 

Risk factors

The  trading  price  of  the  Dassault  Systèmes’  shares  may  be 
subject to wide fluctuations in response to quarterly variations 
in the Company’s operating results and the operating results 
of  other  software  application  developers  in  the  Company’s 
markets.

1.6.1.13  Retention of Key Personnel 

and Executives

The Company’s success depends to a significant extent upon 
the continued service of its key managers and highly qualified 
personnel,  in  particular  in  R&D,  technical  support  and  sales 
management, and on its ability to continue to attract, retain 
and motivate qualified personnel, as well as keep their skills 
continuously up to date in line with the organizational needs. 
In particular, if the Company fails to hire on a timely basis and 
retain highly skilled sales forces, revenue could be negatively 
impacted.  The  competition  for  such  employees  is  intense, 
and  if  the  Company  loses  the  ability  to  hire  and  retain  key 
employees and executives with a diverse and high level of skills 
in appropriate domains (such as R&D, strategy, marketing and 
sales), it could have a material adverse impact on its business 
activities  and  operating  results.  The  Company  does  not 
maintain insurance with respect to the loss of key personnel.

In order to limit this risk, the Company has put in place training, 
career  development  and  long-term  compensation  incentives 
to  attract  and  retain  key  personnel  and  executives,  and  has 
also  diversified  its  R&D  resources  in  different  regions  of  the 
world. The identification of key personnel also constitutes an 
important  step  in  the  process  of  integrating  newly  acquired 
companies into the Company.

1.6.1.14 

Infringement of Third-Party 
Intellectual Property Rights and of 
Third-Party Technology’s Licenses

Third-parties,  including  the  Company’s  competitors,  may 
own or obtain copyrights, patents or other proprietary rights 
that  could  restrict  the  Company’s  ability  to  further  develop, 
use  or  sell  its  own  product  portfolio.  Dassault  Systèmes  has 
received,  and  may  in  the  future  receive,  letters  of  complaint 
alleging  that  its  products  infringe  the  patents  and  other  IP 
rights of others. Such claims could cause the Company to incur 
substantial costs to defend itself in any litigation which may 
be  brought,  regardless  of  its  merits.  If  the  Company  fails  to 
prevail in IP litigation, it may be required to:

 › cease  making,  licensing  or  using  the  products  or  services 

that incorporate the challenged IP;

 › obtain and pay for licenses from the holder of the infringed 
IP right, which might not be available on acceptable terms 
for Dassault Systèmes, if at all; or

 › redesign its products, which could involve substantial costs 
and require the Company to interrupt product licensing and 
product releases, or which may not be feasible at all.

In addition, the Company embeds in its products an increasing 
number  of  third-party  components  selected  either  by  the 
Company itself or by companies which it acquires over time. 
Although Dassault Systèmes has implemented strict approval 
processes to certify the originality of third-party components 
and  verify  any  corresponding  licensing  terms,  the  same 
approval processes may not have been adopted by companies 
acquired by Dassault Systèmes before their acquisition. As a 
result,  the  use  of  third-party  embedded  components  in  the 
Company’s  products  generates  exposure  to  the  risk  that  a 
third-party will claim that these components infringe their IP 
rights. Also, due to the use of third-party components, there 
is  also  a  risk  that  such  license(s)  might  expire  or  terminate 
without renewal, thereby affecting certain Company products.

If any of the above situations were to occur for a significant 
product,  it  could  have  a  material  adverse  impact  on  the 
Company’s financial condition and results of operations.

The  Company  seeks  to  limit  this  risk  through  a  process  for 
certifying the origins of its products with respect to IP before 
making them available for sale.

1.6.1.15  Technology Stock Volatility

Under conditions of increased market uncertainty, the trading 
price  of  the  Company’s  shares  could  be  volatile.  The  market 
for shares of technology companies has in the past been more 
volatile than the stock market overall.

1.6.1.16  Shareholder Base

Groupe  Industriel  Marcel  Dassault  SAS  (“GIMD”),  which 
represents the interests of some of the Company’s founding 
shareholders, owned  41.07 % of the Company’s outstanding 
shares,  representing   55.58 %  of  the  exercisable  voting  rights 
( 54.95 %  of  theoretical  rights)  as  of  December  31,  2016.  As 
more  fully  described  in  paragraph   6.3  “Information  about 
the  Shareholders” ,  GIMD  plays  a  decisive  role  with  respect 
to  matters  submitted  to  shareholders,  including  the  election 
and  removal  of  directors  and  the  approval  of  any  merger, 
consolidation or sale of all or substantially all of the Company’s 
assets.

36 ANNUAL REPORT 2016  DASSAULT SYSTÈMES

Presentation of the Group 
Risk factors

1

1

interest  at  floating  rates.  Therefore,  the  Company’s  interest 
rate risk is primarily related to a reduction of financial revenue. 
See Notes 20 and 21 to the consolidated financial statements.

1.6.2.2 

Foreign Currency Risk

See  paragraph  1.6.1.5  “Currency  Fluctuations”  above  and 
Note 21 to the consolidated financial statements.

1.6.2.3 

Liquidity Risk

The  Company  has  a  low  liquidity  risk.  As  of  December  31, 
2016,  the  Company’s  cash,  cash  equivalents  and  short-
term  investments  totaled  €2.49  billion.  See  Note  12  to  the 
consolidated financial statements.

The  Company  has  analyzed  the  amounts  it  will  be  required 
to  pay  under  its  contractual  commitments  at  December  31, 
2016. The Company believes that it will be able to meet such 
obligations.

1.6.2  Financial and Market Risks

The Company’s overall risk management policy is based upon 
the  prudent  management  of  the  Company’s  market  risks, 
primarily foreign currency exchange risk and interest rate risk. 
The  Company’s  programs  with  respect  to  the  management 
of these risks, including the use of hedging instruments, are 
discussed in Note 21 to the consolidated financial statements. 
The  Company’s  exposure  to  these  risks  may  change  over 
time  and  there  can  be  no  assurance  that  the  benefits  of  the 
Company’s  risk  management  policies  will  exceed  the  related 
costs. Such changes could have a materially adverse impact on 
the Company’s financial results.

The Company generates positive cash flows from operations 
and has financial obligations (e.g., bank loans, loan facilities, 
employee  profit-sharing),  but  the  Company’s  cash  position 
net of debt is positive throughout the year.

1.6.2.1 

Interest Rate Risk

The Company’s cash surplus generally earns interest at fixed 
or  floating  market  rates,  while  the  Company’s  debt  carries 

The following table summarizes the Company’s principal contractual obligations to make future payments as of December 31, 2016.

CONTRACTUAL OBLIGATIONS

(in thousands of euros)

Operating lease obligations (1)

Loan facilities (2)

Employee profit-sharing

TOTAL

Total

536,239

1,043,954

64,439

Less than
1 year

80,156

11,625

64,439

Payments due by period

1-3 years

140,544

373,378

-

3-5 years

111,094

658,951

-

More than 
5 years

204,445

-

-

1,644,632

156,220

513,922

770,045

204,445

(1)  Including €248.1 million of future minimum rental payments for the Company’s headquarters facilities in France (3DS Paris Campus) and €123.4 million of future minimum 

rental payments for the American subsidiaries’ facilities located in Waltham near Boston, United States (see Note 25 to the consolidated financial statements).

(2)  Including interests on the €350 million and €650 million term loan facilities (see Note 20 to the consolidated financial statements).  The variable component of the future cash 

flows from loan interests was calculated using the spot Euribor rate 1 month on December 31, 2016. 

1.6.2.4 

Credit or Counterparty Risk

1.6.2.5 

Equity Risk

The  financial  instruments  which  could  expose  the  Company 
to  credit  risk  include  principally  its  cash  equivalents,  short-
term  investments  and  customer  receivables.  The  hedging 
agreements  entered  into  with  financial  institutions  pursuant 
to  its  policy  for  managing  currency  and  interest  rate  risks 
also  expose  the  Company  to  credit  and  counterparty  risk. 
See  Notes  12,  13  and  21  to  the  consolidated  financial 
statements.  The  Company  uses  a  rigorous  selection  process 
for  its  counterparts  according  to  credit  quality,  based  on 
several criteria including agency ratings and depending on the 
maturity dates of the transactions.

For  cash  management  purposes,  the  Company  does  not 
directly  invest  in  listed  shares,  or  any  material  amounts 
in  funds  invested  primarily  in  or  indexed  to  stocks.  The 
Company’s financial results are therefore not significantly and 
directly linked to stock market variations.

DASSAULT SYSTÈMES  ANNUAL REPORT 2016 37

1 Presentation of the Group 

Risk factors

1.6.3 

Insurance

Dassault Systèmes is insured by several insurance companies 
for  all  significant  risks.  Most  of  these  risks  are  covered 
either  by  insurance  policies  underwritten  in  France  for  the 
whole  Group,  or  by  a  North  American  policy  that  covers  all 
the  North  American  subsidiaries  and  their  own  subsidiaries 
and  branches  around  the  world.  In  addition,  the  Company 
subscribes to specific coverage and/or local policies to comply 
with applicable local regulations or to meet the specific needs 
of certain activities or projects.

All of the Group’s companies are protected by a policy covering 
professional  and  product  liability  as  well  as  civil  liability  for 
operations for a total insured value of €50 million for 2016.

In 2016, the Group renewed its Directors and Officer’s Liability 
Policy for Dassault Systèmes SE and its subsidiaries for a total 
insured amount of €50 million.

The Company also carries insurance to cover computer risks in 
an amount equal to the value of its computer equipment and 
coverage for damage to goods.

Based  on  the  legal  requirements  applicable  in  each  country, 
the North American companies and most of their subsidiaries 
have  specific  insurance  cover.  This  insurance  includes  in 
particular coverage for damage to goods, computer risks, loss 
of  business  and  operational  civil  liability  and  professional 
liability.  In  connection  with  this  insurance,  the  Company 
also has coverage for work-related accidents and automobile 
accidents.  As  additional  coverage  for  the  various  insurance 
policies  covering  the  North  American  companies  and  their 
subsidiaries,  Dassault  Systèmes  carries  an  “umbrella”  policy 
for a maximum amount of $25 million.

The  insurance  policies  are  reviewed  regularly  and  may  be 
modified to reflect changes in the revenue, activities and risks 
of the different companies within the Group.

Dassault  Systèmes  has  not  established  captive  insurance 
coverage.

38 ANNUAL REPORT 2016  DASSAULT SYSTÈMES

2

SOCIAL, SOCIETAL AND 
ENVIRONMENTAL 
RESPONSIBILITY

2.1  Social and Societal Responsibility 

40

2.3  Independent Verifier’s Report on 

CONTENTS

Consolidated Social, Environmental 
and Societal Information Presented 
in the Management Report 

72

2.4  Statutory Auditors’ Attestation 

on the information relating to 
the Dassault Systèmes SE’s total 
amount paid for sponsorship 

75

2.1.1  Group Organization and Workforce 

2.1.2  Attracting and Developing Talented Individuals 

2.1.3  Welcoming employees who have joined the Group 

via recently acquired companies 

41

44

51

2.1.4  Rewarding Performance and Recognizing Employees  52

2.1.5  Business ethics, social dialogue and personal safety  54

2.1.6  Methodology for Employee Reporting 

2.1.7  Appendices regarding the Group’s Employee 

Headcount 

2.2  Environmental Responsibility 

56

58

60

2.2.1  The Group’s vision for environmental responsibility  60

2.2.2  Responsible Company 

2.2.3  Responsible Employee 

2.2.4  Responsible Partner 

2.2.5  Methodology for Environmental Reporting 

2.2.6  Industrial and Environmental Risk 

61

68

69

70

71

DASSAULT SYSTÈMES  ANNUAL REPORT 2016

39

2 Social, Societal and Environmental Responsibility

Social and Societal Responsibility

“The  3DEXPERIENCE  Company”, 
Dassault  Systèmes, 
constantly  strives  to  provide  businesses  and  individuals 
with  3D  universes  that  allow  them  to  imagine  sustainable 
innovations capable of harmonizing product, nature and life. 
Through this ambition, Dassault Systèmes contributes to the 
improvement of society and quality of the environment.

By their very nature, virtual universes and the virtual experience 
that they produce make it possible to address major industrial 
challenges,  such  as  the  management  of  environmental 
impacts on a large scale, safety or ergonomics. The adoption 

of  the  3DEXPERIENCE  platform  by  customers  allows  them 
to  envision  new  ways  of  imagining,  creating  and  producing. 
Planning  better,  collaborating  better,  learning  better:  these 
virtual universes are also essential to gaining insight into and 
resolving the current issues in society.

The Group’s 15,133 employees spread over 40 countries are 
driven by this ambition.

Dassault Systèmes has been recognized in various sustainable 
development  indices  and  rankings,  including  the  Global  100 
Index, the FTSE4Good and the Carbon Disclosure Project.

2.1  Social and Societal Responsibility

Dassault Systèmes’ employees are the Group’s most precious 
asset.  They  are  at  the  heart  of  its  ambition  (harmonizing 
product, nature and life), and long-term development. Sharing 
a common culture and the same values is of capital importance 
to  the  Group.  Its  corporate  culture  and  values  underpin  the 
employees’  daily  interactions  within  the  Company,  with 
customers and in the ecosystem. They are Dassault Systèmes’ 
distinctive  feature,  making  everyone  eager  to  work  together 
and grow.

light  of  the  Group’s  rapid  growth,  the 

In 
innovative 
environment  in  which  it  operates,  and  the  growing  number 
of markets it reaches, its main social and societal challenges 
are as follows:

Sharing and increasing skills
For Dassault Systèmes, sharing and enhancing skills involves 
three challenges:

 › enabling  employees  and  partners  to  constantly  develop 
their  skills  and  know-how  –  via  qualification  courses 
available through the 3DS University, which has an online 
application on the 3DEXPERIENCE platform – and to share 
their knowledge through communities around interests and 
expertise;

 › mobilizing the Group’s technologies and talented people to 
address  social  issues,  such  as  education.  Virtual  universes 
can  bring  much  more  than  traditional  classroom  books 
and  boards,  such  as  the  “3Dcodex”,  a  new  generation  of 
scientific  media  that  can  produce  models  of  the  physical 
world with astonishing realism, like a digital twin.

The  “Dassault  Systèmes  Foundation”  –  set  up  in  2015 
–  provides  support  to  the  world  of  education,  research 
centers,  and  general-interest  organizations  (non-profit 
organizations, museums, etc.) by transforming the learning 
experience. By placing powerful 3D technologies at the heart 
of education and research methods, the Dassault Systèmes 
Foundation wants to contribute to the creation of the right 
conditions  for  the  development  of  creative  thinking  to 
harmonize  product,  nature  and  life.  It  focuses  its  general-
interest  mission  on  society  to  build  a  better  future  in  a 
constantly changing world.

Moreover,  the  Global  Academia  Department  extends 
the  entire  Dassault  Systèmes  offering  to  institutions, 
governments  and  students  worldwide,  thereby  promoting 
the  modernization  of  science  and  technology  education. 
The  instruments  of  this  transformation  include  virtual 
laboratories,  crowdsourcing  for  educational  content,  its 
on-line  distribution,  and  the  teaching  of  new  practices 
for  the  industry  of  the  future.  These  endeavors  have 
been  significantly  enhanced,  particularly  through  the 
proliferation of educational research projects in high school 
and higher education;

 › expanding the range of expertise and collaborating with an 
extensive mix of profiles – such as engineers, researchers, 
biologists,  doctors,  geologists,  designers,  architects,  and 
others.  This  diversity  of  talents  and  viewpoints  is  crucial 
to  achieve  the  Group’s  ambition:  harmonizing  products, 
nature and life.

40 ANNUAL REPORT 2016  DASSAULT SYSTÈMES

Social, Societal and Environmental Responsibility
Social and Societal Responsibility

2

Inventing new ways to collaborate
Dassault  Systèmes  developed  an  initiative  in  2015  to  create 
new  collaborative  methods  and  a  more  transversal  work 
model,  more  conducive  to  creativity.  This  initiative  aims  to 
allow  each  person  to  reveal  and  use  their  skills  as  well  as  to 
diversify their scope and expand their network. Among other 
initiatives, the 3DEXPERIENCE Lab, set up in November 2015, 
is an open innovation laboratory within the Company to help 
innovative start-ups grow. This initiative gives employees the 
opportunity  to  get  involved  in  new  projects,  not  necessarily 
connected to their positions.

Getting the most out of information, a strategic value 
for the Company and its ecosystem
The  constant  interaction  between  employees  within  the 
Company and with its ecosystem of customers and partners, 
through  applications,  or  on-line  communities,  generates  a 
vast  quantity  of  information,  including  structured  and  non-
structured  data  on  a  daily  basis,  which  form  part  of  the 
Company’s intellectual and economic property. The challenge 
lies  with  analyzing,  processing  in  real  time,  connecting  and 
representing  this  information  and  data  so  that  it  can  be 
converted  into  competitive  advantages  and  decision-making 
aids.  With  its  3DEXPERIENCE  platform,  Dassault  Systèmes 
already  has  its  own  tools  for  managing  and  monitoring  the 
Company’s business.

Accelerating the integration of new employees
A  major  challenge  within  a  constantly  growing  company 
is  to  integrate  new  employees.  Dassault  Systèmes  has  an 
employee onboarding and support program provided from the 
very first day by the 3DS University. It also provides access to 
online communities. These provide easy access to information 
concerning 
the  Company,  organizations  and  projects, 
while  highlighting  each  person’s  responsibilities,  skills  and 
contributions:

The different indicators related to these challenges and, more 
broadly, the human resources initiatives implemented within 
the Group are presented below.

 › Group Organization and Workforce (2.1.1);

 › attracting and developing talented individuals (2.1.2);

 › welcoming  employees  who  have  joined  the  Group  via 

recently acquired companies (2.1.3);

 › rewarding performance and recognizing employees (2.1.4);

 › business ethics, social dialogue and personal safety (2.1.5).

The methodology is described in paragraph 2.1.6 “Methodology 
for  Employee  Reporting”  and  additional 
is 
presented  in  paragraph  2.1.7  “Appendices  regarding  the 
Group’s Employee Headcount”.

information 

2

2.1.1  Group Organization and Workforce

its  main  markets 

The  Group  is  organized  into  major  fields  of  activity:  R&D; 
Sales,  Marketing  and  Services;  Administration  and  Other 
functions  for 
(see  paragraph  1.4.2 
“Dassault  Systèmes'  offering ”)  within  the  three  geographic 
regions  (Europe,  Americas  and  Asia).  The  Total  Workforce  is 
made  up  of  employees  and  service  providers  of  subsidiaries 
in wich the Group has more than a 50% shareholding as well 
as employees of 3D PLM Software Solutions Ltd and 3DPLM 

Global Services Private Ltd in which the Group owns less than 
50%.

The  data  related  to  the  Group’s  workforce  presented  in  this 
report  is  expressed  in  Full  Time  Equivalents  according  to  the 
methodology  defined 
in  paragraph  2.1.6  “Methodology 
for  Employee  Reporting”.  The  other  indicators  used  are  also 
explained in this paragraph.

Overview and growth of Total Workforce
As  of  December  31,  2016,  the  Total  Workforce  was  15,133  up  8.3%  compared  to  December  31,  2015.  The  change  in  Total 
Workforce over the last three years is set forth below:

Year ended December 31

2016

2015

2014

* 

Indicator verified by the independent verifier.

Employees

12,100*

11,422

11,013

Service 
Providers

779

405

474

3D PLM

2,254

2,147

1,825

Total 
Workforce

Percentage 
change

15,133

13,974

13,312

8.3%

5.0%

24.9%

DASSAULT SYSTÈMES  ANNUAL REPORT 2016

41

2 Social, Societal and Environmental Responsibility

Social and Societal Responsibility

Overview and growth of Employee Headcount

Growth of the Company
As of December 31, 2016, the Employee Headcount increased 
6% year over year to 12,100 full-time equivalent employees, 
located  in  40  countries  and  originating  from  124  different 
countries. This growth is due mainly to recruitment carried out 
in 2016. For more details, see paragraph 2.1.2.1. “Attracting 

Distribution by geographic region

talented  individuals  –  Movements  in  Employee  Headcount 
over the period”.

The  Employee  Headcount 
remained stable overall between 2015 and 2016.

indicators  presented  below 

Year ended December 31

Employees

% Employees

% Employees

% Employees

Europe

Americas

Asia

Total

2016

2015

* 

Indicator verified by the independent verifier.

6,469

5,987

53%

52%

3,571

3,524

30%

31%

2,060

1,911

17% 12,100*

17%

11,422

%

100%

100%

Distribution by activity

Europe

Americas

Asia

Total

Total

Year ended December 31

R&D

Sales, Marketing and Services

Administration and other

Employees 
2016

Employees 
2016

%

Employees 
2016

%

Employees 
2016

%

Employees 
2015

%

2,514

3,100

855

39%

48%

13%

1,149

1,974

448

32%

55%

13%

358

1,508

194

17%

73%

10%

4,021

6,582

1,497

33%

55%

12%

3,720

6,282

1,420

%

33%

55%

12%

TOTAL

6,469

100%

3,571

100%

2,060

100% 12,100*

100%

11,422

100%

* 

Indicator verified by the independent verifier.

Distribution by gender
The proportion of women in the Group, while stable between 
2015 and 2016, may still seem relatively low. This is mainly 

explained  by  the  low  number  of  women  in  engineering 
schools  which  is  one  of  the  main  sources  of  recruitment  for 
Dassault Systèmes.

Year ended December 31

Employees 
2016

Employees 
2016

%

Employees 
2016

%

Employees 
2016

%

Employees 
2015

%

Europe

Americas

Asia

Total

Total

Women

Men

TOTAL

1,492

4,977

6,469

23%

77%

100%

872

2,699

3,571

24%

76%

100%

516

1,544

2,060

* 

Indicator verified by the independent verifier.

25%

75%

2,880

9,220

24%

76%

2,711

8,711

100% 12,100*

100%

11,422

100%

%

24%

76%

Other characteristics of Employee Headcount
As of December 31, 2016, the key figures to note are as follows 
(indicator verified by the independent verifier in 2016):

 › 98% of Employees worked under permanent contracts;

 › Managers account for 19% of the headcount;

 › 14%  of  Dassault  Systèmes’  2,880  female  employees  and 

21% of its 9,220 male employees are Managers;

 › out of the 2,300 Managers, 18% are women.

These  figures  remained  relatively  stable  versus  2015.  The 
breakdown of this information and additional information with 
regard to the distribution by age and seniority are presented in 
paragraph 2.1.7 “Appendices regarding the Group’s Employee 
Headcount”.

42 ANNUAL REPORT 2016  DASSAULT SYSTÈMES

Social, Societal and Environmental Responsibility
Social and Societal Responsibility

2

Outside service providers and sub-contracting
Dassault Systèmes regularly calls on outside service providers 
when  it  requires  resources  with  specific  know-how  or  for 
projects with a limited duration.

The cost of using outside service providers in 2016 amounted to 
€101.6 million compared to €78.0 million in 2015 representing 

a small amount in relation to the Dassault Systèmes operating 
expenses €2.38 billion in 2016 and (€2.21 billion in 2015).

At  December  31,  2016,  779  outside  service  providers  (data 
expressed  in  full-time  equivalents)  worked  for  the  Group: 
Major  projects  conducted  in  2016  required  higher  use  of 
outside providers compared to previous year.

2

Year ended December 31,

Employees

% Employees

% Employees

% Employees

2016

2015

283

188

36%

46%

258

144

33%

36%

238

73

31%

18%

779

405

%

100%

100%

Europe

Americas

Asia

Total

Dassault  Systèmes  only  establishes  contractual  relationships 
with  sub-contractors  that  respect  the  fundamental  laws 
and  regulations  concerning  labor  law  and  environmental 
protection (see “Principles of Enterprise Social Responsibility 
and  commitments  to  ensuring  respect  for  basic  rights”  in 
paragraph 2.1.5 “Business ethics, social dialogue and personal 
safety”).

Organization

Work time
In each country where Dassault Systèmes has operations, the 
length of the workweek is determined according to local legal 
requirements.

For example, in France, work time is determined according to 
whether an employee is under the system of annual working 
days  (forfait  jours)  or  the  hourly  system  (régime  horaire). 
Employees  under  the  system  of  annual  working  days  work 
a  predefined  number  of  days  per  calendar  year  and  other 
employees work a certain number of hours as defined by local 
labor agreements in force within each company.

In most of the other countries where the Group operates, the 
workweek is set at 40 hours. This is the case in Germany, the 
United Kingdom, the Netherlands, the United States, Canada, 
Japan, Malaysia, China and India. In Australia, the workweek 
is 38 hours.

Full-time and part-time
98% of the Employee Headcount works on a full-time basis. 
7% of women and 1% of men work on a part-time basis. These 
figures are stable versus 2015. Full details on the information 
pertaining  to  this  indicator  are  presented  in  paragraph  2.1.7 
“Appendices regarding the Group’s Employee Headcount”.

Absenteeism
Absenteeism is tracked locally in accordance with regulations 
applicable in the different countries where Dassault Systèmes 
operates. The Company does not have a harmonized system 
its  subsidiaries 
for  managing  absenteeism  throughout 
(indicator verified by the independent verifier in 2016).

The information presented below covers a part of the Group’s 
French companies (Dassault Systèmes SE, Dassault Systèmes 
Provence  SAS,  Dassault  Data  Services  SAS,  Netvibes  SAS, 
3DVIA  SAS,  Quintiq  SAS,  Dassault  Systèmes  Biovia  SARL), 
which represent 30% of the Employee Headcount:

 › in  2016,  the  reasons  for  employees  not  reporting  for 
work,  excluding  annual  leave,  were  as  follows:  illness  for 
12,214  days,  maternity  and  paternity  leaves  for  5,541 
days, workplace and commuting accidents for 95 days. The 
resulting  absenteeism  rate  is  2.3%,  up  slightly  over  2015 
(2.1%);

 › the total number of authorized absences (such as parental 
leave and leave for family events excluding paid leave) was 
3,805 days at the end of 2016, or 0.5% of the number of 
days  theoretically  worked.  This  rate  is  very  similar  to  that 
of 2015.

In  the  other  main  countries  where  the  Group  operates,  the 
absenteeism rate was the following in 2016: 4.3% in Germany 
compared  to  3.6%  in  2015,  0.6%  in  the  United  Kingdom 
compared to 1.0% in 2015, 2.7% in the Netherlands compared 
to  3.3%  in  2015,  2.0%  in  the  United  States  compared  to 
0.8%  in  2015,  2.5%  in  Canada  compared  to  3.3%  in  2015, 
0.6% in Japan (same as in 2015), 3.9% in Malaysia compared 
to  3.2%  in  2015,  0.8%  in  China  compared  to  0.6%  in  2015 
and  1.6%  in  Australia  compared  to  2.4%  in  2015.  The  rate 
remains very low in South Korea and India (less than 0.5%), 
where absenteeism for reasons of short-term illness is difficult 
to ascertain as it is included in paid leave.

DASSAULT SYSTÈMES  ANNUAL REPORT 2016

43

2 Social, Societal and Environmental Responsibility

Social and Societal Responsibility

2.1.2  Attracting and Developing Talented Individuals

2.1.2.1  Attracting talented individuals

To work for Dassault Systèmes, it is important to have a passion 
for technological innovation, a desire to work in a collaborative 
manner and constantly learn, as well as have an appetite for 
challenge; a mindset which upholds the Group’s values.

Employees  are  mainly  recruited  locally  with  permanent 
contracts, thus contributing to economic growth in each of the 
40 countries in which the Group operates. As of December 31, 
2016,  a  little  over  two-thirds  of  the  Group’s  Employee 
Headcount  was  based  outside  of  France  and  the  Group  had 
employees from 124 different countries.

In general, all available positions are first published internally, 
then externally and priority is given to internal promotion over 
external recruitment when the skills level is equal.

Recruitment  is  a  priority  for  Dassault  Systèmes,  in  order 
to  meet  requirements  generated  by  its  growth.  The  Group 
aims  to  be  recognized  as  an  exemplary  employer  that 
contributes to the development of  all of its people (permanent 
employees,  apprentices  and  interns).  Dassault  Systèmes 
builds  relationships  with  educational  establishments  and 
universities in the major countries in which the Group operates. 
Initiatives are undertaken in the vast majority of the countries 

where  the  Group  has  facilities  (see  also  paragraph  2.1.2.3 
“Developing relations with the social, regional and community 
environment”).

Moreover,  Dassault  Systèmes  offers 
its  employees  an 
attractive  working  environment.  Many  of  its  facilities  boast 
excellent  green  ratings,  with  infrastructures  conducive  to 
teamwork. In 2016, 70% of the Employee Headcount worked 
in  certified  offices  compared  to  62%  in  2015.  This  increase 
was brought about by the implementation of the Group’s new 
environmental strategy. (See paragraph 2.2.2.3 “Inclusion of 
environmental  considerations  in  the  Company’s  operational 
locations”).

Movements in Employee Headcount over the period

Employee arrivals (Full-time Equivalent)
Most employee arrivals carried out in 2016 stem from direct 
recruiting efforts.

Year ended December 31,

Permanent contracts

Temporary contracts

TOTAL

Europe

Americas

Asia

Total

Total

Employees 
2016

Employees 
2016

%

Employees 
2016

%

Employees 
2016

%

Employees 
2015

%

992

129

88%

12%

392

6

98%

2%

391

6

98%

2%

1,775

141

93%

7%

1,404

157

%

90%

10%

1,121

100%

398

100%

397

100%

1,916*

100%

1,561

100%

* 

Indicator verified by the independent verifier.

Europe

Americas

Asia

Total

Total

Year ended December 31,

Employees 
2016

Employees 
2016

%

Employees 
2016

%

Employees 
2016

%

Employees 
2015

%

Women

Men

TOTAL

306

815

27%

73%

1,121

100%

100

298

398

25%

75%

100%

113

284

397

28%

72%

519

1,397

27%

73%

100%

1,916*

100%

479

1,082

1,561

%

31%

69%

100%

* 

Indicator verified by the independent verifier.

The breakdown of employees recruited by type of activity is 
as follows: 60% in Sales, Marketing and Services, 25% in R&D, 
15% in Administration and others.

Additional  Information  with  regard  to  the  age  pyramid  is 
presented  in  paragraph  2.1.7  “Appendices  regarding  the 
Group’s Employee Headcount”.

44 ANNUAL REPORT 2016  DASSAULT SYSTÈMES

Social, Societal and Environmental Responsibility
Social and Societal Responsibility

2

Employee departures (Full-Time Equivalent)
In 2016, 1,212 employees left the Company. Departures were broken down as follows:

Year ended December 31,

Permanent contracts

Temporary contracts

TOTAL

Europe

Americas

Asia

Total

Total

Employees 
2016

Employees 
2016

%

Employees 
2016

%

Employees 
2016

%

Employees 
2015

%

485

119

604

80%

20%

100%

346

9

97%

3%

355

100%

241

12

253

95%

5%

1,072

140

88%

12%

1,021

109

100%

1,212*

100%

1,130

100%

%

90%

10%

2

* 

Indicator verified by the independent verifier.

On average, the attrition rate was 9.4% in 2016 versus 9.3% 
in 2015 excluding temporary contracts.

2.1.2.2  Developing, training and recognizing 

expertise, managing the careers 
of Dassault Systèmes employees

3DS University
In  an  environment  where  innovation  is  constant,  “Passion 
to Learn” is one of Dassault Systèmes’ core values. This core 
value  is  driven  by  the  3DS  University  mission,  which  is  to 
offer development initiatives in line with the activities and the 
objectives for each employee’s role.

Via  the  3DEXPERIENCE  University  application,  based  on 
the  3DEXPERIENCE  platform  and  communities  of  experts, 
Dassault  Systèmes  offers  a  range  of  training  modules  and 
tests  in  various  formats  (on-line,  face-to-face,  e-classes),  to 
validate knowledge and skills.

To  propose  a  coherent  training  offering,  the  3DS  University 
is  structured  around  core  skills  development.  Five  Colleges 
address  job  skills  and  two  Programs  deal  with  cross-sector 
skills  and  knowledge  of  the  3DEXPERIENCE  platform.  Each 
College  and  Program  offer  dedicated  libraries  of  learning 
opportunities,  as  well  as  certification  exams  to  validate  the 
skills gained:

 › the Sales College: customer engagement and skills related 
to marketing, sales, technical-sales as well as services jobs;

 › the R&D College: Information Technologies (IT);

 › the  Business  Administration  College:  finance,  legal  and 

human resources management;

 › the  Industry  College:  knowledge  of  Dassault  Systèmes’ 

software offering;

 › the  Brand  College:  knowledge  of  the  Dassault  Systèmes 

products used by customers;

 › the Manager Program: leadership and team management;

 › the  SwYmer  Program:  skills  associated  with  knowledge  of 

the Company and its values and soft skills.

In  addition  to  the  supply  of  training  modules  to  develop 
skills, 2016 was a crucial year for the management of talent 
at  Dassault  Systèmes.  Certification  programs  were  launched 
for  functions  involved  in  selling,  deploying  and  developing 
solutions.  The  end-goal  of  the  certification  is  to  establish 
a  skills  map  and  be  better  able  to  pinpoint  each  person’s 
development targets.

Key 2016 actions in the Colleges
The  certification  programs  for  the  sales  forces  and  their 
ecosystem  have  been  a  major  development  within  the 
Sales  College.  The  development  and  validation  of  key  skills 
are crucial to ensure long-term relationships with customers. 
The 3DS University has thus enhanced its programs to provide 
support to its customers in their transformation and adoption 
of  the  3DEXPERIENCE  platform.  Moreover,  these  programs 
include  certification  exams  which  confirm  the  acquisition  of 
skills and the ability to apply them, and recognize the talents’ 
expertise.

To  meet  the  challenges  of  the  marketing  teams  who  must 
adopt  a  digital  approach  in  their  activities  and  ensure  its 
continuity, the 3DS University has put in place programs and 
certifications  focused  on  the  development  and  validation  of 
these digital skills in Dassault Systèmes’ environment.

The web development courses on the 3DEXPERIENCE platform 
have been enhanced with modules focused on cloud and big 
data  technologies  to  ensure  continuity  in  the  understanding 
and  adoption  of  these  techniques  within  the  development 
practices of Dassault Systèmes.

Furthermore, to support the transformation of the applications 
hosted  on  the  3DEXPERIENCE  platform,  a  significant  effort 
has been made to focus on training in proprietary applications. 
These  courses,  mainly  provided  online,  enable  everyone  to 
learn about the functionalities of the applications, to get the 
most industrial value out of them for the benefit of customers 
and users.

DASSAULT SYSTÈMES  ANNUAL REPORT 2016

45

2 Social, Societal and Environmental Responsibility

Social and Societal Responsibility

Key 2016 actions in the Programs
The  program  dedicated  to  managers  was  enhanced  to  cover 
diversity  the  management  within  teams  (in  connection  with 
the WIN–Women INitiative), as well as the understanding and 
sharing of the Group’s values. The 3DS University has launched 
certification exams to validate these persons’ managerial skills 
and offer appropriate development actions suited to individual 
roles  (coaching,  tutorial  sessions,  and  special  team-building 
events).

The  3DS  University  has  continued  its  effort  to  ease  the 
integration of people joining Dassault Systèmes with full-day 

events dedicated to the presentation of the Dassault Systèmes 
Group,  its  strategy  its  values,  as  well  as  the  3DEXPERIENCE 
platform, in the same spirit as in 2015. 90 days later, additional 
sessions  are  organized  to  consolidate  knowledge  and  canvas 
feedback from the new arrivals to continuously forge a sense 
of community and sharing.

The  2016  program  builds  on  from  that  of  2015  in  terms  of 
number of hours as well as training methods. The introduction 
of certification exams has ensured that the actions developed 
were in keeping with each person’s mission.

Distribution of training hours 
by College or Program on December 31, 2016

Sales College

R&D College

Business Administration College

Industry College

Brand College

SwYmers Program

Managers Program

TOTAL

Distribution of training hours by category

Managers

Non-Managers

TOTAL

Distribution of training hours by gender

Men

Women

TOTAL

Ratio

Europe (1)

Americas (1)

11,641

16,903

12,326

3,307

29,404

20,344

6,669

100,594

15,302

85,292

100,594

78,887

21,707

100,594

13,925

4,170

4,988

2,233

24,051

9,676

6,832

65,875

11,599

54,276

65,875

51,613

14,262

65,875

Asia (1)

7,141

4,688

6,824

2,097

22,083

7,942

2,297

2016 Total

32,707

25,761

24,138

7,637

75,538

37,962

15,798

%

15%

12%

11%

3%

35%

17%

7%

53,072

219,541*

100%

44,819

8,253

53,072

44,114

8,958

53,072

71,720

147,821

219,541*

174,614

44,927

219,541*

21 H (2)

33%

67%

100%

80%

20%

100%

Indicator verified by the independent verifier.

* 
(1)  Country > 150 Employees – Europe: France/Germany/United Kingdom/Netherlands – Americas: United States/Canada – Asia: Japan/Malaysia/China/South Korea/India/Australia.
(2)  Ratio = average number of hours per employee (annual average headcount) excluding 2016 acquisitions.

46 ANNUAL REPORT 2016  DASSAULT SYSTÈMES

Social, Societal and Environmental Responsibility
Social and Societal Responsibility

2

2

Promoting diversity and gender balance
The  Code  of  Business  Conduct  demonstrates  the  extent  to 
which  the  Dassault  Systèmes  culture  is  based  on  mutual 
respect,  fairness,  and  the  diversity  of  its  employees.  Within 
this  context,  recruitment,  training,  promotion,  assignment 
and  more  generally,  all  work-related  decisions  are  based  on 
competencies, talent, achievements and employee motivation, 
without any form of discrimination, harassment or bullying.

Professional equality between men and women
Dassault  Systèmes  encourages  gender  equality  within  the 
Company  by  spearheading  initiatives  for  women’s  career 
advancement.

In June 2016, a second 3DS WIN (Women Initiative) Summit 
brought together 22 Group representatives globally. A priority 
action  plan,  including  a  measure  to  raise  management 
awareness, was established in order to boost the recruitment 
of  women  at  Dassault  Systèmes  and  increase  their  numbers 
in  management  positions.  On  December  31,  2016,  24%  of 
Dassault  Systèmes  employees  were  women,  accounting  for 
18% of Managers.

27% of people recruited during the year were women, spread 
over  the  following  services:  55%  in  Sales,  Marketing  and 
Services, 31% in Administration and other, and 14% in R&D. It 
is important to highlight that the Group’s ability to hire more 
female engineers is very limited as they are under-represented 
in engineering schools.

The  3DS  WIN  internal  community,  implemented  in  2012, 
continues  to  coordinate  a  network  of  women  and  men 
determined  to  encourage,  inspire  and  mentor  women  to 
develop  their  careers  within  Dassault  Systèmes.  In  2016, 
numerous local actions were implemented, such as: a booklet 
entitled “It’s up to me” for all Dassault Systèmes employees, 
with  16  tips  to  help  them  fulfill  their  potential  within  the 
Company  and  advance  their  careers;  participation  in  various 
events such as the Women’s Forum for Economy and Society; 
a  march  to  raise  awareness  of  cardio-vascular  diseases  in 
India, Canada and France on World Heart Day; peer coaching 
in Montreal and Waltham, etc.

The Dassault Systèmes Executive Committee is comprised of 
two women and eight men while the Board of Directors has 
four women members and five men.

in  the  different  countries  where 

Dassault  Systèmes  endeavors  to  comply  with  applicable 
regarding  professional  equality  and  non-
regulations 
discrimination 
it  has 
employees.  The  French,  German,  English,  Dutch,  American, 
Canadian,  Japanese,  Chinese,  South  Korean  and  Australian 
companies  of  Dassault  Systèmes,  which  employ  86%  of  the 
Company’s  Employee  Headcount,  are  subject  to  specific 
employment anti-discrimination and gender-equality laws.

For  example,  in  France,  the  agreement  regarding  equal 
professional  treatment  and  balanced  employment  between 
men and women at Dassault Systèmes SE was renewed and 
signed on July 9, 2015 for a three-year period.

It  covers  the  following  themes:  hiring  and  developing  the 
professional gender balance, the policy of equal compensation 
and  pay  between  men  and  women,  promotions  and 
career  development,  work-life  balance,  awareness  and 
communication campaigns to change mindsets and behavior.

In  addition,  in  order  to  analyze  the  positioning  of  men  and 
women  at  Dassault  Systèmes  SE  and  to  define  actions  to 
be  undertaken  to  eliminate  possible  inequities,  a  report  on 
the  situation  comparing  general  employment  conditions 
and  training  for  men  and  women  is  prepared  each  year 
in  accordance  with  the  law.  It  has  been  available  on  the 
Company’s internal platform since 2010.

Some French subsidiaries have also implemented agreements 
on equality or the promotion of diversity (Dassault Systèmes 
Provence SAS, Dassault Data Services SAS).

In  the  United  States,  the  subsidiaries  ensure  compliance 
with  regulations  regarding  equality  in  the  workplace  (hiring, 
training,  promotions,  compensation,  dismissals  and  any 
other  decision  related  to  work),  in  particular  Title  VII  of  the 
Civil  Rights  Act.  It  sends  reports  of  compliance  with  these 
regulations (EEO1, Vet100 and Affirmative Action reports) to 
the U.S. authorities each year.

People with disabilities
The  French,  German,  English,  Dutch,  American,  Canadian, 
Japanese,  South  Korean  and  Australian  companies  of 
Dassault Systèmes, which account for 83% of the Employee 
Headcount,  are  subject  to  specific  laws  on  people  with 
disabilities. This is also the case for most of the other European 
countries where employees are located.

In  France,  since  the  first  agreement  implemented  in  2003 
within Dassault Systèmes SE to promote the employment of 
workers  with  disabilities,  which  created  conditions  favorable 
for their integration, several agreements have been renewed, 
the last of which was signed on December 7, 2015 (Insertion 
and  Employment  of  people  with  disabilities  within  the 
Dassault Systèmes Group 2016-2017-2018).

These agreements reflect Dassault Systèmes SE’s commitment 
to  make  the  hiring,  training  and  continued  employment  of 
workers with disabilities a major component of its policy.

On  December  31,  2016,  66  known  and  reported  disabled 
people were employed by Dassault Systèmes SE compared to 
51  in  2015.  Dassault  Systèmes  SE  is  committed  to  training 
and hiring at least 35 people with disabilities under all types 
of contracts (permanent, temporary, interns, work-study) over 
three years, including at least 12 permanent contracts, for all 
types of qualifications.

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47

2 Social, Societal and Environmental Responsibility

Social and Societal Responsibility

large  number  of 

Furthermore,  a 
initiatives  concerning 
employee  support,  internal  communication  and  training 
have  been  launched:  improving  workstations,  conferences, 
videos,  sessions  aimed  at  raising  awareness  with  regard  to 
welcoming  and  integrating  disabled  employees,  etc.  Actions 
with  external  service  providers  have  also  been  carried  out, 
including  partnerships  with  establishments  in  the  sheltered 
employment sector and services on the 3DS Paris Campus.

Access  to  3DS  Paris  Campus  for  people  with  disabilities  was 
specifically  considered  during  construction  (such  as  floor 
quality,  doors,  furniture,  Eo-guidage  signaling,  magnetic 
loops, accessible meeting rooms, parking lot entrances, etc.)

Since  2011,  Dassault  Data  Services  SAS  has  made  a  yearly 
commitment  to  adopt  measures  supporting  the  integration 
and  employment  of  people  with  disabilities.  In  2016,  the 
following  efforts  were  continued:  initiatives  in  favor  of 
recruitment,  adapting  workstations,  training  and  awareness 
initiatives, actions in partnership with sheltered employment 
sectors.

In  the  United  States,  the  regulations  regarding  job  equality 
(see the paragraph above “Professional equality between men 
and women”) apply in cases of discrimination against disabled 
employees. It is, however, not permissible to inquire about an 
employee’s disability. As a result, no data is provided.

Intergenerational agreements
Pursuant to French law, an intergenerational agreement was 
signed  at  Dassault  Systèmes  SE  on  October  8,  2013  for  a 
three-year period.

This  agreement  extends  from  the  agreement  regarding 
employing  senior  employees  (agreement  signed  in  2010), 
building on the measures initiated to anticipate career changes, 
develop and transfer skills and manage the transition between 
working  life  and  retirement.  It  has  now  been  broadened  to 
include a component aimed at facilitating the recruitment and 
integration of young people within the Company.

Following  the  expiry  of  this  agreement,  negotiations  were 
undertaken  and  a  new  3-year  intergenerational  agreement 
was  signed  within  Dassault  Systèmes  SE  on  December  7, 
2016.

On  October  25,  2016,  Dassault  Data  Services  SAS,  the  CFTC 
and  the  CFE-CGC  signed  an  intergenerational  agreement  in 
favor  of  young  people  and  senior  employees.  The  measures 
are particularly aimed at hiring young people, keeping senior 
employees in the workforce, and passing on skills.

An  intergenerational  agreement  was  also  put  in  place  at 
Dassault Systèmes Provence SAS for a three-year period and 
there  are  corporate  action  plans  at  Netvibes  SAS  and  3DVIA 
SAS in particular.

2.1.2.3  Developing relations with the social, 
regional and community environment

The Dassault Systèmes Foundation
The  purpose  of  the  Dassault  Systèmes  Foundation  is  to 
contribute  to  transforming  education  and  research  by 
building  on  the  powerful  learning  opportunities  offered  by 
3D  technology  and  virtual  universes.  The  Foundation  wants 
to support the creation of conditions conducive to developing 
creative  thinking  to  harmonize  product,  nature  and  life.  Its 
ambition is to:

 › actively  support  the  transformation  of  teaching  and 
educational  innovation  particularly  through  3D  experience  
imaging and content;

 › generate 

interest  from  young  people  for  careers 

in 

engineering, sciences and digital technologies;

 › broaden  access  for  schools  and  universities  to  3D 

technologies and content, as well as simulation;

 › encourage scientific and technological research; and

 › contribute 

to 

the  preservation, 

conservation  and 

enhancement of humanity’s intellectual heritage.

The  Dassault  Systèmes  Foundation  grants  scholarships  and 
provides  digital  content  and  virtual  technology  expertise  to 
education  and  research  projects  led  by  universities,  research 
institutes  or  other  European  general  interest  organizations. 
This support promotes access to 3D technologies which have 
been used for a long time by the industry to design, develop 
and manufacture most of the products on which the Group is 
based.

Since the creation of its European organization on August 15, 
2015, over 2,000 students have directly benefited from this 
support.

In 2016, 17 projects were selected in Europe. All are innovative 
educational projects covering a wide variety of fields: industry 
and agriculture of the future, geology, health, introduction to 
engineering  professions.  At  the  University  of  Sheffield,  with 
the  support  of  the  Dassault  Systèmes  Foundation,  Professor 
Lacroix  and  his  team  are  developing  a  study  program  aimed 
at  training  students  in  the  creation  of  digital  twins  of  the 
spine  and  cardio-vascular  system.  In  the  very  near  future, 
these  new  skills  will  be  essential  to  improve  preparation  for 
surgery.  The  models  developed  will  reduce  medical  errors 
having  serious  implications  for  the  life  of  patients.  In  Spain, 
the  Dassault  Systèmes  Foundation  supports  the  Polytechnic 
University of Madrid and the University of Cantabria in their 
efforts  to  facilitate  and  accelerate  study  programs  in  the 
Industry  of  the  Future.  Working  as  a  network,  the  teachers 
strive to transform teaching methods through a collaborative, 

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Social, Societal and Environmental Responsibility
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2

2

multidisciplinary  approach  by  creating  new  educational 
content.  On  the  longer  term,  this  network  will  include 
11  universities  across  Spain.  Furthermore,  by  providing  its 
support  to  a  number  of  organizations  recognized  for  their 
professionalism  and  social  commitment 
like  Apprentis 
d’Auteuil,  La  main  à  la  pâte  and  Course  en  Cours,  the 
Dassault Systèmes Europe Foundation actively promotes the 
discovery  of  engineering  professions  and  strives  to  inspire 
young  people.  It  focuses  its  general-interest  mission  on 
society to build a better future in a constantly changing world.

Building on extensive experience and driven by the desire to 
expand  the  scope  of  its  social  action,  Dassault  Systèmes  set 
up the Dassault Systèmes U.S. Foundation in 2016, with the 
same objectives and ambitions as the Europe Foundation.

Company relations with high school and higher 
education
Dassault Systèmes’ relations with the world of education are 
aimed at constantly updating teaching methods and fostering 
the skills and talents expected by its clients.

Training the engineers and technicians required 
by Dassault Systèmes’ customers
At the end of 2016, 5.8 million pupils and students were using 
one  or  more  of  the  Group’s  technologies  in  an  educational 
context,  mainly  in  high  school  and  higher  education.  The 
Company’s  efforts  have  led  to  the  overall  broadening  of  the 
user community as well as developing and modernizing their 
uses. To date, they include 40,000 institutions worldwide.

SOLIDWORKS   continued  its  expansion,  reaching  a  total  of 
2.7  million  licenses.  Large-scale  deployments  continued, 
including the supply of 30,000 licenses to the 26 campuses 
of  the  prestigious  Mexican  engineering  school  “Tec  de 
Monterrey” (ITESM).

intensified 

Throughout  the  year,  Dassault  Systèmes 
its 
recruitment campaign for certification centers on the sites of 
its academic partners, as well as on university campuses. These 
centers allow interested students to undergo certification tests 
essentially  based  on  practical  exercises.  In  addition  to  the 
large  number  of  centers  dedicated  to  SOLIDWORKS ,  62  new 
centers  (for  a  total  of  119)  have  been  accredited  across  the 
world,  making  it  possible  to  hold  thousands  of  exams  on 
different  CATIA  versions,  for  which  the  average  success  rate 
is  66%,  confirming  the  difficulty  of  the  exams.  Holding  a 
Dassault  Systèmes  certification  is  a  guarantee  of  immediate 
employability for young graduates, as well as for companies.

The  “PLMCC”  program  for  the  creation  of  educational 
expertise centers, involving Dassault Systèmes and the French 
ministries of Education and Research, was expanded through 
the  extension  of  the  network  to  a  South  African  site,  the 

Durban  University  of  Technology.  The  goal  of  these  centers 
is to step up the teaching of good industrial practices through 
the  use  of  Dassault  Systèmes  solutions.  Since  their  creation 
ten years ago, they have trained hundreds of teachers in South 
America, Africa and Asia.

In  order  to  encourage  greater  interest  in  the  sciences  and 
technology,  and  contribute  towards  reversing  the  trend  of 
disinterest  among  young  people  for  these  disciplines  in 
France,  the  multidiscipline  Course  en  Cours  competition 
has  maintained  its  level  of  participation  across  France  and 
French high schools abroad, with 11,000 secondary and high 
school  students  taking  part.  This  program  has  confirmed  its 
sustainability by celebrating its tenth anniversary in 2016.

Facilitating educational innovation
The  development  of  new  educational  practices  based  on 
Dassault Systèmes’ solutions took on a new dimension since 
2015 with the creation of a “Learning Lab” on the 3DS Paris 
Campus in Vélizy-Villacoublay. Numerous directors of academic 
institutions  worldwide  have  visited  this  lab  to  discover  new 
learning experiences that replicate real life experiences which 
students can apply to their future work environment.

The Learning Lab – set up in 2015 on the 3DS Paris Campus 
in  Vélizy-Villacoubaly  to  imagine  and  document  new  ways 
for digital technology to be used in education – continued to 
develop its two main activities, dissemination and innovation. 
In  2016,  it  welcomed  several  hundred  academic  institution 
directors, education researchers, customers and national and 
international political representatives.

The 2016 innovations mainly concerned the teaching of new 
practices  for  the  industry  of  the  future,  such  as  the  internet 
of  things,  the  virtual  twin  concept,  additive  manufacturing 
and  the  digital  factory,  as  well  as  project-based  teaching 
methods.  Capitalizing  on  the  expertise  it  has  accumulated 
over  the  past  ten  years  in  the  innovative  educational  uses 
of  Dassault  Systèmes  solutions,  the  University  of  Lorraine, 
with the support of Dassault Systèmes, set up a new service 
provision unit called “DITEX” to better disseminate its know-
how across the world. The Company actively collaborates with 
its academic partners to build innovative educational projects 
in  the  prospect  of  their  funding  by  agencies  which  support 
research and innovation (European Union, National Research 
Agency, etc.). This activity intensified in 2016:

 › completion of “PLACIS”, led by the Paris Institut Supérieur 
de  Mécanique  (Higher  Institute  for  Mechanics)  aimed 
at  developing  an  international  program  to  train  systems 
engineers;

 › continuation of the European collaborative robotics project, 
“EURLAB”,  headed  by  the  Louis  Armand  High  School  in 
Nogent-sur-Marne,  France,  involving  high  school  students 
in Germany and Italy in a first phase;

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2 Social, Societal and Environmental Responsibility

Social and Societal Responsibility

 › launch  of  the  “EXAPP_3D”  project  headed  by  the  Paris 
Institut Supérieur de Mécanique  to  promote  the  spirit  of 
system  engineering  and  make  its  practices  accessible  to 
high school students;

 › launch of the “DEFI&CO” project headed by CESI, aimed in 
particular  at  producing,  for  remote  educational  purposes, 
virtual  twins  for  demonstrators  of  factories  of  the  future 
and buildings of the future;

 › launch  of  the  “EOLE”  project  headed  by  the  University  of 
Strasbourg, in which the virtual twin concept will be used 
to create new types of practical exercises in connection with 
the skills required for the industry of the future.

innovative  teaching  methods, 

In  the  field  of 
in  2016 
the  Company  provided  a  dedicated  configuration  of  its 
3DEXPERIENCE  platform  to  turn  it  into  a  project/problem 
based  learning  environment.  Tested  in  context  by  academic 
partners, this environment has demonstrated its suitability for 
increasingly application-based methodologies in technological 
education, such as PBL (Project/Problem Based Learning) and 
CDIO (Conceive-Design-Implement-Operate).

These  research  activities  allow  full  use  of  the  possibilities 
offered by the latest version of the 3DEXPERIENCE solutions 
on the cloud. These solutions saw their first rollout in most of 
the countries where the Group operates.

All  of  these  activities  were  supported  by  the  active 
collaboration  of  the  Group  in  conjunction  with  a  number  of 
scientific  associations  including  the  American  Society  for 
Engineering  Education  (ASEE),  the  Société Européenne pour 
la Formation des Ingénieurs  (European  Society  for  Engineer 
Training  (SEFI),  the  International  Federation  of  Engineering 
Education  Societies  (IFEES),  the  Global  Engineering  Deans 
Council  (GEDC),  the  Indian  Society  for  Technical  Education 
(ISTE),  the  European  SchoolNet,  the  National  Academy  of 
Engineering  and  the  Association Française d'Ingénierie des 
Systèmes  (French  Association  for  Systems  Engineering). 
Dassault  Systèmes  also  cooperated  with  the  ICEE  (Indo-U.S. 
Collaboration on Engineering Education) which works towards 
modernizing technical educational practices in India.

Facilitating open innovation, collective intelligence
The 3DEXPERIENCE Lab is Dassault Systèmes’ open innovation 
laboratory. Its objective is to invent new types of products and 
services covering different sectors, with the ambition to help 
society move forward.

This system is based on the strong conviction that breakthrough 
projects are born out of collective intelligence. Its mission is to 
incubate projects in partnership with players including start-
ups,  and  research  or  innovation  laboratories.  This  implies  a 
new dynamic which will give these projects greater scope, as 
well as encompassing the idea of societal transformation.

The  3DEXPERIENCE  Lab  supports  projects  based  on  themes 
from everyday life, i.e. cities, lifestyles, life sciences, connected 
objects,  the  ideation  (idea  creation)  process,  and  “Fab  Labs”. 
Barely a year after its launch, innovative projects have already 
been  carried  out,  such  as  Europe’s  first  3D  printed  pavilion 
created by the start-up XTreeE on the 3DEXPERIENCE platform 
in collaboration with ABB and LafargeHolcim.

The  3DEXPERIENCE  Lab  program  will  provide  start-ups 
with  the  most  advanced  professional  software  on  the 
market,  a  dedicated  collaborative  cloud  area,  and  a  user 
community.  These  advanced  technological  facilities  will  be 
supplemented  with  a  high-level  mentoring  program  where 
each  Dassault  Systèmes  employee  can  contribute  their  skills 
and assist the start-ups in their digital projects.

The  unique  market  positioning  of  the  3DEXPERIENCE  Lab 
program  is  also  reflected  in  the  possibility  of  giving  these 
start-ups  access  to  the  networks  and  connections  within 
Dassault  Systèmes’  extended  ecosystem  at  an  international 
level.  These  processes  must  be  orchestrated  using  a  new 
methodology,  new  management  and  new  tools,  but  most 
importantly  a  platform-based  approach  allowing  digital 
continuity  and  the  development  of  cross-organizational 
networks.  This  primarily  relies  on  the  necessity  to  manage 
the  idea  life-cycle  process,  from  the  seed  phase  through  to 
industrialization phases, while capitalizing on knowledge and 
players. An open and social innovation practice has thus been 
set up and will be available to industrialists seeking to deploy 
this approach in their own companies.

The  3DS  Paris  Campus,  as  well  as  the  3DS  Boston  Campus 
from   mid-2017 ,  welcome  these  start-up  founders  to  the 
3DEXPERIENCE  Lab  with  a  dedicated  area  for  training  and 
coaching,  the  availability  of  high-performance  equipment, 
and a Fab Lab for the fast prototyping of parts.

(For more information, http://3dexperiencelab.3ds.com/fr/).

Company commitment to associations
Dassault  Systèmes  is  involved  with  associations  to  support 
the  virtual  economy  and  encourage  sustainable  innovation. 
To promote the development of the digital economy in France 
and  in  Europe,  Dassault  Systèmes  is  a  founding  member  of 
AFDEL  (Association Française des Éditeurs de Logiciels, the 
French Association of Software Editors), now “Tech in France”. 
The  goal  of  this  association  is  to  promote  the  software 
industry as an industry that contributes to sustainable growth. 
Dassault Systèmes also co-chairs the Alliance for the Industry 
of the Future in France, of which Tech in France is a founding 
member.  This  Alliance  helps  promote  the  transformation 
of  French  production  tools  and  support  companies 
in 
transforming  their  business  models,  organizations,  design 
modes  and  marketing.  The  Group  also  supports  the 

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2

“Villette-Universcience Company” in France, whose goal is to 
promote and encourage the spread of scientific and technical 
culture to young people and to the general public. Throughout 
the  world,  Dassault  Systèmes  brands  are  involved  in  local 
community efforts.

Social activities
In France, Dassault Systèmes SE subsidizes its Works Council 
in  the  amount  of  5.2%  of  total  gross  annual  payroll,  with 
5.0%  for  social  and  cultural  activities  and  0.2%  for  the 
operating  budget.  In  2016,  the  Works  Council  thus  received 
€10.7 million, compared to slightly more than €10.5 million 
in 2015 and €9.1 million in 2014.

This  yearly  allocation  by  Dassault  Systèmes  SE  allows 
employees, as well as their spouses and children, to be offered 
a  large  range  of  social  and  cultural  activities  with  many 
sections dedicated to specific domains from sports to art, as 
well  as  financial  support,  such  as  for  vacations,  children’s 
education, and membership in clubs.

Dassault  Data  Services  SAS  subsidizes  its  Works  Council  at 
a  level  of  1.5%  of  its  total  gross  annual  payroll,  with  1.3% 
for  social  and  cultural  activities  and  0.2%  for  the  operating 
budget.

Dassault Systèmes Provence SAS subsidizes its Works Council 
in the amount of 1.8% of total gross annual payroll, with 1.6% 
for  social  and  cultural  activities  and  0.2%  for  the  operating 
budget.

2

2.1.3  Welcoming employees who have joined the Group 

via recently acquired companies

Given  the  Group’s  strong  growth,  the  rapid  and  effective 
integration  of  new  employees  joining  the  Group  through 
acquisitions is of major importance for its strategy.

Dassault Systèmes’ objective is to integrate the newly acquired 
entities with the end goal of sharing the same strategy, using 
the same processes in all areas, as well as having a single set 
of values and a common culture within merged legal entities. 
Dassault Systèmes wants its potential and existing customers 
to  have  the  same  experience  in  all  their  relations  with  the 
Group.  This  is  materialized  through  a  portfolio  of  integrated 
products,  a  standardized  customer  engagement  model,  a 
unified legal framework, and a harmonized sales cycle – from 
offer  through  to  service  provision.  The  ambition  is  to  be  a 
great place to work, where each employee benefits from the 
same  development  opportunities  and  working  conditions, 
irrespective of their geographic location or entity.

For this purpose, Dassault Systèmes has defined a methodology 
and  processes  aimed  at  implementing  an  integration  plan. 
This plan takes place in three stages:

 › a preparation phase upon the finalization of the acquisition, 

which defines the integration strategy;

 › a communication program on the date of the signature and 
a  convergence  plan  for  each  function  with  an  associated 
schedule.  This  plan  is  co-drafted  by  the  teams  of  the 
acquired company and those of Dassault Systèmes, based 
on a value analysis of the respective processes;

 › the implementation of the convergence plan at a rate that 
can vary depending on the acquired companies. This goes 
from  the  adoption  of  Dassault  Systèmes’  processes  up  to 
the complete integration of the legal entities.

Throughout this process, a project monitoring system using the 
tools of the 3DEXPERIENCE platform, is leveraged to manage 
the progress, allowing for plan modifications if necessary.

Feedback is solicited to continuously improve the process. For 
example,  in  2015,  surveys  were  conducted  with  employees 
from  newly  acquired  companies,  around  their  perception  of 
the integration.

Each  integration  process  is  adapted  specifically  to  each 
acquired company, with the aim of motivating and building the 
loyalty  of  talented  individuals  and  providing  each  employee 
with learning opportunities.

This methodology is based in particular on the 3DEXPERIENCE 
platform  as  well  as  the  online  communities  which  provide 
easy  access  to  the  information  concerning  the  Company, 
organizations 
the 
responsibilities,  competencies  and  contributions  of  each 
person.

and  projects,  while  highlighting 

A  team  of  employees  from  Dassault  Systèmes  and  from  the 
acquired  company  is  formed  to  conduct  this  convergence 
project  focusing  on  different  processes:  R&D  and  Customer 
Support, Sales and Marketing, Finance, Sales Administration, 
Human Resources, IT and Working Environment.

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2 Social, Societal and Environmental Responsibility

Social and Societal Responsibility

2.1.4  Rewarding Performance and Recognizing Employees

As part of the performance appraisal process, each employee 
meets his or her manager on a formal basis at least twice a year, 
to define goals for the year and to assess the results against 
the  set  objectives.  A  mid-year  review  is  also  recommended. 
These discussions relate to rewards and recognition attributed 
to  the  employees  for  their  performance  and  contribution  to 
Dassault Systèmes’ development.

Dassault  Systèmes  also  values  initiatives  with  particular 
attention paid to taste for innovation as well as collective and 
social actions:

 › innovations  developed  within  the  Group  by  the  teams,  in 
all  organizations,  are  showcased  in  the  3DS  Innovation 
Forwards,  that,  each  year,  reward  the  most  innovative 
projects put forth by employees worldwide;

 › programs and initiatives are put into place to recognize the 
employees’ hard work and enhance the work environment;

 › Dassault Systèmes also recognizes the importance of being 
a  strong  corporate  citizen,  and  actively  participates  and 
encourages  employees  to  contribute  to  community  based 
activities.

Performance and compensation

Compensation
The compensation policy at Dassault Systèmes seeks to ensure 
that  each  employee  receives  compensation  consistent  with 
market practices in the advanced technology industry in each 
country  where  the  Company  has  operations.  Compensation 
is  differentiated  according  to  the  individual  performance  of 
each employee as appraised by his or her Manager during an 
annual interview reviewing goals and performance.

Increases take place for the entire Company in April each year. 
All the employees who were with the Company on October 1 
of the preceding year are eligible for an annual salary increase.

In  2016,  the  salary  increases  granted  by  Dassault  Systèmes 
depended  on  individual  performance  and  market  changes  in 
each country where the Company has activities.

Total  gross  annual  payroll  paid  by  the  Group  (including  for 
the employees of 3D PLM Software Solutions Ltd and 3DPLM 
Global Services Private Ltd) amounted to €1,072.1 million in 
2016 compared to €1,019.0 million in 2015, representing an 
increase of 5% for the year.

Payroll  taxes  for  the  Group  amounted  to  €263.9  million  in 
2016 compared to €254.5 million in 2015. In 2016 and 2015, 
payroll taxes included an amount directly related to an award 
of performance shares.

Profit-sharing (pursuant to Titles I and II of Book III, 
Section III of the Labor Code)
Employee  profit-sharing  (l'intéressement)  and  regulatory 
profit-sharing  (la  participation)  are  two  employee  savings 
vehicles established by law in France. Employee profit-sharing 
is  optional,  while  regulatory  profit-sharing  is  required  for  all 
companies with more than 50 employees.

The  employee  profit-sharing  and  derogatory   profit-sharing 
agreements  renegotiated  by  Dassault  Systèmes  SE  with  the 
labor  unions  in  2014  are  applicable  for  three  years  (2014, 
2015 and 2016).

Employee  profit-sharing  in  respect  of  2015,  paid  out  in 
2016  at  Dassault  Systèmes  SE,  amounted  to  €21.2  million 
(€17.9 million in 2014). The total amount of the contribution 
by  Dassault  Systèmes  SE  for  regulatory  profit-sharing 
in  respect  of  2015,  paid  out  in  2016,  was  €21.2  million 
(€17.9 million in 2014).

 The Board of Directors of Dassault Systèmes SE, meeting on 
March  16,  2017,  decided  to  grant  extra  optional  employee 
profit-sharing  and  regulated  employee  profit-sharing  for 
an  amount  of  €1,015,771  each.  The  addition  of  optional 
employee  profit-sharing  and  regulated  employee  profit-
sharing  related  to  2016  was  €46,915,455.  The  results  of 
operations  recorded  by  Dassault  Systèmes  SE  for  the  year 
2016, and which will be submitted for approval at the General 
Shareholders'  Meeting  on  May  23,  2017  should  permit  the 
distribution of employee profit-sharing and regulatory profit-
sharing of €23.5 million each (extra profit sharing included). 

The table below sets forth the amounts of employee profit-sharing and regulatory profit-sharing at Dassault Systèmes SE over 
the past three years:

2016

2015

2014

(in thousands of euros)

Amount (1)

% payroll

Amount

% payroll

Amount

% payroll

Contractual employee profit-sharing 
(intéressement)

Regulatory profit-sharing (participation)

TOTAL

23,458

23,458

46,916

11.5%

11.5%

23.0%

21,163

21,163

42,326

11.0%

11.1%

22.1%

17,921

17,921

35,842

10.5%

10.4%

20.9%

(1)  including extra profit-sharing as decided by t he Board of Directors of Dassault Systèmes SE, meeting on March 16, 2017.

Payroll percentages are calculated on a capped payroll base as per the current profit sharing agreements.

52 ANNUAL REPORT 2016  DASSAULT SYSTÈMES

Social, Societal and Environmental Responsibility
Social and Societal Responsibility

2

2

The amounts attributed individually to employee beneficiaries 
are,  at  the  employee’s  option  either  directly  received, 
contributed  to  one  of  the  Company’s  savings  or  group 
retirement  plans,  or  deposited  (only  possible  for  regulatory 
profit-sharing)  in  a  blocked  bank  account  bearing  interest  at 
110% of the average interest rate on private bonds (Taux de 
Rendement Moyen des Obligations Privées).

At Dassault Data Services SAS and Dassault Systèmes Provence 
SAS, the amount of contractual employee profit-sharing paid 
in 2016 in respect of year 2015 represented 11.6% and 6.2% 
of  the  payroll  respectively,  and  the  regulatory  profit-sharing 
represented  0.6%  and  19.8%.  Employee  profit-sharing  and 
derogatory  contractual  profit-sharing  agreements  were  also 
signed in 2013 and in 2014 in Netvibes SAS and 3DVIA SAS. 
These agreements represented respectively 17.9% and 8.1% 
of the payroll of these companies.   

Other plans
In  Canada,  there  is  a  “Deferred  Profit-Sharing  Plan”  (DPSP) 
which allows a portion of profits to be distributed to employees 
registered on the “Registered Pension Plan” (RPP).

Recognizing the flair for innovation and showcasing 
collective initiatives advocated by the values of 
Dassault Systèmes

3DS INNOVATION Forwards
Every  year,  the  3DS  INNOVATION  Forwards  reward  the 
most  innovative  projects  led  by  Dassault  Systèmes’  teams 
worldwide. Launched in 2004, the initiative encourages a spirit 
of innovation and collaboration within the Group. It partakes 
in employee recognition and deepens their understanding of 
the  corporate  strategy.  To  this  end,  the  projects  submitted 
must  address  one  of  the  Company’s  strategic  priorities: 
providing  solutions  to  industry  challenges,  creating  new 
user  experiences,  creating  value  for  customers,  partners 
or  employees,  enhancing  the  use  of  the  3DEXPERIENCE 
platform, developing the Group’s activities, etc.

All  Dassault  Systèmes  employees  are  invited  to  submit  their 
projects through a dedicated application on the 3DEXPERIENCE 
platform.  The  projects  can  be  seen  by  everyone  and  the 
winners are selected through the votes of employees and by a 
jury made up of members of the Executive Committee. In the 
2016 edition of the 3DS INNOVATION Forwards 233 projects 
were  submitted,  representing  1,754  employees.  A  total  of 
32 projects were rewarded, i.e. 369 people.

Recognizing and rewarding expertise
2016 
implementation  of  a  global 
is  the  first  year  of 
certification  model  for  Group  employees  and  for  partners  of 
the Dassault Systèmes ecosystem.

Following on from a skill development program, certification 
exams  are  designed  to  validate  the  job  skills  gained  by  each 
employee.  These  certifications  allow  the  validation  of  the 

professional skills required for each person’s job, in line with 
Dassault  Systèmes’  corporate  culture,  as  well  as  technical 
knowledge  concerning  industrial  solutions  and  the  use  of 
products.

Following  this  process,  each  graduate  can  promote  the 
certifications gained and post their validated skill levels on the 
3DEXPERIENCE platform. This makes it possible to highlight 
the  expertise  within  the  ecosystem,  put  it  to  use  within  the 
scope of cross-functional projects, and extend it to others by 
supporting their development.

Initiatives to reward work and improve the lives 
of employees
Since 2010, an internal satisfaction survey has been open to all 
Dassault Systèmes employees worldwide. This survey enables 
employees to give their opinions on various topics such as the 
meaning  of  their  work,  the  quality  of  the  management,  the 
competitiveness  of  the  work  environment,  the  community 
of  people,  and  pride  in  working  for  Dassault  Systèmes.  This 
survey  makes  it  possible  to  identify  watchpoints  and  the 
required priority actions for each team and each country.

The action plan, based by geographic region, is shared across 
the  GEO  and  within  the  Life@3DS  community,  which  is 
accessible to all employees. A catalog of 40 good practices is 
updated every year. It focuses on the following:

1)  recognition and celebrations;

2)  the learning company;

3)  the working environment; and

4)  managerial practices.

Collective company and social initiatives
Most of the Group’s subsidiaries organize or take part in local 
initiatives within their communities.

This  may  involve  taking  part  in  sporting  events  to  collect 
funds for various charity organizations, for example: the “Paris 
to  London  cycle  ride”  in  the  United  Kingdom,  including  the 
collection of donations for the “Prince’s Trust” to help people 
between the ages of 13 and 30 in education or employment; 
a  48-hour  cycle  race  in  Canada  for  the  “Make-A-Wish 
Foundation”.

Actions supporting children were also carried out. In Germany, 
donations  were  made  to  the  F.U.N.K.e.V  charity,  which 
supports  neuropediatrics  in  Stuttgart  Hospital;  donation  and 
toy  collections  took  place  in  the  United  States.  In  France, 
Dassault  Systèmes  partners  with  the  Rêves  de  Gosse  : 
Tour 2016 initiative which offers “extraordinary” children (sick 
children) the opportunity to go on a first flight organized by 
amateur and professional pilots; Rêves de Gosse comics books 
were distributed to Dassault Systèmes employees in May 2016 
for the 20th anniversary of the initiative. In Germany, gifts for 
refugee  children  were  collected  during  a  Christmas  event.  In 
the  United  States,  employee  volunteer  days  take  place  with 

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2 Social, Societal and Environmental Responsibility

Social and Societal Responsibility

non-profits,  in  particular  for  children’s  holidays  and  to  give 
them access to culture.

Initiatives in favor of people with disabilities: in South Korea, 
Dassault Systèmes conducts a two-month intern program for 
disabled  students  in  partnership  with  the  “Korea  National 
University  of  Welfare”;  in  France,  Dassault  Systèmes  has 
become  party  to  the  regional  partnership  agreement  for  the 
professional  integration  of  young  people  with  handicaps. 
This lead to participation in the round table of the academic 
day in Créteil (Testimonial on the successful integration of an 
autistic youth @3DS). In addition, innovative projects in favor 
of people with disabilities were conducted in partnership with 
CERHEM and the Etoile de Martin association: “New Wheel To 
Run” project (study and prototype to optimize a one-wheeled 
chair and urban mobility equipment).

Sustainable  development  actions  are  also  conducted.  For 
example,  in  France  and  the  United  States,  IT  and  electronic 
equipment  is  collected  by  employees  for  recycling;  new 
furniture  made  of  recycled  plastic  was  bought  to  equip 
the  3DS  Paris  Campus;  and  a  “Clean  Desk”  operation  was 
organized.  In  Canada,  a  wellness  program  was  launched 
in  2016  to  promote  healthier  living  through  conferences, 
workshops  and  sporting  activities.  In  Germany,  a  donation 
was made to an ocean cleaning project.

In Canada, employees are given two and a half days per year 
for  charity  initiatives,  while  one  day  is  allocated  for  that 
purpose in China.

Charity initiatives were also conducted in the United States, in 
particular for the collection of winter clothes.

2.1.5  Business ethics, social dialogue and personal safety

Business ethics
Since  its  creation,  Dassault  Systèmes  has  developed  its 
culture  and  built  its  reputation  on  different  fundamental 
principles, particularly the creation of long-term relationships 
with  its  employees,  customers,  partners  and  shareholders, 
as  well  as  high-quality  products  with  high  added-value. 
Confidence  and  integrity,  supported  by  rigorous  ethics  and 
regulatory compliance, are at the heart of Dassault Systèmes’ 
commitments for sustainable innovation and growth.

The  Company’s  commitment  to  professional  ethics  and 
corporate  citizenship 
is  formalized  through  procedures 
regarding  corporate  governance,  in  particular  the  “Code  of 
Business Conduct” distributed to all the Company’s employees 
(see  paragraph  5.1  “Report  of  the  Chairman  on  Corporate 
Governance and Internal Control”) and “DS Principles of Social 
Responsibility”  on  the  Company’s  internet  site.  The  Code  of 
Business Conduct, which is backed up by specific policies, is 
intended to serve as the reference for all Company employees 
to guide their behavior and interactions when performing their 
activities.

This  commitment  is  also  demonstrated  through  awareness 
around  ethics  and  compliance  being  raised  among  new 
employees  and  by  offering  targeted  training  courses  to 
employees most exposed to ethical risks in their daily duties.

The  online  ethics  and  compliance  training  course  (created  in 
2013) is now an integral part of the onboarding program for 
all new employees. This course comprises 14 modules, each 
of  which  is  broken  down  into  a  theory  section  followed  by 
practical applications in a question/answer format. The topics 
dealt with include the fight against corruption, the protection 

of  intellectual  property,  respect  for  confidentiality,  ethics  in 
the workplace, competition law, information systems security, 
personal data protection, and conflicts of interest etc.

The fight against corruption
The  Code  of  Business  Conduct  prohibits  Group  employees 
from:

 › exchanging gifts or invitations in order to favor or influence 
a  business  decision,  whether  it  be  taken  by  a  customer, 
partner, supplier or employees of the Group;

 › using  Dassault  Systèmes’  funds  or  assets  to  pay  bribes  or 
kickbacks or make payments of a similar nature liable directly 
or indirectly to benefit third parties, including shareholders 
or  companies,  whether  they  are  partners,  customers, 
suppliers, service or other companies or organizations, with 
the goal of benefiting from preferential treatment; and

 › using  Group  funds  to  make  a  contribution  of  any  kind  to 

political candidates or parties.

These  principles  are  supplemented  by  an  “anti-corruption 
policy”,  which  applies  to  each  Dassault  Systèmes  company, 
and incorporates , in France, an annex of employee handbook 
and by a specific training program.

Principles of Enterprise Social Responsibility and 
commitments to ensuring respect for basic rights
The  Code  of  Business  Conduct  requires  Dassault  Systèmes’ 
employees  to  comply  with  international  standards,  such 
as  the  Universal  Declaration  of  Human  Rights  of  the  United 
Nations and the various Basic Conventions of the International 

54 ANNUAL REPORT 2016  DASSAULT SYSTÈMES

Social, Societal and Environmental Responsibility
Social and Societal Responsibility

2

2

Labor  Organization.  With  respect  to  the  Group’s  activities, 
the  risk  of  these  basic  standards  being  violated  is  very  low 
and the actions undertaken to support human rights are not 
specifically reported on.

The Group also promotes corporate responsibility with respect 
to  its  ecosystem,  based  on  the  acknowledgment  of  and 
compliance with basic laws on social rights and environmental 
protection;  the  general  terms  and  conditions  of  the  sub-
contracting  and  purchase  agreements  of  Dassault  Systèmes’ 
major companies include specific commitments:

 › the  Dassault  Systèmes  SE  standard  contracts  oblige 
service  providers  to  follow  the  social  and  environmental 
responsibility principles which Dassault Systèmes upholds. 
They are available at the following link:

http://www.3ds.com/fileadmin/COMPANY/Ethics-and-
compliance/Principes-de-Responsabilite-Sociale.pdf;

 › the agreements between Group entities in France, Germany, 
the  United  Kingdom,  the  Netherlands,  the  United  States, 
Canada,  Japan,  China,  South  Korea,  India,  Australia  and 
other  European  countries  (which  account  for  87%  of  the 
Group’s  Employee  Headcount)  and  their  service  providers 
contain clauses regarding respect for employees’ rights.

Dassault  Systèmes  requests  that  its  suppliers  and  partners 
comply  with  the  provisions  of  the  basic  conventions  of  the 
International Labor Organization, in particular the principles of 
eradicating child labor by requiring children to attend school 

(and in any event under 15 years of age), eliminating forced 
labor,  ensuring  working  conditions  sufficient  to  provide  for 
employee health and safety, respecting applicable minimum 
legal  or  regulatory  levels  of  pay,  freedom  to  unionize  and 
the  protection  of  labor  union  rights,  and  the  freedom  to 
collectively  negotiate  labor  contracts.  The  Company  also 
asks them to commit to ban all forms of discrimination (with 
respect to recruitment, professional development and the end 
of labor relations), to fight against corruption, and to respect 
applicable law on the protection of the environment.

Impact of products and services on the health and safety 
of the Group’s customers
The direct impact of Dassault Systèmes’ products and services 
on the health and safety of its customers is very limited given 
their non-material nature. They are therefore not specifically 
reported on.

Social dialogue and collective agreements
The  quality  of  the  social  dialogue  is  based  on  the  numerous 
exchanges  between  the  Company’s  management  and  the 
employees and employee representatives.

In France, numerous meetings were organized by the relevant 
French  companies  of  the  Group.  Collective  agreements, 
concerning one or several subjects in connection with working 
and employment conditions, were negotiated and signed each 
year:

Dassault 
Systèmes 
SE

Dassault 
Data 
Services 
SAS

Dassault 
Systèmes 
Provence 
SAS

Netvibes 
SAS

3DVIA 
SAS

Quintic 
SAS

Dassault 
Systèmes 
Biovia 
SARL

Ortems 
SAS

CST 
France 
EURL

Number of collective agreements in effect on 12/31/2016

Number of collective agreements signed in 2016*

47

13

32

11

26

8

3

1

3

1

1

0

1

0

1

1

0

0

* 

These agreements may cover several topics such as the Mandatory Annual Negotiations, equality and professional gender balance, organizing working time, contractual 
employee profit-sharing and regulatory profit-sharing, and the inclusion and employment of people with disabilities.

A negotiation of the Dassault Systèmes companies in France 
was started in September 2015. This negotiation finally came 
to a conclusion in June 2016 with the Gestion Prévisionnelle 
des Emplois, des Compétences et de Transformations Sociale 
agreement, which is focused on the followings three areas:

 › anticipating the evolution of skills and competencies;

 › developing  internal  career  evolution  through  enhanced 

skills management plan;

 › opening  new  schemes:  either  supporting  opportunities 
for  growth  inside  the  Dassault  Systèmes’  ecosystem  or 
assisting with career-end management.

In Germany, collective agreements are negotiated and signed 
with  the  Group  Council  and  the  Workers’  Council  of  each 
Company site (Stuttgart, Hanover, Aix-la-Chapelle, Berlin and 
Simpack). On December 31, 2016, there were 9 agreements 
in  effect  in  Stuttgart,  27  in  Hanover,  none  still  in  effect  on 
December 31, 2016 in Aix-la-Chapelle and Berlin, and 27 with 
the Group Council. In 2016, 8 agreements were signed with 
mixed works councils.

In the Group’s other main countries of operation – the United 
Kingdom, the Netherlands, the United States, Canada, Japan, 
Malaysia, China, India and Australia – there are no employee 
representatives  or  trade  unions.  In  South  Korea,  as  in  all 
companies with over 30 people, an employee representative 

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2 Social, Societal and Environmental Responsibility

Social and Societal Responsibility

Committee  is  elected  each  year.  Its  role  is  to  participate  in 
organizing the Company’s social activities.

Moreover, 2016 brought the set-up and launch of a European 
Works  council,  the  Comité de la Société Européenne  which 
held  its  first  meeting  on  April  7,  2016,  in  the  presence  of 
Bernard Charlès. This council is made up of 20 representatives 
from 16 European countries falling within its scope. In 2016, 
this  Council  held  four  meetings,  some  of  which  included 
all  20  members,  while  others  had  a  lower  attendance 
(8 members).

Health and safety
In  accordance  with  the  provisions  of  its  Code  of  Business 
Conduct, the Group undertakes to comply with all applicable 
laws and regulations on health and safety in the workplace.

Coverage of healthcare costs
The  Group  ensures  that  each  of 
its  employees  has 
medical  coverage  in  compliance  with  local  practices  in  the 
countries  where  it  has  activities.  Moreover,  the  Group  offers 
supplementary  health  coverage,  for  example  in  France,  the 
United  Kingdom,  the  United  States,  Canada,  South  Korea, 
Japan and India.

Health and medical checkup
The Group applies the provisions laid down by the countries 
where it has activities.

For example, in France, its employees undergo regular medical 
checkups. On the 3DS Paris Campus, a medical team composed 
of two physicians and four nurses looks after the health and 
well-being of all on-site employees. In certain other countries 
(the United States, Japan and South Korea), annual individual 
medical  checkups  are  offered.  This  service  is  included  in  the 
health  coverage  plan.  There  are  no  specific  provisions  in 
Germany, the United Kingdom, Canada, Malaysia, or Australia.

Work accidents
Given  the  nature  of  Dassault  Systèmes’  activity,  few  work 
accidents are recorded. In France, in 2016, nine work or travel 
accidents  resulted  in  absence  from  work  for  more  than  one 
day.  There  were  two  in  Germany  and  none  in  the  United 
States, Japan, the United Kingdom, the Netherlands, Canada, 
Malaysia, South Korea, India, and Australia.

Health, Safety and Working Conditions Committee and 
specific actions
In France, three Group companies have a Health, Safety and 
Working  Conditions  Committee  (CHSCT  in  French),  which 
meets several times during the year in each entity.

Since  2009,  Dassault  Systèmes  SE  has  launched  a  series  of 
initiatives  to  promote  well-being  in  the  workplace  for  all 
of  its  employees.  To  remind  them  of  the  information  and 
documents available on this topic (specific processes, training 
for  the  prevention  of  stressful  situations,  consultation  with 
a psychologist or social worker, etc.), an announcement was 
sent  to  all  employees  at  the  beginning  of  the  year  so  that 
everyone is aware of the tools made available to them by the 
Company.

At  Dassault  Systèmes  Provence  SAS,  the  occupational  risk 
prevention  plan  for  2016  focused  on  the  following  actions: 
studies to be continued or undertaken concerning workplace 
ergonomics,  ongoing  efforts  focused  on  safety  training  and 
the analysis of psychosocial risks, and the set-up of prevention 
measures, in particular following the recommendations of the 
working groups focused on “well-being in the workplace”.

In addition, in certain countries (such as Canada and Germany), 
employee representatives are responsible for communicating 
with  the  management  of  the  relevant  legal  entities  on 
employee health and safety.

2.1.6  Methodology for Employee Reporting

Scope
In  general,  employee  reporting  covers  all  Dassault  Systèmes 
companies at year end. Nevertheless, as indicated below, the 
scope covered for certain indicators may be more limited.

Key employee indicators
For its employee reporting requirements, the Group chose key 
indicators  set  out  in  paragraphs  2.1.1  “Group  Organization 
and Workforce” and 2.1.7 “Appendices regarding the Group’s 
Employee Headcount”. They were chosen on the basis of the 
indicators  in  article  R.  225-105-1  of  the  French  Commercial 
Code  and  the  specific  indicators  in  the  Group’s  Human 
Resources policy.

56 ANNUAL REPORT 2016  DASSAULT SYSTÈMES

Social, Societal and Environmental Responsibility
Social and Societal Responsibility

2

2

In this respect, Dassault Systèmes has defined the following 
concepts:

 › “Employee  Headcount”,  which  means  employees  of 
Dassault  Systèmes  SE  and  subsidiaries  in  which  it  has  at 
least a 50% shareholding; and

 › “Total Workforce” which includes the Employee Headcount, 
employees  of  companies  in  which  it  has  less  than  a  50% 
shareholding  and  outside  service  providers  who  have 
worked more than a full month on the reporting  dates on 
these  companies .  On  December  31,  2016,  the  Employee 
Headcounts of companies in which it has less than a 50% 
shareholding  include  the  employees  of  3D  PLM  Software 
Solutions Ltd and 3DPLM Global Services Private Ltd.

Data related to employees is calculated on the basis of “full-
time  equivalents”,  which  corresponds  to  the  proportion  of 
“hours worked per standard full-time work hours” and which 
was jointly defined and shared by both Human Resources and 
Finance teams. Hiring and departure data are also determined 
using this rule.

To  make  the  reporting  process  more  reliable,  an  internal 
methodological  guide  including  definitions  and  rules  for 
calculating each indicator is updated each year. Data reliability 
checks are carried out at the time of accounting consolidation 
as well as throughout the year in connection with analyzing 
changes from the preceding periods.

Limits of the social report
The  Company  operates  in  numerous  countries  with  local 
regulations  and  practices  which  are  not  always  harmonized 
or  consolidated.  For  example,  as  the  notions  generally  used 
in  France  to  define  socio-professional  categories  (cadre  and 
non-cadre)  are  not  used  outside  France,  and  over  two-thirds 
of Dassault Systèmes employees work abroad, the Group has 
decided to use the following categories: “Managers” who are 
in charge of teams, and “Non-Managers” who do not manage 
a team and are specialists in a specific field.

Due  to  these  local  differences,  the  Company  is  not  able  to 
provide  consolidated  data  for  overtime,  the  severity  of  work 
accidents and occupational illnesses.

Gathering and consolidating employee data
The following points should be taken into consideration:

 › the data pertaining to employees and movements are taken 
from human resources and financial management software, 
both  of  which  are  deployed  across  all  the  companies  and 
represent 100% of the reporting scope;

 › the  information  pertaining  to  the  compensation  policy 
relates  to  Employee  Headcount.  The  data  relating  to  the 
total  payroll  and  payroll  taxes  included   the  employees 

of  companies  in  which  the  Group  has  control ,  including 
employees  at  3D  PLM  Software  Solutions  and  3DPLM 
Global Services Private Ltd;

 › the  data  relating  to  employees  from  and  the  amount  of 
the  payments  made  to  outside  service  providers  concern 
 services  referred  to  as  “Times  and  Material”,  supporting 
a  Dassault  Systèmes  activity  corresponding  to  its  core 
business and in respect of which the employees are present 
for at least one month, paid on an hourly, daily or monthly 
basis;

 › the  information  pertaining  to  policies  on  business  ethics, 
fighting  corruption,  the  Company’s  social  responsibility 
principles and commitments ensuring basic rights and the 
impacts of products and services on the health and safety 
of  the  Group’s  customers  is  provided  by  the  Ethics  and 
Compliance department and covers 100% of the reporting 
scope;

 › the data relating to the main policies concerning industrial 
relations, health and safety, anti-discrimination initiatives, 
employee  and  regulatory  profit-sharing  and  other  reward 
systems,  work  time,  absenteeism,  fostering  diversity  and 
gender  balance,  and  social  projects  result  from  additional 
discussions  held  with  the  Human  Resources  managers 
in  Dassault  Systèmes’  major  countries  with  over  150 
employees (excluding companies acquired in 2015), namely 
France,  Germany,  the  United  Kingdom,  the  Netherlands, 
the  United  States,  Canada,  Japan,  Malaysia,  China,  South 
Korea,  India,  and  Australia.  These  countries  represented 
91% of the Group’s Employee Headcount in 2015 and 87% 
in  2016.  Absenteeism  data  covers  sick  leave,  maternity 
and  paternity  leave,  as  well  as  work-related  accidents. 
Employees absent for a period exceeding two years are no 
longer included in the absenteeism ratio. It should be noted 
that this data is strongly influenced by local regulations; in 
certain countries, sick leave is counted as paid holiday leave. 
As  such,  absenteeism  should  be  considered  on  a  country-
by-country basis as it cannot be disclosed on a consolidated 
basis;

 › the  data  relating  to  training  for  the  countries  with  over 
150  employees  mentioned  above  is  extracted  from  the 
3DEXPERIENCE  University  solution,  excluding  companies 
acquired in 2016, and covers 88% of the Group’s Employee 
Headcount.  Data  recorded  through  the  on-line  training 
platform is also taken into account for the same companies;

 › lastly, the scope is specified in the body of the text for the 
other data not previously disclosed: Company relations with 
high  school  and  higher  education,  Company  commitment 
to  non-profit  organizations,  3DS  INNOVATION  Forwards 
initiatives  to  reward  work  and 
lives  of 
employees.

improve  the 

DASSAULT SYSTÈMES  ANNUAL REPORT 2016

57

2 Social, Societal and Environmental Responsibility

Social and Societal Responsibility

2.1.7  Appendices regarding the Group’s Employee Headcount

DISTRIBUTION BY AGE

Year ended December 31

< 30 years old

31 to 40 years old

41 to 50 years old

> 51 years old

TOTAL

Europe

Americas

Asia

Total

Total

Employees 
2016

Employees 
2016

%

Employees 
2016

%

Employees 
2016

%

Employees 
2015

%

1,287

2,124

1,840

1,218

6,469

20%

33%

28%

19%

100%

392

955

1,082

1,142

3,571

11%

27%

30%

32%

366

891

590

213

18%

43%

29%

10%

2,045

3,970

3,512

2,573

17%

33%

29%

21%

1,968

3,787

3,362

2,305

100%

2,060

100% 12,100*

100%

11,422

100%

%

17%

33%

30%

20%

* 

Indicator verified by the independent verifier.

EMPLOYEE TENURE

Year ended December 31

Temporary contract

Less than 5 years

6 to 15 years

More than 16 years

TOTAL

Europe

Americas

Asia

Total

Total

Employees 
2016

170

2,870

2,056

1,373

6,469

Employees 
2016

5

1,569

1,286

711

%

3%

44%

32%

21%

Employees 
2016

10

1,342

600

108

%

1%

44%

36%

19%

Employees 
2016

185

5,781

3,942

2,192

%

1%

65%

29%

5%

Employees 
2015

178

5,702

3,721

1,821

%

2%

48%

32%

18%

%

2%

50%

32%

16%

100%

3,571

100%

2,060

100% 12,100*

100%

11,422

100%

* 

Indicator verified by the independent verifier.

DISTRIBUTION BY SOCIO-PROFESSIONAL CATEGORY

Year ended December 31

Employees 
2016

Employees 
2016

%

Employees 
2016

%

Employees 
2016

%

Employees 
2015

%

Europe

Americas

Asia

Total

Total

11%

89%

100%

19%

81%

100%

17%

83%

408

2,472

2,880

1,892

7,328

9,220

2,300

9,800

14%

86%

100%

21%

79%

100%

19%

81%

376

2,335

2,711

1,780

6,931

8,711

2,156

9,266

100% 12,100*

100%

11,422

100%

%

14%

86%

100%

20%

80%

100%

19%

81%

Women

Managers

Non-Managers

TOTAL WOMEN

Men

Managers

Non-Managers

TOTAL MEN

Socio-professional category

Managers

Non-Managers

TOTAL

207

1,285

1,492

1,058

3,919

4,977

1,265

5,204

6,469

14%

86%

100%

21%

79%

100%

20%

80%

100%

143

729

872

547

2,152

2,699

690

2,881

3,571

16%

84%

100%

20%

80%

100%

19%

81%

100%

58

458

516

287

1,257

1,544

345

1,715

2,060

* 

Indicator verified by the independent verifier.

58 ANNUAL REPORT 2016  DASSAULT SYSTÈMES

Social, Societal and Environmental Responsibility
Social and Societal Responsibility

2

FULL-TIME AND PART-TIME

Year ended December 31

Employees 
2016

Employees 
2016

%

Employees 
2016

%

Employees 
2016

%

Employees 
2015

%

Europe

Americas

Asia

Total

Total

Full-time

Part-time

TOTAL

Women

Full-time

Part-time

TOTAL WOMEN

Men

Full-time

Part-time

TOTAL MEN

TOTAL

%

97%

3%

2

6,199

270

96%

4%

3,556

15

99%

1%

2,048

12

99%

1%

11,803

297

98%

2%

11,136

286

6,469

100%

3,571

100%

2,060

100% 12,100*

100%

11,422

100%

1,321

171

89%

11%

1,492

100%

4,878

99

4,977

6,469

98%

2%

100%

53%

862

10

872

2,694

5

2,699

3,571

99%

1%

100%

99%

1%

100%

30%

506

10

516

1,542

2

1,544

2,060

98%

2%

2,689

191

93%

7%

2,532

179

93%

7%

100%

2,880

100%

2,711

100%

99%

1%

100%

9,114

106

9,220

17% 12,100*

99%

1%

100%

100%

8,604

107

8,711

11,422

99%

1%

100%

100%

* 

Indicator verified by the independent verifier.

AGE DISTRIBUTION OF NEW ARRIVALS

Year ended December 31

< 30 years old

31 to 40 years old

41 to 50 years old

> 51 years old

TOTAL

* 

Indicator verified by the independent verifier.

Europe

Americas

Asia

Total

Total

Employees 
2016

Employees 
2016

%

Employees 
2016

%

Employees 
2016

%

Employees 
2015

%

518

347

194

62

46%

31%

17%

6%

1,121

100%

108

113

103

74

398

27%

28%

26%

19%

141

181

60

15

35%

46%

15%

4%

767

641

357

151

40%

33%

19%

8%

752

489

232

88

%

48%

31%

15%

6%

100%

397

100%

1,916*

100%

1,561

100%

DASSAULT SYSTÈMES  ANNUAL REPORT 2016

59

2 Social, Societal and Environmental Responsibility

Environmental Responsibility

2.2  Environmental Responsibility

Since  2010, 
the  Dassault  Systèmes  environmental 
responsibility  strategy  has  been  structured  in  stages  around 
the following main areas of focus:

compliance of products with environmental standards. This 
is the positive impact of Dassault Systèmes’ products on the 
environment;

 › establishment  of  a  global  measurement  process  and 

collection of environmental information;

 › establishment  of  a  collaborative  approach 

involving 
employees called Sustainability Leaders or the Green Team 
who  participate  in  initiatives  aimed  at  limiting  the  impact 
of operations;

 › implementation  of  projects  and  industrial  partnerships  to 
assess among customers the benefits of its applications on 
the environment.

Systèmes’ 

Dassault 
is 
characterized by indirect positive and negative impacts on its 
customers and by direct negative impact of its activities on the 
environment:

environmental 

responsibility 

 › Dassault Systèmes’ software solutions allow its customers 
to reduce the environmental impact of their products from 
the design stage. They can help reduce the consumption of 
raw  materials  through  digital  modeling,  optimize  energy 
consumption  and  working  processes  and  manage  the 

 › the use of the Group’s software by its customers generates 
indirect  energy  consumption  for  Dassault  Systèmes.  This 
consumption is the potentially indirect negative impact of 
Dassault Systèmes’ products on the environment;

 › all  of  Dassault  Systèmes’  operations  are  located  in  offices 
(see paragraph 2.2.2 “Responsible Company”) and in data 
centers. For its activities, the Group uses computer hardware 
and employees are required to travel regularly to the Group’s 
sites,  and  to  visit  customers  and  partners.  The  Group’s 
environmental impact is therefore mainly generated by the 
energy consumption of its buildings and data centers; the 
greenhouse  gas  emissions  produced  by  employee  travel; 
and the electrical and electronic waste.

In the light of these various contributions, Dassault Systèmes 
is  working  on  the  development  of  a  model  to  define  its 
overall net positive impact on the environment as defined by 
the  SHINE  Project  described  in  paragraph  2.2.2.2  “Industry 
Collaborations on sustainability”.

2.2.1  The Group’s vision for environmental responsibility

Dassault Systèmes’ corporate purpose is to provide businesses 
and  people  with  3DEXPERIENCE   universes  to 
imagine 
sustainable  innovations  capable  of  harmonizing  product, 
nature  and  life  (see  paragraph  1.2.1.3  “Dassault  Systèmes’ 
Purpose  and  Strategy”).  Sustainable  development  is  thus  at 
the  heart  of  Dassault  Systèmes’  corporate  purpose.  To  this 
effect,  the  Group  integrates  environmental  protection  in  its 
operations.

2.2.1.1  An environmental strategy built 

on 3 pillars

In  2015,  Dassault  Systèmes  defined  the  environmental 
strategy  for  its  operations  for  the  coming  three  years.  It  is 
based on the following three pillars:

 › Responsible  Company:  Dassault  Systèmes  helps 

its 
customers  reduce  their  environmental  impact  through 
its  applications  while 
(see 
limiting 
paragraph 2.2.2 “Responsible Company”);

its  own 

impact 

 › Responsible  Employee:  Dassault  Systèmes  involves  its 
employees in its environmental strategy through awareness-
raising  efforts  at  all  of  its  sites  (see  paragraph  2.2.3 
“Responsible Employee”);

 › Responsible  Partner: 

the  Group  strives 

to  choose 
responsible  suppliers  through  the  integration  of  corporate 
and  environmental  commitments,  and  it  is  trying  to 
increase  recycling  and  local  actions  (see  paragraph  2.2.4 
“Responsible Partner ”).

2.2.1.2 

Environmental Management: 
Integration of environmental 
responsibility into the Group’s real 
estate strategy

light  of 

In 
this  new  vision,  environmental  strategy 
management and the annual reporting thereof was entrusted 
to  the  Group’s  Real  Estate  and  Facilities  department  in 
2015, in conjunction with the Public Affairs and Sustainable 
Development  department,  which  continues  to  oversee 
partnership  development-related  tasks  to  assess  the  positive 
net impact of Dassault Systèmes on the environment through 
its applications.

60 ANNUAL REPORT 2016  DASSAULT SYSTÈMES

2.2.2  Responsible Company

2.2.2.1 

3DEXPERIENCE Platform for 
Sustainability: Apps and Solutions 
for sustainable development

Companies  today  face  a  series  of  challenges  that  are 
both 
technological  and  ecological.  Dassault  Systèmes 
3DEXPERIENCE  platform  helps  its  customers  achieve  their 
combined sustainability and business goals through a portfolio 
of sustainability Applications enriching several of its Industry 
Solutions Experiences, based on:

3D Modeling Technologies
The  Company’s  portfolio  of  modeling  technologies  makes  it 
possible to create scientifically accurate representations of the 
environmental  impacts  of  product.  These  technologies  also 
offer techniques to reduce these impacts, such as eco-design for 
predictive environmental assessment and virtual prototyping, 
which  improve  the  carbon  footprint,  energy  consumption, 
human health impacts, and overall sustainability of products 
and  systems.  For  example,  SOLIDWORKS   Sustainability 
features an integrated Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) dashboard 
implications  of  each 
that  estimates  the  environmental 
design  decision  using  several  environmental  indicators.  One 
of  the  Company’s  clients,  the  global  leader  in  door-opening 
solutions, uses SOLIDWORKS  Sustainability to reduce product 
environmental impact and material usage while cutting their 
product material and energy costs by 15%.

Virtual+Real Technologies
Technologies  that  enable  real-time  realistic  simulation  can 
help optimize the physical world in virtual universes, leading 
to reduced environmental impacts. For complex products, the 
Company’s simulation technologies aid in performance testing 
and light weighting that allows engineers to verify functionality 
and conformity while optimizing material usage. Factory and 
production  systems  can  be  executed  with  minimal  material 
and  energy  expenditure  to  enable  “green”  manufacturing. 
Ultimately, end consumer usage can be simulated to examine 
and reduce environmental impacts across the entire life cycle. 
For  example,  a  leading  packaging  designer  used  SIMULIA 
to  simulate  complex  design  interactions,  resulting  in  a  27% 
reduction  of  carbon  footprint  and  plastic  resin  usage  while 
maintaining product integrity.

Social, Societal and Environmental Responsibility
Environmental Responsibility

2

2

Intelligent Information Technologies
The searching, sorting, filtering, navigating, real-time analysis 
and  understanding  of  large  amounts  of  environmental  data 
are central to the achievement of sustainable innovation. With 
the scope of data requirements expanded from the enterprise 
to  the  entire  value  chain,  so-called  extended  producer 
responsibility  demands  both  sophisticated  and  scalable 
access  to  these  big  data,  allowing  information  intelligence 
applications that can dashboard environmental impacts across 
the  extended  enterprise.  For  example,  the  EXALEAD  search-
based  infrastructure  allows  the  management  of  structured 
and  unstructured  environmental  data,  providing  decision 
support  to  execute  corporate  sustainability  and  impact-
reduction strategies. For example, the EXALEAD search-based 
infrastructure  enables  the  management  of  structured  and 
unstructured  environmental  data,  providing  decision  support 
to  execute  corporate  sustainability  and  impact-reduction 
strategies.  NETVIBES  enables  customers  to  assess  public 
sensitivity to sustainable development campaigns and trends.

Connectivity Technologies
Connecting  data  and  people  by  breaking  down  silos  in 
strategies. 
contributes 
organizations 
sustainability 
to 
Connectivity 
to  build 
technologies  allow  companies 
internal  and  external  communities  to  manage  sustainability 
efficiently. They also make it possible to connect product data 
with  governmental  data  to  proactively  manage  adherence 
to  government  and  industry  environmental  regulations  and 
standards,  such  as  the  Restriction  of  Hazardous  Substances 
(RoHS)  directive  and  the  management  of  conflict  minerals. 
Dassault  Systèmes’  solution  for  environmental  compliance 
and  materials  intelligence  help  maintain  a  proactive  risk 
minimization  strategy,  and  make  it  possible  to  engage  the 
people  and  communities  that  are  critical  to  the  success  of 
sustainability  strategies.  For  example,  one  of  the  Group’s 
customers,  a  leader  in  test  and  measurement  systems  in 
electronics  and  bio-analytic 
instruments,  uses  ENOVIA 
Materials  Compliance  Management  (MCM),  an  automated, 
enterprise-wide  materials  compliance  data  tracking  system, 
to  demonstrate  compliance  with  stringent  environmental 
regulations for more than 1,800 products and 160,000 parts 
from more than 7,000 suppliers.

Dassault Systèmes is a forerunner in creating 3DEXPERIENCE 
for sustainable innovation to help customers achieve a positive 
environmental impact on the planet and grow their businesses 
sustainably. The 3DEXPERIENCE platform enables innovators 
to truly understand the impact of their ideas and processes on 
people and the environment, to achieve the vision of a more 
sustainable world.

DASSAULT SYSTÈMES  ANNUAL REPORT 2016

61

2 Social, Societal and Environmental Responsibility

Environmental Responsibility

2.2.2.2 

Industry Collaborations 
on sustainability

In  addition  to  aiding  its  customers  directly,  the  Company 
engages  in  several  industry  collaborations  to  leverage  its 
expertise  and  leadership  for  the  furthering  of  sustainable 
collaboration:

 › International Aerospace Environmental Group (IAEGTM). The 
IAEGTM is a self-governed trade association that represents 
most of the global commercial aerospace industry, such as 
Boeing and Airbus, as well as the global defense aerospace 
industry,  such  as  Lockheed  Martin,  Northrop  Grumman 
and  Safran  Group.  Dassault  Systèmes  is  working  with  the 
IAEGTM  to  aid  in  the  development  of  chemical  material 
declaration  and  reporting  systems,  supplier  sustainability 
surveys, and the aerospace sector’s official guidance for the 
measurement of greenhouse gases (GHGs) under the World 
Resources Institute’s GHG Protocol;

 › Sustainable  Apparel  Coalition  (SAC).  The  SAC  is  a  trade 
organization comprised of brands, retailers, manufacturers, 
government,  and  non-governmental  organizations  and 
academic  experts,  representing  more  than  a  third  of  the 
global  apparel  and  footwear  market,  and  is  working  to 
reduce the environmental and social impacts of apparel and 
footwear  products  around  the  world.  Dassault  Systèmes 
is  engaged  with  the  SAC  to  provide  its  leadership  in  life 
cycle  assessment  (LCA)-based  design  and  footprinting 
methodologies,  and  to  advise  and  assist  its  customers  in 
challenges involved with a proactive adoption of the SAC’s 
Higg Index. This index is a series of assessment tools that 
standardizes  the  measurement  of  the  environmental  and 
social impacts of apparel and footwear products across the 
product lifecycle and throughout the value chain;

 › Sustainability  and  Health 

Initiative 

for  NetPositive 
Enterprise  (SHINE).  SHINE  consists  of  a  consortium 
of  sustainability-focused  companies, 
including  Owens 
Corning,  Eaton  Corporation,  Abbott  Laboratories,  Johnson 
& Johnson and Dassault Systèmes, and is led by the Center 
for  Health  and  Global  Environment,  part  of  the  T.H.  Chan 
School  of  Public  Health  at  Harvard.  SHINE’s  objective  is 
to  revolutionize  the  sustainable  development  strategy  of 
companies  by  managing  both  their  negative  and  positive 
impacts  and  comparing  the  two  to  determine  whether 
a  company’s  net  impact  is  positive  or  not.  In  2015  and 
2016,  Dassault  Systèmes  contributed  significant  support 
and thought leadership to aid in the development of a new 
accounting  standard  and  management  methodology  for 
environmental Handprinting.

In collaboration with Harvard Professor Greg Norris, the Group 
co-authored  a  SHINE  case  study  –  available  on  the  website 

62 ANNUAL REPORT 2016  DASSAULT SYSTÈMES

http://www.chgeharvard.org/resource/handprints-product-
innovation  –  which  details  the  impacts  of  the  use  of  3D 
technology on the automotive industry. Dr. Norris found that 
the widespread application of 3D technology can result in 300-
600  million  Metric  Tons  of  CO2  reduction  in  the  automotive 
industry  alone  by  2020.  Dr.  Norris  concluded  that  “by 
pursuing  measures  such  as  advanced  training  in  eco-design 
and increased accessibility and power of eco-design functions 
within its design tools, the Company can enable sectors such 
as the global automotive sector to create handprints which are 
on the order of 10,000 times greater than its own footprint.” 
The full case study is available on the Harvard SHINE website, 
hosted by the Center for Health and the Global Environment.

2.2.2.3 

Inclusion of environmental 
considerations in the Company’s 
operational locations

Dassault  Systèmes  chooses  its  site  locations  based  on  the 
objectives  of  supporting  growth  in  the  Company’s  business 
and providing employees with a pleasant working environment 
while  integrating  sustainable  development  strategies  such 
as  promoting  synergies  and  collaboration,  reducing  the 
environmental footprint of activities, and improving employee 
working  conditions.  The  Company  also  seeks  to  be  close  to 
its  customers,  its  research  partners  and  leading  schools  and 
universities, which are one of the main sources of recruitment 
for Dassault Systèmes.

The  siting  of  the  Dassault  Systèmes’  facilities  is  designed 
to  foster  collaboration  among  employees  and  with  partners 
and  customers  by  grouping  together  sites,  subsidiaries  and 
operations in a particular region or country. This process has, 
in  particular,  led  to  an  audit  of  the  facilities  and  their  usage 
conditions,  during  external  growth  transactions,  in  order  to 
determine  steps  to  be  taken  in  connection  with  the  Group’s 
strategy  (maintaining  the  lease,  facilities  rehabilitation  or 
consolidation).

Since  2008,  the  Group  has  implemented  a  policy  of  setting 
up its activities in offices certified by the local environmental 
standard  such  as  Haute  Qualité  Environnementale  (High 
Environmental  Quality)  in  France  and  LEED  in  the  United 
States, or on sites that applied an environmental management 
system  such  as  ISO  14001.  The  environmental  certification 
process continued in 2016, with certified buildings or offices 
in  14  countries,  versus  10  in  2015.  In  2016,  70%  of  the 
Employee Headcount worked in certified offices compared to 
62% in 2015.

Sustainable  development  is  now  integrated  in  real  estate 
projects right from the inception of any plan to move or open 
up a new site, in line with the Responsible Company policy.

Social, Societal and Environmental Responsibility
Environmental Responsibility

2

Principal Sites
With the exception of facilities totaling 21,000 square meters 
belonging  to  3D  PLM  Software  Solutions  Limited  (“3DPLM 
Ltd”) located in Pune, India, the Company does not own the 
offices  it  occupies  and  does  not  have  full  ownership  rights 
over  any  real  estate  or  building,  either  directly  or  through 
a  lease  (see  Notes  14  and  25  to  the  consolidated  financial 
statements).

Geographic region

Principal Sites

Europe

3DS Paris Campus, France (1)

3DS Munich Rosenheimer, Germany

3DS Bois-le-Duc, the Netherlands

At December 31, 2016, the principal sites occupied by Group 
companies (except 3DPLM Ltd) in its three geographic regions 
were as set forth in the table below (sites > 4,500 sq.m.).

2

Area 
(in m2)

81,000

7,800

6,600

Activities on the site

Headquarters, R&D, Marketing 
and sales

R&D, Marketing and sales

R&D, Marketing and sales

Americas

3DS Boston Campus Waltham, Massachusetts, United States (2)

27,000

R&D, Marketing and sales

3DS Providence, Rhode Island, United States

3DS San Diego, California, United States

3DS Auburn Hills, Michigan, United States

Asia

3DS Tokyo, Japan

3DS Selangor, Malaysia

8,800

5,700

4,600

6,000

5,900

R&D, Marketing and sales

R&D, Marketing and sales

R&D, Marketing and sales

Marketing and sales

R&D, Marketing and sales

(1)  Dassault  Systèmes  occupies  in  Vélizy-Villacoublay  a  facility  covering  57,000  square  meters  built  in  2008  in  accordance  with  the  Group’s  specifications.  Since  2011, 
Dassault Systèmes has rented 11,000 additional square meters in a building located in Meudon-La-Forêt and has benefited from the 3DS Paris Campus facilities. Environmental 
information regarding the 3DS Paris Campus do not include this building. The extension of the Group’s headquarters was completed in December 2016, providing 13,000 square 
meters of additional office space (see Note 25 to the consolidated financial statements).

(2)  The extension of the 3DS Boston Campus started in 2016 and will continue in 2017 to meet the site’s requirements.

Europe
Dassault  Systèmes’  world  headquarters  located  at  the  3DS 
Paris  Campus  in  Vélizy-Villacoublay  (France)  are  certified 
as  NF  Service  Sector  Buildings  –  HQE  under  the  HQE  (High 
Environmental Quality) system. The Group has implemented 
real-time monitoring of operation and maintenance incidents 
related to the energy consumption of the 3DS Paris Campus 
buildings. The construction of the extension to the 3DS Paris 
Campus started in 2015 and was completed in December 2016. 
For this new building, the Group used the same approach as 
for four of the buildings of the 3DS Paris Campus and obtained 
the  NF  certification  for  high  environmental  quality  service-
sector buildings. The Group also launched a Well certification 
feasibility  study  for  the  extension,  in  order  to  take  into 
consideration, the well-being of employees in their workplace, 
in addition to environmental standards.

In 2016, the site of Cambridge in the UK and that of Stockholm 
in  Sweden  obtained  SKA  certification,  while  the  Bois-le-Duc 
site in the Netherlands obtained BREEAM-In-Use certification.

Americas
The exterior of the 3DS Boston Campus is certified LEED Gold, 
and in 2014 the campus received LEED Platinum certification 
for  its  interior.  LEED  is  an  American  certification  awarded  to 
buildings designed with the goal of optimizing environmental 
performance.  To  optimize 
its  energy  consumption,  the 
3DS  Boston  Campus  is  equipped  with  condensation  boilers 
and  high-yield  air  conditioning.  In  September  2016,  the 
3DS Providence Campus received two certifications – the LEED 
Gold  certification  for  its  external  construction,  and  the  LEED 
Gold certification for its interior design.

In 2016, the American sites of San Diego and Seattle obtained, 
respectively,  the  Energy  Star  certification  and  the  LEED 
Operation and Maintenance certification, while the Sao Paulo 
site in Brazil obtained the LEED for Core and Shell certification. 
Environmental certification is either obtained at the initiative 
of Dassault Systèmes or that of the lessor.

Asia
The  buildings  in  Singapore,  those  in  Shanghai  and  Beijing 
(China), and those in Tokyo (Japan) are certified according to 
local or international environmental standards.

DASSAULT SYSTÈMES  ANNUAL REPORT 2016

63

2 Social, Societal and Environmental Responsibility

Environmental Responsibility

2.2.2.4  Dassault Systèmes solutions 
for its environmental strategy

The  Group  calls  on  its  own  Research  &  Development  teams 
to develop solutions to monitor and control its environmental 
impact.

Finally, and ultimately, the application will be able to integrate 
all  of  the  elements  of  facilities  management  related  to 
workspaces, namely air conditioning and energy, to visualize 
energy  consumption  of  offices  based  on  the  computer 
equipment installed.

2.2.2.5  Monitoring and control of the Group’s 

environmental impacts

The  Group  carried  out  a  project  to  analyze  the  material 
nature  of  its  indicators,  focusing,  in  particular,  on  the  key 
“primary” indicators related to its activity. Dassault Systèmes’ 
primary indicators are the following: electricity consumption, 
greenhouse  gas  emissions  and  waste  electronic  and 
electrical  equipment  (WEEE).  The  remaining  indicators  are 
deemed  “secondary”  and  relate  to  paper  consumption, 
water consumption and general waste. (See paragraph 2.2.5 
“Methodology for Environmental Reporting”).

in 

the  environmental 

Data  presented 
report  covers 
Dassault Systèmes SE and all companies in respect of which 
it  has  a  shareholding  exceeding  50%  (see  paragraph  2.2.5 
“Methodology  for  Environmental  Reporting”).  The  following 
consumptions  only  concern  four  buildings  of  the  3DS  Paris 
Campus.  In  2017,  the  Group  will  include  the  consumptions 
of  the  nearby  leased  building,  as  well  as  its  extension  (see 
paragraph 2.2.2.3 “Inclusion of environmental considerations 
in the Company’s operational locations”).

Energy consumption
The  Real  Estate,  General  Resources  and  Development 
department  implements  actions  within  the  buildings  to 
measure  and  optimize  the  sites’  energy  consumption.  The 
information  below  concerns  electricity  and  natural  gas 
consumption  on  Dassault  Systèmes  sites  and  in  its  data 
centers.  Natural  gas  consumption  represents  6%  of  total 
energy consumption.

2016

34,406

19,490

18,160

3,130

2015

34,725

20,247

19,535

2,430

55,696*

56,690*

3DEXPERIENCE platform: digitization of the 
monitoring of the Group’s environmental reporting 
process
The digitization of the Dassault Systèmes sites’ environmental 
reporting  process  continued 
in  2016.  The  Group  has 
fully  integrated  the  monitoring  and  visualization  of  the 
environmental data in a dashboard using the 3DEXPERIENCE 
platform. Through the deployment of this dashboard, available 
to  all  contributors,  the  environmental  data  collection  and 
monitoring process has been simplified.

Contributors  and  the  Real  Estate,  General  Resources  and 
Environment  Management  can  view  the  progress  of  the 
three-year 
environmental  data  collection,  along  with 
consumption records. They can also share comments.

Application technology: use of Workplace 3D 
to optimize workspace
3D  modeling  technologies  can  be  used 
in  specialized 
interior  design  application  fields.  The  solution  developed  by 
Dassault  Systèmes,  HomeByMe,  is  a  free  application  for  the 
general public that can position objects such as furniture in a 
room of a house. The HomeByMe solution, with its Workplace 
3D  application,  can  also  be  used  in  a  professional  context  to 
place  offices  in  workspaces  and  assign  offices  to  employees 
in  a  3D  environment.  As  a  result,  paper-based  processes  are 
replaced  with  digital  processes,  thus  avoiding  manual  re-
keying and optimizing resources. Employees can also visualize 
their  workspace  and  propose  improvements  in  terms  of 
comfort.

Electricity consumption (in mWh)

Europe

of which 3DS Paris Campus

Americas

Asia

TOTAL

* 

Indicator verified by the independent verifier.

64 ANNUAL REPORT 2016  DASSAULT SYSTÈMES

Electricity  consumption  of  the  3DS  Paris  Campus  fell  by 
3.7% between 2015 and 2016. This decrease is attributable 
to the implementation of (i) measures to improve the energy 
performance of the Campus and of (ii) an energy management 
system connected to the technical management of the building 
since  November  2014.  This  system  allows  malfunctioning 
equipment to be identified, thus limiting excess consumption.

The Company uses renewable energy at its 3DS Paris Campus 
headquarters,  and  has  also  included  in  some  of  its  energy 
contracts  the  purchase  of  electricity  produced  by  renewable 
resources for certain sites (3DS Paris Campus in France, 3DS 
Stuttgart and 3DS Munich J Wild in Germany). As a result, the 
consumption of electricity from renewable energy represents 
42% of total electricity consumption.

In 2016, the 3DS Paris Campus took part in the CUBE 2020 
competition  organized  by  the  French  Institute  for  Building 
Efficiency (IFPEB). The site ranked third in the “Semi-Industrial 
Buildings” category, with a saving of 11.8% compared to the 
consumption of the reference year calculated by the IFPEB.

In  2015,  pursuant  to  the  EU  Energy  Efficiency  Directive 
(2012/27/EU), audits had been conducted on the sites of the 
3DS  Paris  Campus,  Meudon-la-Forêt  and  Aix-en-Provence 
in  France  and  on  the  Bois-le-Duc  site  in  the  Netherlands.  In 
2016,  the  Group  finalized  the  energy  audit  of  all  its  sites  in 
Germany  and  initiated  a  voluntary  energy  auditing  process 
outside Europe. It thus audited the 3DS Boston Campus and 
3DS Providence Campus sites in the United States, as well as 
the 3DS Shanghai site in China.

Data centers
Dassault  Systèmes  has  located  part  of  its  servers  at  several 
data  centers  throughout  the  world.  Energy  consumption  in 
these centers is included in the total electricity consumption 
above.

At  its  main  data  center,  the  Group  installed  its  servers 
in  contained  cold  aisles,  thereby  optimizing  the  energy 
consumption of the servers.

The Group has introduced a process since 2010 to virtualize its 
servers. The “virtualization” of servers leads to better use of 
material, savings in space at the data center and a reduction in 
power consumed by the infrastructure, and thus a reduction in 
greenhouse gas emissions. In 2016, 90% of the servers of its 
main data center had been virtualized.

In  2014,  Dassault  Systèmes  launched  a  transition  to  Flash 
storage, a technology which allows the replacement of physical 

Social, Societal and Environmental Responsibility
Environmental Responsibility

2

discs with flash memory. This technology greatly reduces the 
amount  of  data,  thereby  saving  space  and  reducing  energy 
consumption.

Moreover, internationally recognized energy efficiency labels 
like “Energy Star” are preferred, if possible, when purchasing 
IT devices such as desktop computers and laptops.

Greenhouse Gas Emissions
Since  2012,  Dassault  Systèmes  has  been  monitoring  and 
reporting on its scope 1 and 2 emissions, as well as some of its 
scope 3 emissions linked to business travel.

Dassault Systèmes also identified other sources of greenhouse 
gas  emissions  which  may  have  a  significant  impact  on  its 
scope 3 performance, namely:

 › purchases  of  goods  and  services  (for  more  information  on 
that subject, see paragraph 2.2.4 “Responsible Partner ”;

 › employee travel between home and workplace;

2

 › the  use  of 

the  products 

(see  paragraph  2.2.2.1 
“3DEXPERIENCE  Platform  for  Sustainability:  Apps  and 
Solutions for sustainable development”).

Following  the  publication  of  the 
implementing  decree 
of  Article  173  of  the  French  Energy  Transition  Act  of 
August 19, 2016, the Group will continue its efforts to identify 
and  analyze  its  main  sources  of  significant  GHG  emissions 
throughout its value chain.

Group transportation optimization policy
Since  the  Company’s  business 
is  publishing  software, 
transportation  is  the  principal  source  of  its  greenhouse  gas 
emissions.

Dassault Systèmes’ travel policy limits the impact of travel on 
the environment. Under this policy, employees are encouraged 
to schedule meetings by conference call and video conference 
rather than by physical travel, use train travel rather than air 
travel for trips under three hours in length, and use economy 
class for air travel (the carbon footprint of Business class being 
greater than for economy class).

Greenhouse gas emissions
To  analyze 
footprint  on  a  global  basis, 
its  carbon 
Dassault Systèmes uses the “GHG Protocol” (Greenhouse Gas 
Protocol: www.ghgprotocol.org).

DASSAULT SYSTÈMES  ANNUAL REPORT 2016

65

2 Social, Societal and Environmental Responsibility

Environmental Responsibility

SCOPE 1

Emissions due to on-site natural gas consumption

Total emissions due to the use of company vehicles

Emissions due to the use of company vehicles in Europe

Emissions due to the use of company vehicles in the Americas

Emissions due to the use of company vehicles in Asia

Emissions due to the use of refrigerants

TOTAL SCOPE 1

SCOPE 2

Total emissions due to purchases of electricity and district heating

Total emissions due to purchases of electricity and district heating in Europe

Emissions due to purchases of electricity and district heating in the Americas region

Emissions due to purchases of electricity and district heating in Asia

TOTAL SCOPE 2

SCOPE 3

Total emissions due to employee business air travel

Emissions due to employee business air travel in Europe

Emissions due to employee business air travel in the Americas

Emissions due to employee business air travel in Asia

Total emissions due to employee business travel by train

Emissions due to employee travel by train in Europe

Emissions due to employee travel by train in the Americas

Emissions due to employee travel by train in Asia

Total emissions due to employee travel by personal car in connection with work

Emissions due to employee travel using their personal vehicles in Europe

Emissions due to employee travel using their personal vehicles in the Americas

Emissions due to employee travel using their personal vehicles in Asia

TOTAL SCOPE 3

TOTAL GREENHOUSE GAS EMISSIONS (SCOPES 1 +2 +3)

* 

Indicator verified by the independent verifier.

2016 Metric Tons 
CO2 eq. emissions

2015 Metric Tons 
CO2 eq. emissions

600

3,970

3,870

–

100

370

4,940

12,330

4,060

6,170

2,100

12,330

34,780

13,130

13,400

8,250

1,730

295

–

1,435

1,850

490

930

430

485

3,990

3,865

–

125

315

4,790

11,810

4,275

6,000

1,535

11,810

32,630

12,165

12,825

7,640

1,680

180

–

1,500

2,185

640

1,105

440

38,360

55,630*

36,495

53,095*

Greenhouse  gas  emissions  increased  5%  between  2015  and 
2016 due to Group organic growth accross all regions.

In  terms  of  carbon  intensity  per  employee,  greenhouse  gas 
emissions remained stable at 5.9 tCO2 per employee in 2015 
and 2016.

66 ANNUAL REPORT 2016  DASSAULT SYSTÈMES

Social, Societal and Environmental Responsibility
Environmental Responsibility

2

Water consumption

Water consumption (in cubic meters)

Europe

of which 3DS Paris Campus

Americas

Asia

TOTAL

2016

37,738

23,608

35,489

4,740

77,967

2015

39,235

26,894

40,460

4,510

84,205

2

The data related to water consumption presented above is mainly based on estimates and as such may differ from actual water 
consumption (see paragraph 2.2.5 “Methodology for Environmental Reporting – Limitations on environmental reporting”).

Treatment of ordinary waste
In light of the nature of its business, Dassault Systèmes generates primarily ordinary waste such as paper, cardboard and plastic.

The table below indicates the percentage of employees with access to recycling facilities by geographic region:

Percentage of employees with access to recycling facilities at their work location

Europe

of which 3DS Paris Campus

Americas

Asia

% OF EMPLOYEES WITH ACCESS TO RECYCLING FACILITIES AT THEIR WORK LOCATION

Paper and packaging

Paper consumption (in metric tons)

Europe

of which 3DS Paris Campus

Americas

Asia

TOTAL

2016

94%

100%

96%

92%

94%

2015

94%

100%

100%

100%

97%

2016

2015

29

15

12

10

51

26

14

15

11

52

On the 3DS Paris Campus, total paper consumption amounted 
to  15  metric  tons  in  2016  compared  with  14  metric  tons 
in  2015.  In  relation  to  the  number  of  employees,  this 

consumption increased from 6.1 kg per employee in 2015, to 
6.3 kg in 2016.

DASSAULT SYSTÈMES  ANNUAL REPORT 2016

67

2 Social, Societal and Environmental Responsibility

Environmental Responsibility

2.2.3  Responsible Employee

Dassault  Systèmes  pursues  an  ongoing  policy  of  raising 
employee awareness by involving them in the steps taken to 
save water and energy and promote waste sorting through:

 › a presentation of environmental concerns to new employees 
joining  the  Group,  eco-friendly  habits  to  adopt  in  offices, 
and technologies liable to reduce the environmental impacts 
of the Group’s activities;

 › specific events to promote recycling.

Awareness-raising actions
In June 2016, the used equipment collection initiative called 
Le Bon Réflexe – Collecte Solidaire was once again rolled out 
for one-month period on the 3DS Paris Campus, through the 
joint efforts of the Dassault Systèmes SE disability taskforce 
and  the  Real  Estate,  General  Resources  and  Environment 
Management  department.  Employees  were  asked  to  bring 
their  own  obsolete  electrical  and  electronic  equipment  and 
appliances no longer in working order. The collected equipment 
was sent for recycling to a sheltered employment firm located 
in  the  Yvelines  department.  A  total  of  284  kg  of  equipment 
was thus recycled by disabled employees.

In  2016,  the  “Le bon Réflexe  –  Clean  Desk”  initiative,  first 
launched  in  2015  at  the  3DS  Paris  Campus,  was  rolled  out 
across all Dassault Systèmes sites in France. During this event, 
employees were invited to recycle their old paper archives and 
used  supplies  and  cardboard  at  dedicated  collection  spaces. 
Thus, 3.2 metric tons of waste office supplies and paper were 
recycled by disabled employees.

Following the success of the “Clean Desk” event in France, the 
Group  rolled  out  the  initiative  on  its  major  sites  worldwide: 
3DS  Auburn  Hills,  3DS  Woodland  Hills  and  3DS  Long  Beach 
in  the  United  States,  3DS  Gurgaon  in  India,  3DS  Singapore, 
3DS Tokyo in Japan, 3DS Krakow in Poland, 3DS Stuttgart in 
Germany, and 3DS Stockholm in Sweden.

The process was enhanced across all geographic regions with 
the  implementation  of  local  initiatives  to  raise  employee 
awareness of environmentally-friendly gestures. For example, 
on the 3DS Boston Campus, the office’s Green Team runs bi-
annual Green Weeks. Throughout these weeks, various events 
were  conducted  to  showcase  and  encourage  employees  to 
become  more  sustainably  conscious.  For  example,  activities 
related  to  electronic  waste,  residential  solar  energy,  and 
energy  efficiency  were  carried  out.  On  the  Providence  site 
and the 3DS Boston Campus, the employees were also made 
aware of the impact of transport, and have been encouraged 
to ride their bike to work with unique incentives.

Training
In  September  2016,  Dassault  Systèmes  launched  a  training 
program  via  the  3DEXPERIENCE  University  application  to 
raise employee awareness of sustainable development issues. 
Upon their arrival in the Group, new employees are invited to 
take  this  training  course,  available  in  the  SwYmer  Program 
(see paragraph 2.1.2.2 “Developing, training and recognizing 
expertise,  managing  the  careers  of  Dassault  Systèmes 
employees”).

The training course is divided into three parts:

 › employees  are  firstly  made  aware  of  the  world’s  current 

sustainable development challenges;

 › the  course  content 

is  focused  on  the  environmental 
strategy  of  Dassault  Systèmes,  based  on  three  pillars 
(see  paragraph  2.2.1.1  “An  environmental  strategy  built 
on 3 pillars”);

 › the  last  part  reminds  employees  of  the  good  practices  to 
adopt in the office concerning issues such as recycling and 
energy consumption.

As a result, 241 employees were made aware of the Group’s 
environmental challenges.

68 ANNUAL REPORT 2016  DASSAULT SYSTÈMES

Social, Societal and Environmental Responsibility
Environmental Responsibility

2

2.2.4  Responsible Partner

Dassault  Systèmes’  contracts  include  a  corporate  social 
responsibility  component  (see  paragraph  2.1.5  “Business 
ethics,  social  dialogue  and  personal  safety”).  In  2016,  the 
Group  strengthened 
its  commitment  to  environmental 
protection  by  giving  it  greater  importance  in  its  calls  for 
tenders and its contracts with suppliers and service providers.

employs  people  with  disabilities  near  its  registered  office  in 
Vélizy-Villacoublay.  It  recycles  plastic  materials  to  produce 
urban  furniture.  Dassault  Systèmes  purchased  some  of  this 
urban furniture for its green spaces in 2015 and 2016, and is 
planning to install bins made of recycled materials in its new 
building.

2

Inclusion of environmental considerations in the 
Group’s calls for tenders
In 2016, the Real Estate, General Resources and Environment 
Management  department  and  the  Purchasing  Department 
targeted three major calls for tenders in which environmental 
considerations  needed  to  be  reinforced:  furnishings  for  the 
new building, waste management at the 3DS Paris Campus, 
and the management of beverages in the United States. The 
Group  focused  particular  attention  on  service  providers  with 
environmental  certifications  for  both  their  plants  and  the 
products sold, the location of the plants and waste treatment 
centers, and general environmental policies.

Group commitments in favor of circular economy and 
measures for combating food waste
In 2016, Dassault Systèmes showed a continued willingness 
to promote local actions. For example, during events organized 
on  the  3DS  Paris  Campus  to  raise  employee  awareness,  the 
Group  shined  the  spotlight  on  partners  that  also  integrated 
social and ethical commitments in the recycling of its electrical 
and electronic waste in Europe. Therefore, socially conscious 
and solidarity-based companies are given preference wherever 
possible.

For example, Dassault Systèmes has entrusted the refurbishing 
or  recycling  of  computer  equipment  for  the  Europe  region 
to  a  socially  conscious  and  solidarity-based  company  that 

SPECIFIC WASTE

When  servers  are  decommissioned  from  the  data  center,  the 
Group favors their re-use for other purposes on the 3DS Paris 
Campus.

In  order  to  create  a  positive  impact  at  every  Group  location, 
local  contributions  that  integrate  an  ethical  and/or  socially 
responsible  approach  are  promoted  as  soon  as  possible.  In 
addition,  the  Group  tends  to  promote  recycling  activities 
throughout  the  world  and  focus  on  the  purchase  of 
materials and furniture that has been recycled or certified as 
environmentally friendly.

Given the nature of its activities, food waste is not considered 
as a major issue for the Group. Nevertheless, on the 3DS Paris 
Campus,  Dassault  Systèmes  has  included  a  clause  in  its 
contract  with  its  provider  of  catering  services  requiring  the 
latter to sort waste at source and on the cleaning of food trays. 
All the organic matter collected in the company restaurant at 
the  registered  office  is  sent  to  composting/methanization 
firms. Awareness-raising actions aimed at Dassault Systèmes 
employees  were  conducted  during  the  European  Week  for 
Waste  Reduction  in  order  to  reduce  the  wastage  of  bread, 
paper napkins, foodstuffs, etc.

Specific waste treatment
Dassault Systèmes places significant importance on managing 
its computer equipment both in terms of usage and recycling. 
The  Company’s  computer  equipment 
includes  desktop 
computers, laptop computers and the servers of its data center.

% of specific waste recycled according to environmental standards

Quantity of WEEE  (1) recycled according to environmental standards (in kg)

Europe

of which 3DS Paris Campus

Americas

Asia

TOTAL

* 
Indicator verified by the independent verifier.
(1)  WEEE: Waste Electronic and Electrical Equipment.

In 2015 and 2016, all WEEE were recycled according to environmental standards.

2016

100

10,962

9,709

4,445

1,008

2015

100

9,250

6,083

6,307

1,442

16,415*

16,999*

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2 Social, Societal and Environmental Responsibility

Environmental Responsibility

2.2.5  Methodology for Environmental Reporting

Methodology and scope of environmental reporting
The  Dassault  Systèmes  Methodology  for  Environmental 
Reporting  is  summarized  in  the  “Environmental  reporting 
protocol”. The protocol defines:

 › the  distinction  between  primary  environmental  indicators 

and secondary indicators;

 › the  methodology 

for  collecting  and  consolidating 

environmental information;

 › the scope for collecting environmental data.

Pursuant to the provisions of Article 225 of the law referred 
to  as  “Grenelle  II”,  the  environmental  reporting  target  scope 
includes  Dassault  Systèmes  SE  and  all  the  companies  in 
respect  of  which  it  has  a  shareholding  exceeding  50%.  It 
should  be  noted  that  companies  acquired  during  the  period 
are excluded from the 2016 environmental reporting scope.

The  environmental  reporting  scope  fits  to  the  published 
indicators.  Most  of  Dassault  Systèmes’  environmental 
indicators  are  calculated  on  the  basis  of  the  physical  sites’ 
operating  data:  buildings’  energy  consumption,  amounts 
of  water  consumed,  quantities  of  waste  produced,  etc. 
Conversely,  greenhouse  gas  emissions  from  business  travel 
are measured through the tracking of purchases of transport 
services (train and airline tickets, car rentals, etc.) by each of 
the Group’s legal entities.

These characteristics explain the co-existence of two reporting 
scopes for environmental data:

 › for 

indicators  relating  to  energy  consumption,  total 
greenhouse gas emissions scope 1 and 2, water consumption, 
general waste treatment, paper and packaging, and specific 
waste,  the  data  presented  in  the  environmental  report 
concerns the impacts measured at the Group’s main sites. 
For  these  indicators,  the  environmental  reporting  scope 
covers the sites which have at least 50 employees. In 2016, 
the reporting scope thus covered 80% of Group employees 
versus 78% in 2015;

 › for  indicators  relating  to  total  greenhouse  gas  emissions 
scope  3,  the  data  presented  in  the  environmental  report 

concerns  emissions  in  connection  with  employees  at  the 
Group’s  main  legal  entities.  For  these  indicators,  the  data 
presented in the environmental report covers the emissions 
produced  by  the  employees  of  legal  entities  comprising 
a  site  with  at  least  50  employees.  In  2016,  the  reporting 
scope  thus  covered  95%  of  Group  employees  versus  93% 
in 2015.

The  environmental  indicators  thus  determined  for  2016  are 
presented  in  paragraphs  2.2.2  “Responsible  Company”  and 
2.2.4 “Responsible Partner”.

The  Company’s  environmental  reporting  may  evolve  as  part 
of  the  ongoing  process  of  improvement  undertaken  by  the 
Company,  or  to  take  changes  in  applicable  regulations  into 
account.

Collecting and consolidating environmental data
Environmental data was collected by the Sustainability Leaders 
and  consolidated  by  the  Dassault  Systèmes  Real  Estate  and 
General Resources Management based on the environmental 
reporting  protocol.  For  selected  questions,  such  as  business 
travel  and  data  concerning  electronic  waste,  external  service 
providers were also consulted.

To  simplify  the  consolidation  of  environmental  data,  a 
dedicated  software  application  was  rolled  out.  This  new 
solution  facilitates  the  structuring  and  standardization  of 
environmental data (regarding all parameters but scope 3 data 
related to greenhouse gas emissions), like-for-like comparisons 
and  an  increase  in  the  frequency  of  information  collection 
from annual to quarterly.

Primary  indicators  are  collected  on  a  quarterly  basis  by  the 
Sustainability  Leaders  and  are  reviewed  and  published  in  a 
quarterly report issued by the Dassault Systèmes Real Estate 
and  General  Resources  department.  These  indicators  are 
presented  in  detail  in  this  report.  They  are  also  checked  by 
the independent verifier and are subject to limited assurance.

Secondary  indicators  are  collected  on  a  yearly  basis  by  the 
Sustainability Leaders.

70 ANNUAL REPORT 2016  DASSAULT SYSTÈMES

Social, Societal and Environmental Responsibility
Environmental Responsibility

2

Limitations on environmental reporting
In  certain  cases,  the  information  produced  cannot  be  based 
on  actual  consumption.  For  example,  for  certain  foreign 
subsidiaries  whose  contribution  is  low,  the  data  relating  to 
travel is not available in the same format as for the rest of the 
scope.  The  same  applies  to  sites  whose  water  consumption 
and  air-conditioning  refrigerant  recharge  expenses  are 
included  in  the  rent.  In  these  cases,  the  Environmental 
Reporting Protocol specifies the procedure to follow in order 
to make the estimations required (e.g., an estimation of water 
consumption is made on the basis of the averages recorded on 
the other sites in the geographic region based on the number 

of employees or square meters taken up). As a result, actual 
consumption may be different from estimates.

Regarding waste treatment, waste treatment and collection are 
handled for most subsidiaries by local government, which does 
not furnish any information on collected waste. It is therefore 
not  possible  to  provide  any  information  on  the  amount  of 
waste generated. Dassault Systèmes has nevertheless inquired 
of all subsidiaries included in the 2016 reporting scope as to 
whether recycling was put in place. Consequently, the Group 
produces  information  on  the  percentage  of  sites  adopting 
waste recycling rather than on the quantity of waste treated 
(see paragraph 2.2.2 “Responsible Company”).

2

2.2.6 

Industrial and Environmental Risk

The Group is not aware of any industrial risks, environmental 
risks  or  climate  change  related  risks  which  may  have  a 
significant  impact  on  its  assets  or  operating  results,  and  it 
believes  that  its  business  has  a  very  limited  environmental 
impact:

 › a significant portion of its assets are intangible;

 › none of the Company’s sites produces hazardous waste or 
waste with an environmental impact on the ground, air or 
water, and none of them meets criteria set forth under the 
European  SEVESO  directive  regarding  sites  at  risk  due  to 
hazardous substances, or is classified under ICPE (Classified 
Installation for the Protection of the Environment);

 › the Company does not believe that it is directly exposed to 

climate change issues in the short or medium-term;

 › Dassault  Systèmes’  business  does  not  have  any  known 
negative impact on biodiversity, nor does it create noise or 
odors  that  may  create  a  nuisance  locally.  In  addition,  the 
Company is not involved with soil usage matters.

The  only  aspect  for  which  the  Group  believes  there  exists  a 
minor environmental risk, which would not have a significant 
impact  on  its  financial  condition  or  results  of  operations,  is 
the fuel storage at the 3DS Paris Campus and the 3DS Boston 
Campus, which would be used to produce electricity in case of 
an electrical shortage.

Based on the Company’s limited industrial and environmental 
risks, costs resulting from evaluating, preventing and treating 
industrial and environmental risks are not significant and are 
included under different line items representing investments 
and expenses in the consolidated financial statements.

In  2016,  no  provisions  or  guarantees  for  environmental 
risks  were  recorded  in  the  Group’s  consolidated  financial 
statements.  In  addition,  no  expense  was  recognized  in  the 
financial  statements  related  to  a  court  judgment  regarding 
environmental  issues  or  actions  taken  to  remediate  any 
environmental-damage.

To  anticipate  any  regulatory  risks  related  to  environmental 
matters,  Dassault  Systèmes’  Legal  department  and  General 
Resources  and  Sustainable  Development  department  closely 
follow environmental regulations that may have an effect on 
its business.

DASSAULT SYSTÈMES  ANNUAL REPORT 2016

71

2 Social, Societal and Environmental Responsibility

Independent Verifi er’s Report on Consolidated Social, Environmental 
and Societal Information Presented in the Management Report

2.3 

Independent Verifier’s Report on Consolidated 
Social, Environmental and Societal Information 
Presented in the Management Report

This is a free translation into English of the original report issued in the French language and it is provided solely for the 
convenience of English speaking users. This report should be read in conjunction with, and construed in accordance with, French 
law and professional standards applicable in France.

To the shareholders,

In  our  quality  as  an  independent  verifier  accredited  by  the  COFRAC(1)   under  the  number  n°  3-1050,  and  as  a  member  of  the 
network of one of the statutory auditors of the company Dassault Systèmes, we present our report on the consolidated social, 
environmental and societal information established for the year ended on the 31st December 2016, presented in chapter 2 of the 
management report, hereafter referred to as the “CSR Information,” pursuant to the provisions of the article L.225-102-1 of the 
French Commercial code (Code de commerce).

Responsibility of the company 
It is the responsibility of the Board of Directors to establish a management report including CSR Information referred to in the 
article R. 225-105-1 of the French Commercial code (Code de commerce), in accordance with the protocols used by the company, 
consisting  in  HR  and  environmental  reporting  protocols  (hereafter  referred  to  as  the  “Criteria”),  and  of  which  a  summary  is 
included in section 2.1.6 (social reporting) and in section 2.2.5 (environmental reporting) of the management report, as well as 
available at the company’s headquarters.

Independence and quality control
Our independence is defined by regulatory requirements, the Code of Ethics of our profession as well as the provisions in the 
article L. 822-11 of the French Commercial code (Code de commerce). In addition, we have implemented a quality control system, 
including documented policies and procedures to ensure compliance with ethical standards, professional standards and applicable 
laws and regulations.

Responsibility of the independent verifier
It is our role, based on our work:

 › to attest whether the required CSR Information is present in the management report or, in the case of its omission, that an 
appropriate explanation has been provided, in accordance with the third paragraph of R. 225-105 of the French Commercial 
code (Code de commerce) (Attestation of presence of CSR Information);

 › to  express  a  limited  assurance  conclusion,  that  the  CSR  Information,  overall,  is  fairly  presented,  in  all  material  aspects,  in 

according with the Criteria (Limited assurance on CSR Information).

Our verification work was undertaken by a team of five people between October  2016 and March  2016 for an estimated duration 
of seven weeks.

We  conducted  the  work  described  below  in  accordance  with  the  professional  standards  applicable  in  France  and  the  Order  of 
13  May 2013 determining the conditions under which an independent third-party verifier conducts its mission, and in relation to 
the opinion of fairness and the reasonable assurance report, in accordance with the international standard ISAE 3000(2) .

(1)  Scope available at www.cofrac.fr

(2)  ISAE 3000 – Assurance engagements other than audits or reviews of historical information

72 ANNUAL REPORT 2016  DASSAULT SYSTÈMES

Social, Societal and Environmental Responsibility
Independent Verifi er’s Report on Consolidated Social, Environmental 
and Societal Information Presented in the Management Report

2

1.  Attestation of presence of CSR Information

Nature and scope of the work

We obtained an understanding of the company’s CSR issues, based on interviews with the management of relevant departments, 
a presentation of the company’s strategy on sustainable development based on the social and environmental consequences linked 
to the activities of the company and its societal commitments, as well as, where appropriate, resulting actions or programmes.

We have compared the information presented in the management report with the list as provided for in the Article R. 225-105-1 
of the French Commercial code (Code de commerce).

In the absence of certain consolidated information, we have verified that the explanations were provided in accordance with the 
provisions in Article R. 225-105, paragraph 3, of the French Commercial code (Code de commerce).

We verified that the information covers the consolidated perimeter, namely the entity and its subsidiaries, as aligned with the 
meaning of the Article L.233-1 and the entities which it controls, as aligned with the meaning of the Article L.233-3 of the 
French Commercial code (Code de commerce) with the limitations specified in the Methodological Note in sections 2.1.6 and 
2.2.5 of chapter 2 of the management report.

2

Conclusion
Based  on  this  work,  and  given  the  limitations  mentioned  above,  we  confirm  the  presence  in  the  management  report  of  the 
required CSR information.

2.  Limited assurance on CSR Information

Nature and scope of the work
We undertook seven interviews with the people responsible for the preparation of the CSR Information in the different departments, 
including people in the Human Resources, Facilities, Risk and Conformity, Public Affairs, IT, who are in charge of the data collection 
process and, if applicable, the people responsible for internal control processes and risk management, in order to:

 ›  Assess  the  suitability  of  the  Criteria  for  reporting,  in  relation  to  their  relevance,  completeness,  reliability,  neutrality,  and 

understandability, taking into consideration, if relevant, industry standards.

 ›  Verify the implementation of the process for the collection, compilation, processing and control for completeness and consistency 
of the CSR Information and identify the procedures for internal control and risk management related to the preparation of the 
CSR Information. 

We determined the nature and extent of our tests and inspections based on the nature and importance of the CSR Information, 
in  relation  to  the  characteristics  of  the  Company,  its  social  and  environmental  issues,  its  strategy  in  relation  to  sustainable 
development and industry best practices.

DASSAULT SYSTÈMES  ANNUAL REPORT 2016

73

2 Social, Societal and Environmental Responsibility

Independent Verifi er’s Report on Consolidated Social, Environmental 
and Societal Information Presented in the Management Report

 For the CSR Information which we considered the most important(3) :

 ›  At  the  level  of  the  consolidated  entity,  we  consulted  documentary  sources  and  conducted  interviews  to  corroborate  the 
qualitative  information  (organisation,  policies,  actions,  etc.),  we  implemented  analytical  procedures  on  the  quantitative 
information  and  verified,  on  a  test  basis,  the  calculations  and  the  compilation  of  the  information,  and  also  verified  their 
coherence and consistency with the other information presented in the management report;

 ›  At  the  level  of  the  representative  sample  of  entities  that  we  selected(4)   based  on  their  activity,  their  contribution  to  the 
consolidated  indicators,  their  location  and  a  risk  analysis,  we  undertook  interviews  to  verify  the  correct  application  of  the 
procedures and undertook detailed tests on the basis of samples, consisting in verifying the calculations made and linking them 
with supporting documentation. The sample reviewed therefore represented on average 33% of the workforce and between 
24% and 59% for quantitative environmental information(5) .

For the other consolidated CSR information, we assessed their consistency in relation to our knowledge of the company.

Finally, we assessed the relevance of the explanations provided, if appropriate, in the partial or total absence of certain information.

We consider that the sample methods and sizes of the samples that we considered by exercising our professional judgment allow 
us to express a limited assurance conclusion; an assurance of a higher level would have required more extensive verification work. 
Due to the necessary use of sampling techniques and other limitations inherent in the functioning of any information and internal 
control system, the risk of non-detection of a significant anomaly in the CSR Information cannot be entirely eliminated.

Conclusion
Based on our work, we have not identified any significant misstatement that causes us to believe that the CSR Information, taken 
together, has not been fairly presented, in compliance with the Criteria.

Paris-La Défense, the 17th of March 2017

French original signed by:

Independent Verifier

ERNST & YOUNG et Associés

Eric Mugnier

Partner, sustainable development

Bruno Perrin

Partner

(3)  Social and societal information :

Indicators  (quantitative  information):  workforce  (size  and  breakdown  by  geography,  age,  gender,  type  of  contract  (unlimited/limited),  hiring  and 
terminations, turnover rate, percentage of female managers, absenteeism, total number of training hours .

Qualitative information: employment (total headcount and breakdown, hiring and terminations, remunerations and their evolution), the organisation 
of working time, absenteeism, social relationships (the organisation of social dialogue, collective bargaining agreements), health and safety conditions 
at work, training policies, diversity and equality of treatment and opportunities (including measures undertaken for gender equality), promotion and 
respect of the ILO fundamental conventions , territorial, economic and social impact (impact on neighbouring or local populations), importance of sub-
contracting and the consideration of environmental and social issues in purchasing policies and relations with suppliers and subcontractors, business 
ethics (actions undertaken to prevent bribery and corruption and to ensure personal data security).

Environmental information:

Indicators (quantitative information): energy consumption (in MWh), greenhouse gas emissions for scope 1, scope 2 and part of the scope 3 (in tonnes 
of  CO2  equivalent),  quantity  of  waste  electrical  and  electronic  equipment  recycled  according  to  environmental  norms  (in  kg),  share  of  sites  with 
environmental certified buildings or offices (in %).

Qualitative information: general environmental policy (organisation, certification procedures, information and training of employees on environmental 
issues), circular economy (measures for preventing, recycling and eliminating waste, energy consumption, measures taken to improve energy efficiency 
and the use of renewable energy), climate change (significant post of green house gas emissions due to the activity of the company, including the use 
of sold products and services).

(4)  The entities Dassault Systèmes S.E. and Dassault Data Service (DS Paris Campus and Terre Europa sites in Vélizy, France; as well as the servers hosted 

in data centre in France); the entity DS Deutschland GmBH (Stuttgart, one of the German sites).

(5)  The coverage rate of our work is 26% of the workforce for the social data, 59% for the quantities of computers and servers recycled, 48% for energy 

consumption, and 24% for greenhouse gas emissions (scopes 1, 2 and 3).

74 ANNUAL REPORT 2016  DASSAULT SYSTÈMES

 
 
 
 
 
Social, Societal and Environmental Responsibility
Statutory Auditors’ Attestation on the information relating 
to the Dassault Systèmes SE’s total amount paid for sponsorship

2

2.4  Statutory Auditors’ Attestation on the 

information relating to the Dassault Systèmes 
SE’s total amount paid for sponsorship

2

This is a free translation into English of the original report issued in the French language and it is provided solely for the 
convenience of English speaking users. This report should be read in conjunction with, and construed in accordance with, French 
law and professional standards applicable in France.

To the Shareholders,

In our capacity as statutory auditors of your company and in accordance with article L. 225-115 5° of the French commercial 
code (Code de commerce), we have prepared this attestation on the information relating to the total amount paid in application 
of 1 and 4 of Article 238 bis of the French tax code (Code général des impôts) for the year ended December 31, 2016, as set out 
in the attached document.

Your board of directors was responsible for preparing this information. Our role is to attest this information.

In the context of our role as Commissaires aux comptes (statutory auditors), we have audited your company’s annual financial 
statements for the year ended December 31, 2016. Our audit was conducted in accordance with professional standards applicable 
in France, and was planned and performed solely for the purpose of forming an opinion on the annual financial statements taken 
as a whole and not on any individual component of the accounts used to determine the total amount paid in application of 1 and 
4 of article 238 bis of the French tax code (Code général des impôts). Accordingly, our audit tests and samples were not carried 
out with this objective and we do not express any opinion on any components of the accounts taken individually.

We performed those procedures which we considered necessary to comply with professional guidance issued by the national 
auditing body (Compagnie nationale des commissaires aux comptes). These procedures, which constitute neither an audit nor a 
review, consisted of performing the necessary reconciliations between the total amount paid in application of 1 and 4 of article 
238 bis of the French tax code (Code général des impôts) and the accounts from which the figure was calculated, and verifying 
that it was consistent with the data used to prepare the annual financial statements for the year ended December 31, 2016.

On the basis of our work, we have no matters to report on the reconciliation of the total amount paid in application of 1 and 4 of 
article 238 bis of the French tax code (Code général des impôts), set out in the attached document as € 1,350,919.51, with the 
accounting records used to prepare the annual financial statements for the year ended December 31, 2016.

This attestation shall constitute certification as accurate of the total amount paid in application of 1 and 4 of article 238 bis of 
the French tax code (Code général des impôts), within the meaning of article L. 225-115 5° of the French commercial code (Code 
de commerce).

This attestation has been prepared for your attention in the context set out in the first paragraph above, and must not be used, 
distributed or referred to for any other purposes. 

Neuilly-sur-Seine and Paris-La Défense, March 20 , 2017

The Statutory Auditors

French original signed by

 PricewaterhouseCoopers Audit

Pierre Marty

ERNST & YOUNG et Autres 

Pierre-Antoine Duffaud

Vélizy-Villacoublay, March 17, 2017

DASSAULT SYSTÈMES  ANNUAL REPORT 2016

75

2 Social, Societal and Environmental Responsibility

Vélizy-Villacoublay, March 17, 2017

CERTIFICATION RELATING TO THE GLOBAL AMOUNT 
OF SUMS PAID FOR SPONSORSHIP ON 2016

The global amount of sums paid for sponsorship, which gives rise to fiscal deductions, and which are referred to  at  Article  238  bis 
of the General Tax Code is 1,350,919.51 euros for 2016.

Thibault de TERSANT

Senior Executive Vice-President, Chief Financial Officer   

76 ANNUAL REPORT 2016  DASSAULT SYSTÈMES

3

FINANCIAL REVIEW 
AND PROSPECTS

CONTENTS

3.1  Operating and Financial Review 

3.1.1  General 

78

78

3.2  Financial Objectives 

3.1.2  Consolidated Information: 2016 Compared to 2015  84

3.3  Interim and Other Financial 

3.1.3  Trends in Quarterly Results 

3.1.4  Capital Resources 

88

89

Information 

89

90

DASSAULT SYSTÈMES  ANNUAL REPORT 2016

77

3 Financial Review and prospects

Operating and Financial Review

3.1  Operating and Financial Review

3.1.1  General

The  executive  overview  in  paragraph  3.1.1.1  “Executive 
Overview  for  2016”  highlights  selected  aspects  of  the 
Company’s financial results for 2016. The executive overview, 
the  supplemental  non-IFRS  financial  information  and  the 
more detailed discussion that follows should be read together 
with the Company’s consolidated financial statements and 
the related notes included in paragraph 4.1.1 “Consolidated 
Financial Statements”.

In  discussing  and  analyzing  the  Company’s  results  of 
operations, the Company considers supplemental non-IFRS 
financial information: (i) non-IFRS revenue data excludes the 
effect of adjusting the carrying value of acquired companies’ 
deferred  revenue;  and  non-IFRS  expense  data  excludes, 
(ii) the amortization of acquired intangibles, (iii) share-based 
compensation expense and related social charges, (iv) certain 
other  operating  income  and  expense,  net,  (v)  certain  one-
time items included in financial income and other, net, and 
(vi) certain one-time tax effects and the income tax effects of 
the above adjustments. A reconciliation of this supplemental 
non-IFRS  financial  information  with  information  set  forth 
in the Company’s consolidated financial statements and the 
notes  thereto  is  presented  below  under  paragraph  3.1.1.2 
“Supplemental non-IFRS Financial Information”.

When  the  Company  believes  it  would  be  helpful  for 
understanding trends in its business, it restates percentage 
increases or decreases in selected financial data to eliminate 
the  effect  of  changes  in  currency  values,  particularly  the 
U.S.  dollar  and  the  Japanese  yen,  relative  to  the  euro. 
Specifically, the Company’s constant currency revenue data 
calculations exclude the estimated impact of changes in the 
currency exchange rates compared to the euro. When trend 
information is expressed below “in constant currencies”, the 
results of the prior year have first been recalculated using 
the  average  exchange  rates  of  the  most  recent  year,  and 
then compared with the results of the most recent year. All 
constant currency information is provided on an approximate 
basis. Unless otherwise indicated, the impact of exchange rate 
fluctuations is approximately the same for both the Company’s 
IFRS and supplemental non-IFRS financial data.

3.1.1.1 

Executive Overview for 2016 
(all revenue growth comparisons 
are in constant currencies)

Summary Overview
Dassault  Systèmes,  the  3DEXPERIENCE  Company,  provides 
software  applications  and  services,  designed  to  support 
companies’  innovation  processes.  Since  the  introduction  of 
its  market  vision  of  3DEXPERIENCE  and  its  Social  Industry 
Experience  strategy  in  2012,  the  Company  has  undergone 
a  deep  transformation  in  its  go-to-market  strategy,  in  the 
orientation  of  its  software  applications,  and  in  its  regional 
organization .  The  Company  estimates  that  its  addressable 
software  market  now  reaches  approximately  $24  billion, 
representing  an  estimated  doubling  of 
its  addressable 
software  market  since  2012.  During  2016  the  Company’s 
total revenues passed the €3 billion milestone.

Over  the  course  of  2016,  the  Company  saw  evidence  of 
the  increasing  traction  triggered  by  its  key  growth  drivers. 
3DEXPERIENCE  software  sales  were  up  sharply  in  total . 
The  Company’s  brand  value  creation  was  visible  both  with 
SOLIDWORKS  ,  and  with  its  Manufacturing  offer,  led  by 
DELMIA. The Company also made good progress in Industry 
Diversification and in expansion of its global market footprint 
with  the  strong  performance  from  High  Growth  countries. 
However, the full extent of the strength of its growth drivers 
was offset in part by lower Version 5 sales as clients’ transition 
to 3DEXPERIENCE.

Specifically:

 › The  traction  with  3DEXPERIENCE  continued  to  advance 
with  3DEXPERIENCE  new 
licenses  non-IFRS  software 
revenue increasing 30% in 2016. In turn, 3DEXPERIENCE’s 
mix  continued  to  grow,  adding  7  points  to  represent  36% 
of the related total new licenses revenues for 2016. Three 
years  after  its  introduction,  the  3DEXPERIENCE  platform 
has reached significant maturity and scalability, with very 
large deployments in progress, already achieved with tens 

78 ANNUAL REPORT 2016  DASSAULT SYSTÈMES

Financial Review and prospects
Operating and Financial Review

3

3

of  thousands  of  users.  The  Company  is  building  critical 
momentum, with multiple industry leaders confirming the 
value  of  the  3DEXPERIENCE  platform  in  large  competitive 
wins during 2016 and in the prior years.

 › The fastest growing industries in 2016 included Industrial 
Equipment  and  Business  Services  in  Core  Industries  and 
High  Tech,  Consumer  Goods-Retail,  Energy,  Process  & 
Utilities and Marine & Offshore in Diversification Industries.

 › During 2016 Diversification Industries represented 31% of 
total non-IFRS software revenue, compared to 30% in 2015. 
In  High  Tech  software  revenue  increased  16%  reflecting 
major  wins  in  telecommunications,  increased  business 
activity  with  semiconductor  and  consumer  electronics 
companies. In Energy, Process & Utilities software revenue 
rose  12%.  The  Company  has  a  major  presence  in  nuclear 
energy  with  client  engagements  during  2016  in  France, 
Japan,  South  Korea  and  Argentina.  It  is  also  present  in 
hydro-electric dams, wind energy, as well as in oil & gas and 
specialty  chemicals.  Marine  &  Offshore  software  revenue 
was up 55% with key wins in commercial and naval ships, 
with certification companies and thanks to expansion of its 
offer to logistics.

 › Thanks  to  its  sales  channels  investments  the  Company  is 
benefiting  from  the  increase  in  sales  coverage  in  China, 
India  and  in  other  countries.  During  2016  the  targeted 
geographic regions included in High Growth Countries saw 
non-IFRS software growth of 15%. And from a contribution 
point  of  view,  they  accounted  for  about  17%  of  total 
software revenue.

 › By  product  line  and  on  a  non-IFRS  basis,  SOLIDWORKS 
 software revenue increased 12% reflecting improving new 
sales  progressively  through  the  year  and  strong  recurring 
revenue growth. CATIA software revenue increased 4%, with 
its  3DEXPERIENCE  software  revenue  up  42%  and  overall 
growth  reflecting  a  product  transition  underway.  Other 
Software  increased  8%  led  by  the  Company’s  simulation, 
manufacturing,  and  supply  chain  planning  &  optimization 
software (SIMULIA, DELMIA, and Quintiq, respectively) and 
well in line results for BIOVIA.

Overall,  the  Company  delivered  a  2016  performance  aligned 
with its non-IFRS financial objectives. Non-IFRS total revenue 
of  €3.07  billion  increased  7%  driven  by  non-IFRS  software 
revenue growth of 7%. Non-IFRS operating income increased 
8%  to  €957.7  million  with  the  non-IFRS  operating  margin 
increasing to 31.2% in 2016 from 30.8% in 2015. Non-IFRS 
diluted earnings per share grew 11% in total to €2.49.

Dassault Systèmes continues to evaluate potential acquisitions 
well  aligned  with  its  purpose  and  brand  value  creation 
objectives.  During  2016  Dassault  Systèmes  increased  its 
domain leadership with acquisitions aggregating €263 million, 
net  of  cash.  In  particular,  the  Company  extended  SIMULIA’s 
multi-physics, multi-scale simulation offer to electromagnetic 
simulation – critical to every stage of electronic system design 
– with the acquisition of CST. SIMULIA also strengthened its 
computational  fluid  dynamics  capabilities,  specifically  for 
accurate  and  robust  simulation  of  highly  dynamic  fluid  flow 
with the addition of the developer of Xflow technology, Next 
Limit Dynamics. The Company also further extended DELMIA 
global  industrial  operations  offer  with  the  acquisition  of 
Ortems, focused on production planning and scheduling.

Summary 2016 Financial Highlights 
(all revenue and software growth comparisons 
are in constant currencies)
Total Revenue: For the year ended December 31, 2016, IFRS 
total revenue increased 8%. Non-IFRS total revenue increased 
7%,  with  software  revenue  growth  of  7%  and  services  and 
other  revenue  growth  of  7%.  Excluding  acquisitions,  total 
non-IFRS  revenue  and  software  revenue  growth  would  have 
been 6%. 3DEXPERIENCE implementation engagements were 
among  the  principal  contributors  to  the  increase  in  services 
and other revenue.

Software Revenue: IFRS software revenue increased 8%. Non-
IFRS software grew 7% on growth of both new licenses and 
recurring  software  revenue.  New  licenses  non-IFRS  revenue 
increased  5%  in  total  with  mixed  results  by  industries  and 
geographic  regions.  The  Company’s  multiple  growth  drivers 
are  seeing  increasing  traction.  However,  they  were  not 

DASSAULT SYSTÈMES  ANNUAL REPORT 2016

79

expenditures  of  €56.7  million,  net  of  sales.  The  Company 
received cash for stock options exercised of €26.8 million.

Other  Financial  Highlights:  The  Company’s  net  financial 
position  increased  to  €1.49  billion  at  December  31,  2016, 
compared to €1.35 billion at December 31, 2015, reflecting an 
increase in cash, cash equivalents and short-term investments 
to  €2.49  billion  from  €2.35  billion  at  December  31,  2015, 
with long-term debt of €1.00 billion unchanged.

Currency:  During  2016  currency  exchange  rate  evolution 
overall had a slightly net negative impact on the Company’s 
reported  revenue,  operating  income,  earnings  per  share  and 
their  respective  growth  rates.  In  2015  currency  exchange 
rates had a material, net positive impact on reported revenue, 
operating income and earnings per share and their respective 
growth  rates.  The  Company  has  followed  a  long-standing 
policy  of  measuring  its  revenue  performance  and  setting  its 
revenue  objectives  exclusive  of  currency  in  order  to  measure 
in a transparent manner the underlying level of improvement 
in its revenue and software revenue by type, industry, region 
and product lines.

2017  Business  Outlook:  For  a  discussion  of  the  Company’s 
2017  business  outlook,  see  paragraph  3.2  “Financial 
Objectives”.  For  further  information  regarding  risks  facing 
the  Company,  see  paragraph  1.6.1  “Risks  Related  to  the 
Company’s Business”.

3.1.1.2 

Supplemental Non-IFRS Financial 
Information

Readers  are  cautioned  that  the  supplemental  non-IFRS 
financial information is subject to inherent limitations. It is 
not based on any comprehensive set of accounting rules or 
principles and should not be considered in isolation from or 
as  a  substitute  for  IFRS  measurements.  The  supplemental 
non-IFRS  financial  information  should  be  read  only  in 
conjunction  with  the  Company’s  consolidated  financial 
statements prepared in accordance with IFRS. Furthermore, 
the Company’s supplemental non-IFRS financial information 
may not be comparable to similarly titled non-IFRS measures 
used by other companies. Specific limitations for individual 
non-IFRS measures are set forth below.

In  evaluating  and  communicating  its  results  of  operations, 
the Company supplements its financial results reported on an 

3 Financial Review and prospects

Operating and Financial Review

fully  visible  during  2016  due  to  a  product  generation  shift. 
Specifically,  during  2016  the  Company  started  to  see  a 
slowing of Version 5 licenses sales, which are being replaced 
by new 3DEXPERIENCE transactions whose sales cycle times 
have generally be somewhat longer.

Software Revenue by Region: Asia non-IFRS software revenue 
increased 8%, led by China with sharply higher growth, and 
India. In Europe non-IFRS software revenue growth of 8% was 
led  by  France  and  Southern  Europe,  and  solid  performance 
across  most  of  the  geographic  regions.  In  the  Americas, 
non-IFRS software revenue increased 6% . Europe represented 
43% of non-IFRS total software revenue, Americas 30% and 
Asia 27%.

Recurring  Software  Revenue:  IFRS  and  non-IFRS  recurring 
software revenue growth increased 8%, led by a strong level 
of  maintenance  subscription  growth,  and  rental  subscription 
growth.  Recurring  software  revenue  performance  during 
2016 also benefited from increased maintenance subscription 
renewal activity in the 2015 fourth quarter related to a change 
in reinstatement policy for SOLIDWORKS  . Recurring software 
revenue represented 71% of non-IFRS total software revenue, 
and  is  comprised  of  maintenance  subscription  and  rental 
subscription. All three sales channels reported strong recurring 
software revenue performance.

IFRS  operating 

Income  and  Margin: 

income 
Operating 
increased  6%.  Non-IFRS  operating  income  increased  8%  to 
€957.7 million. The non-IFRS operating margin increased to 
31.2% for 2016, from 30.8% in 2015, reflecting an underlying 
improvement of about 70 basis points offset in part by a net 
negative currency impact and acquisition dilution.

Earnings per Share: IFRS diluted net income per share increased 
11%. Non-IFRS diluted net income per share increased 11% to 
€2.49, up from €2.25 in 2015. 2016 earnings per share results 
included a 5 cents impact from a reversal of tax reserves in the 
2016 first quarter.

Cash flow: Net operating cash flow was €621.7 million for the 
year ended December 31, 2016, compared to €633.3 million in 
2015, reflecting higher net income of 11%, offset principally 
by  higher  tax  downpayments  in  2016.  The  Company’s  uses 
of cash for 2016 were principally for payment for acquisitions 
of €262.7 million net of cash acquired, share repurchases of 
€127.3 million, cash dividends of €101.9 million, and capital 

80 ANNUAL REPORT 2016  DASSAULT SYSTÈMES

Financial Review and prospects
Operating and Financial Review

3

3

IFRS basis with non-IFRS financial data. As further explained 
below,  the  supplemental  non-IFRS  financial  information 
excludes  the  effects  of:  deferred  revenue  adjustments  for 
acquired  companies,  amortization  of  acquired  intangibles, 
share-based compensation expense and related social charges, 
other  operating  income  and  expense,  net,  certain  one-  time 
items  included  in  financial  revenue  and  other,  net,  and  the 
income  tax  effect  of  the  non-IFRS  adjustments  and  certain 
one-time tax effects. Subject to the limitations set forth above 
and below, the Company believes that the supplemental non-
IFRS  financial  information  provides  a  consistent  basis  for 
period-to-period  comparisons  which  can  improve  investors’ 
understanding of its financial performance.

The  Company’s  management  uses  the  supplemental  non-
IFRS  financial  information,  together  with  its  IFRS  financial 
information, for financial planning and analysis, evaluation of 
its  operating  performance,  mergers  and  acquisition  analysis 
and  valuation,  operational  decision-making  and  for  setting 
financial  objectives  for  future  periods.  Compensation  of  its 
senior  management  is  based  in  part  on  the  performance 
of  its  business  measured  with  the  supplemental  non-IFRS 
information.  The  Company  believes  that  the  supplemental 
non-IFRS  data  also  provides  meaningful  information  to 
investors  and  financial  analysts  who  use  the  information 
for  comparing  the  Company’s  operating  performance  to  its 
historical trends and to other companies in its industry, as well 
as for valuation purposes.

The supplemental non-IFRS financial information adjusts the 
Company’s IFRS financial information to exclude:

 › deferred revenue adjustment of acquired companies: under 
IFRS,  deferred  revenue  of  an  acquired  company  must  be 
adjusted  by  writing  it  down  to  account  for  the  fair  value 
of  obligations  assumed  under  contracts  acquired  through 
the acquisition of the company. As a result, in the case of 
a typical one-year contract, the Company’s IFRS revenues 
for the one-year period subsequent to an acquisition do not 
reflect  the  full  amount  of  revenue  on  assumed  contracts 
that  would  have  otherwise  been  recorded  by  the  acquired 
entity in the absence of the acquisition.

In  its  supplemental  non-IFRS  financial  information,  the 
Company has excluded this write-down to the carrying value 
of the deferred revenue, and reflects instead the full amount 
of  such  revenue.  The  Company  believes  that  this  non-IFRS 
measure  of  revenue  is  useful  to  investors  and  management 
because  it  reflects  a  level  of  revenue  and  operational  results 
which  corresponds  to  the  combined  business  activities  of 

Dassault Systèmes and the acquired company. In addition, the 
non-IFRS financial information provides a consistent basis for 
comparing its future operating performance, when no further 
adjustments to deferred revenue are required, against recent 
results.

However, by excluding the deferred revenue adjustment, the 
supplemental non-IFRS financial information reflects the total 
revenue that would have been recorded by the acquired entity 
but may not reflect the total cost associated with generating 
the non-IFRS revenue.

 › amortization of acquired intangibles, including amortization 
of  acquired  technology:  under  IFRS,  the  cost  of  acquired 
intangible  assets,  whether  acquired  through  acquisitions 
of  companies  or  of  technology  or  certain  other  intangible 
assets,  must  be  recognized  according  to  the  assets’  fair 
value and amortized over their useful life.

In  its  supplemental  non-IFRS  financial  information,  the 
Company  has  excluded  the  amortization  expenses  related 
to  acquired  intangibles  in  order  to  provide  a  consistent  basis 
for comparing its historical results. For technology and other 
intangible assets the Company develops internally, it typically 
expenses  costs  in  the  period  in  which  they  are  incurred.  For 
example, because it typically incurs most of its R&D costs prior 
to  reaching  technical  feasibility,  its  R&D  costs  are  expensed 
in  the  period  in  which  they  are  incurred.  By  excluding  the 
amortization  expenses  related  to  acquired  intangibles,  the 
supplemental  non-IFRS  financial 
information  provides  a 
uniform  approach  for  evaluating  the  development  cost  of  all 
the  Company’s  technology,  whether  developed  internally  or 
acquired externally. As a result, the Company believes that the 
supplemental  financial  information  offers  investors  a  useful 
basis for comparing its historical results.

However,  the  acquired  intangible  assets  whose  amortization 
costs  are  excluded  contributed  to  revenue  earned  during  the 
period, and it may not have been possible to earn such revenue 
without such assets. In addition, the amortization of acquired 
intangibles  is  a  recurring  expense  until  their  total  cost  has 
been amortized;

 › share-based  compensation  expense  and  related  social 
charges: under IFRS, the Company is required to recognize 
in  its  income  statement  all  share-based  payments  to 
employees,  including  grants  of  employee  stock  options 
and performance shares, based on their fair values over the 
period  that  an  employee  provides  service  in  exchange  for 
the award.

DASSAULT SYSTÈMES  ANNUAL REPORT 2016

81

3 Financial Review and prospects

Operating and Financial Review

The  Company  excludes  this  expense  in  its  supplemental 
non-IFRS  financial  information  as  financial  analysts  and 
investors  use  a  valuation  model  which  may  not  take  into 
account its share-based compensation expense. The exclusion 
of  share-based  compensation  expense  in  the  Company’s 
supplemental non-IFRS financial information therefore helps 
them  ensure  the  consistency  of  their  valuation  metrics.  The 
Company’s  management  considers  the  supplemental  non-
IFRS  information  which  excludes  share-based  compensation 
expense  when 
the  Company’s  operating 
performance,  since  share-based  compensation  expenses  can 
fluctuate  due  to  factors  other  than  the  level  of  its  business 
activity or operating performance.

reviewing 

However,  share-based  compensation 
is  one  component 
of  employee  compensation.  By  excluding  share-based 
compensation  expense,  the  supplemental  non-IFRS  financial 
information  does  not  reflect  the  Company’s  full  cost  of 
attracting,  motivating  and  retaining  its  personnel.  Share-
based compensation expense is a recurring expense;

 › other operating income and expense, net: under IFRS, the 
Company  has  recognized  certain  other  operating  income 
and  expense  comprised  of  the  impact  of  costs  incurred 
in  connection  with  the  voluntary  early  retirement  plan, 
restructuring activities, gains or losses on sale of subsidiaries, 
costs directly related to acquisitions and costs related to site 
closings and reorganization of the Group’s premises.

In  its  supplemental  non-IFRS  financial  information,  the 
Company  excludes  other  operating  income  and  expense 
effects  because  of  their  unusual,  infrequent  or  generally 
non-recurring  nature.  As  a  result,  the  Company  believes 
that  its  supplemental  non-IFRS  financial  information  helps 
investors better understand the current trends in its operating 
performance.

However, other operating income and expense are components 
of the Company’s income and expense and by excluding them 
the  supplemental  non-IFRS  financial  information  excludes 
their impact to its net income;

 › certain  one-time  items  included  in  financial  revenue  and 
other,  net:  under  IFRS,  the  Company  has  recognized 
certain  one-time  items  in  financial  revenue  and  other,  net 
comprised of the impact of discontinued hedge accounting 
for  interest  rate  swaps,  gains  and  losses  on  disposals  of 
non-consolidated  equity  investments  and  the  expense 
recognized  following  the  impairment  of  non-consolidated 
equity investments.

In  its  supplemental  non-IFRS  financial  information,  the 
Company excludes certain one-time items included in financial 
revenue  and  other,  net  because  of  their  unusual,  infrequent 
or  generally  non-recurring  nature.  As  a  result,  the  Company 
believes that its supplemental non-IFRS financial information 
helps  investors  better  understand  the  current  trends  in  its 
operating performance.

However, these one-time items included in financial revenue 
and other, net are components of the Company’s income and 
expense  and  by  excluding  them  the  supplemental  non-IFRS 
financial information excludes their impact to its net income;

 › certain  one-time  tax  effects:  the  Company  restructured 
certain  activities  which  resulted  in  immediate  adjustment 
of the income tax provision. The Company’s IFRS financial 
statements reflect the impact of these one-time tax effects.

In  its  supplemental  non-IFRS  financial  information,  the 
Company  has  excluded  these  one-time  tax  effects  because 
of  their  unusual  nature  in  qualitative  terms.  The  Company 
does  not  expect  such  tax  effects  to  occur  as  part  of  its 
normal business on a regular basis. As a result, the Company 
believes  that  by  excluding  these  one-time  tax  impacts,  its 
supplemental non-IFRS financial information helps investors 
understand  the  current  trends  in  its  operating  performance. 
The Company also believes that the exclusion of certain one-
time tax effects facilitates a comparison of its effective tax rate 
between different periods.

However, these one-time tax effects are a component of the 
Company’s  income  tax  expense.  By  excluding  these  effects, 
the supplemental non-IFRS financial information understates 
or overstates the Company’s income tax expense. These one-
time tax effects are not a recurring expense.

82 ANNUAL REPORT 2016  DASSAULT SYSTÈMES

Financial Review and prospects
Operating and Financial Review

3

3

The following table sets forth the Company’s supplemental non-IFRS financial information, together with the comparable IFRS 
financial measure and a reconciliation of the IFRS and non-IFRS information.

Year ended December 31,

% Change

(in millions of euros, 
except percentages and per share data)

Total Revenue

Total revenue by activity

Software revenue

Services and other revenue

Total revenue by geography

Americas

Europe

Asia

Total software revenue by product line

CATIA software revenue

ENOVIA software revenue

SOLIDWORKS software revenue

Other software revenue

Total Operating Expenses

Share-based compensation expense

Amortization of acquired intangibles

Other operating income and expense, net
Operating Income

Operating Margin

Financial revenue and other, net

Income before Income Taxes

Income tax expense

(of which certain one-time tax 
restructuring effects)

Non-controlling interest

Net Income attributable 
to shareholders

Diluted Net Income per Share (3)

2016 IFRS

€3,055.6

Adjust-
ment (1)

2016 
non-IFRS

2015 IFRS

Adjust-
ment (1)

2015 
non-IFRS

€10.0

€3,065.6

€2,839.5

€37.2

€2,876.7

2,694.7

360.9

942.4

1,301.9

811.3

970.8

321.4

626.0

776.5

9.6

0.4

3.5

5.7

0.8

–

–

–

9.6

2,704.3

2,502.8

361.3

336.7

945.9

889.5

1,307.6

1,226.5

812.1

723.5

970.8

321.4

626.0

786.1

938.5

301.9

569.8

692.6

35.1

2.1

20.0

11.6

5.6

0.4

–

–

34.7

2,537.9

338.8

909.5

1,238.1

729.1

938.9

301.9

569.8

727.3

2,383.6

(275.7)

2,107.9

2,206.3

(214.5)

1,991.8

(79.3)

(155.8)

(40.6)
672.0

22.0%

(10.5)

661.5

(209.3)

6.6

(5.0)

79.3

155.8

40.6
285.7

5.8

291.5

(98.4)

(6.6)

–

–

–

–
957.7

31.2%

(4.7)

953.0

(42.5)

(159.6)

(12.4)
633.2

22.3%

(0.1)

633.1

(307.7)

(227.1)

42.5

159.6

12.4
251.7

–

251.7

(77.3)

–

–

–

884.9

30.8%

(0.1)

884.8

(304.4)

–

(5.0)

(6.7)

(3.8)

6.7

–

–

(3.8)

IFRS non-IFRS (2)

8%

8%

7%

6%

6%

12%

3%

6%

10%

12%

8%

7%

7%

7%

4%

6%

11%

3%

6%

10%

8%

6%

6%

8%

4%

(8%)

8%

1%

€447.2

€1.74

€193.1

€0.75

€640.3

€2.49

€402.2

€1.57

€174.4

€0.68

€576.6

€2.25

11%

11%

11%

11%

(1)  In the reconciliation schedule above, (i) all adjustments to IFRS revenue data reflect the exclusion of the deferred revenue adjustment of acquired companies, (ii) adjustments to 
IFRS operating expense data reflect the exclusion of the amortization of acquired intangibles, share-based compensation expense and related social charges, as detailed below, and 
other operating income and expense, net (iii) adjustments to IFRS financial revenue and other, net reflect the exclusion of certain one-time items included in financial revenue and 
other, net, and (iv) all adjustments to IFRS income data reflect the combined effect of these adjustments, plus with respect to net income and diluted net income per share, the 
income tax effect of the non-IFRS adjustments and certain one-time tax effects.

(in millions of euros)

Cost of revenue

Research and development

Marketing and sales

General and administrative

Total share-based compensation 
expense

Year ended December 31,

2016
IFRS Adjustment

2016
non-IFRS

2015
IFRS Adjustment

€463.6

540.5

952.6

230.5

€(3.2)

(33 .6)

(27.0)

(15.5)

(79.3)

460.4

506.9

925.6

215.0

€437.9

492.5

892.2

211.7

€(1.3)

(17.7)

(15.4)

(8.1)

(42.5)

2015
non-IFRS

€436.6

474.8

876.8

203.6

(2)  The non-IFRS percentage change compares non-IFRS measures for the two different periods. In the event there is an adjustment to the relevant measure for only one of the periods 

under comparison, the non-IFRS change compares the non-IFRS measure to the relevant IFRS measure.

(3)  Based on a weighted average of 257.4 million diluted shares for 2016 and 256.6 million diluted shares for 2015.

DASSAULT SYSTÈMES  ANNUAL REPORT 2016

83

3 Financial Review and prospects

Operating and Financial Review

3.1.1.3 

Critical Accounting Principles

The Company’s consolidated financial statements have been 
prepared  in  accordance  with  IFRS.  The  preparation  of  these 
financial  statements  requires  the  Company  to  make  certain 
assumptions  and  estimates.  Actual  results  may  differ  from 
these estimates under different assumptions or conditions. The 
Company  believes  the  following  critical  accounting  policies, 

among others, involve the more significant assumptions and 
estimates used in the preparation of its consolidated financial 
statements:  revenue  recognition,  share-based  payments, 
purchase price allocation for business combinations, goodwill 
and  other  intangible  assets,  income  taxes  and  reasonable 
estimates  about  the  ultimate  resolution  of  the  Company’s 
tax  uncertainties.  See  Note  2  to  the  consolidated  financial 
statements for a description of these accounting policies.

3.1.2  Consolidated Information: 2016 Compared to 2015

Revenue
The Company’s total revenue is comprised of (i) software revenue, which is its primary source of revenue, representing 88% of 
total revenue in 2016, and (ii) services and other revenue, which represented 12% of total revenue in 2016.

(in millions of euros, except percentages)

Total Revenue

Software Revenue*

Americas software revenue

Europe software revenue

Asia software revenue

Services and other revenue

Year ended 
December 31, 
2016

% change

% change 
in constant 
currencies

Year ended 
December 31, 
2015

€3,055.6

2,694.7

815.5

1,139.1

740.1

360.9

8%

8%

8%

6%

11%

7%

8%

8%

8%

8%

8%

7%

€2,839.5

2,502.8

756.3

1,077.0

669.5

336.7

* 

The Company’s largest national markets as measured by total revenue are the United States, Germany, Japan, France and the United Kingdom. See Note 3 to the consolidated 
financial statements.

revenue.  Periodic 

related 
and 
maintenance subscription revenue are referred to together as 
“recurring revenue”.

subscription 

licenses 

The Company’s products are principally licensed pursuant to 
one of two payment structures: (i) new licenses, for which the 
customer pays an initial or one-time fee for a perpetual license 
or  (ii)  periodic  (rental  subscription  or  cloud  subscription) 
licenses,  for  which  the  customer  pays  periodic  fees  to  keep 
the  license  active.  Access  to  maintenance  and  unspecified 
product  updates  or  upgrades  requires  payment  of  a  fee, 

IFRS  total  revenue  increased  8%  in  constant  currencies. 
Non-IFRS  total  revenue  increased  7%,  on  software  revenue 
growth of 7% and services and other revenue growth of 7% 
in constant currencies. Excluding acquisitions, non-IFRS total 
revenue and software revenue growth would have been 6% in 
constant currencies.

Software Revenue
Software  revenue  is  primarily  comprised  of  new  licenses 
revenue,  periodic  licenses,  maintenance  and  other  software-

84 ANNUAL REPORT 2016  DASSAULT SYSTÈMES

which  is  recorded  as  maintenance  revenue.  Periodic  (rental 
or  subscription)  licenses  entitle  the  customer  to  corrective 
maintenance  and  product  updates  without  additional 
charge.  Product  updates  include  improvements  to  existing 
products  but  do  not  cover  new  products.  Other  software-
related  revenue  is  principally  comprised  of  the  Company’s 
product development revenue relating to the development of 
additional  functionalities  of  standard  products  requested  by 
customers and reinstated maintenance.

(in millions of euros, 
except percentages)

Software revenue by type:

New licenses revenue

Recurring software revenue 
(periodic and maintenance 
revenue)

Other software-related revenue

Total software revenue

(as % of total revenue)

Year ended December 31,

2016

2015

€773.2

€716.5

1,910.3

11.2

1,765.9

20.4

€2,694.7

€2,502.8

88.2%

88.1%

For  2016,  IFRS  software  revenue  increased  7.7%.  Non-IFRS 
software revenue increased 6.6% and 7% excluding currency 
effects and totaled €2.70 billion compared to €2.54 billion for 
2015.

IFRS New licenses revenue increased 7.9% in 2016. Non-IFRS 
new  licenses  revenue  of  €773.8  million  increased  5.2%  and 
5% in constant currencies on mixed results by industries and 
geographic regions.

IFRS  recurring  software  increased  8.2%  to  €1.91  billion. 
Non-IFRS recurring software revenue growth increased 7.7% 
or  9%  excluding  currency  effects,  to  €1.92  billion,  led  by 
maintenance  subscription  growth.  The  Company  benefited 
from  a  strong  maintenance  subscription  performance  in  all 
three regions, with high renewal rates generally and growth in 
maintenance subscription from prior new licenses activity. In 
addition, growth in rental software revenue in all three regions 
contributed  to  the  total  growth  in  rental  subscription  and  in 
turn to the growth of recurring software revenue.

Non-IFRS  recurring  software  revenue  represented  71%  and 
70% of non-IFRS total software revenue for 2016 and 2015, 
respectively.

Financial Review and prospects
Operating and Financial Review

3

Services and Other Revenue
is  principally  comprised  of 
Services  and  other  revenue 
revenue from consulting services in methodology for design, 
deployment  and  support,  training  services  and  engineering 
services. In addition, services and other revenue also include 
content-related digital production for use in 3D visualization, 
advertising, sales and marketing.

(in millions of euros, 
except percentages)

Services and other revenue

(as % of total revenue)

Year ended December 31,

2016

€360.9

11.8%

2015

€336.7

11.9%

3

IFRS  Services  and  other  revenue  increased  7.2%.  Non-IFRS 
services and other revenue of €361.3 million increased 6.6% 
and  approximately  7%  in  constant  currencies,  compared  to 
€338.8  million  in  2015.  The  non-IFRS  services  and  other 
revenue gross margin increased to 14.7% for 2016 compared 
to 13.2% for 2015.

Services and other revenue growth reflect two distinct trends. 
The first is the Company’s focus on extending its relationships 
with system integrators and its sales partners to expand the 
capacity  for  implementation  of  its  software  solutions  and 
therefore it is actively reducing the pursuit of certain consulting 
and services engagements. At the same time, the Company is 
benefiting from increased service engagements related to the 
strong growth in 3DEXPERIENCE as well as strong growth in 
services for Quintiq and BIOVIA during 2016.

Operating expenses

(in millions of euros)

Operating expenses

Adjustments*

Non-IFRS operating expenses*

Year ended December 31,

2016

€2,383.6

(275.7)

€2,107.9

2015

€2,206.3

(214.5)

€1,991.8

* 

The  adjustments  and  non-IFRS  operating  expenses  in  the  table  above  reflect 
adjustments  to  the  Company’s  financial  information  prepared  in  accordance  with 
IFRS by excluding (i) the amortization of acquired intangibles of €155.8 million and 
€159.6  million  for  2016  and  2015,  respectively,  (ii)  share-based  compensation 
expense and related social charges of €79.3 million and €42.5 million for 2016 and 
2015, respectively, and (iii) other operating income and expense, net of €40.6 million 
and  €12.4  million  for  2016  and  2015,  respectively.  For  the  reconciliation  of  this 
non-IFRS  financial  information  with  information  set  forth  in  the  Company’s 
financial statements and the notes thereto, see paragraph 3.1.1.2 “Supplemental 
Non-IFRS Financial Information”.

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3 Financial Review and prospects

Operating and Financial Review

Cost of Software Revenue 
(excluding amortization of acquired intangibles)
The  cost  of  software  revenue  includes  principally  software 
personnel costs, licensing fees paid for third-party components 
integrated  into  the  Company’s  own  products,  hosting  and 
other cloud-related costs and other expenses.

Costs  for  R&D  of  software  are  expensed  in  the  period  in 
which  they  were  incurred.  The  Company  generally  does  not 
capitalize any R&D costs. A small percentage of R&D personnel 
pursue R&D activities in the context of providing clients with 
software  maintenance,  and  their  cost  is  thus  included  under 
cost of software revenue.

(in millions of euros, 
except percentages)

Cost of software revenue 
(excluding amortization 
of acquired intangibles)

(as % of total revenue)

Year ended December 31,

2016

2015

€153.8

5.0%

€143.2

5.0%

IFRS  cost  of  software  revenue  (excluding  amortization  of 
acquired  intangibles)  increased  7.4%.  Non-IFRS  cost  of 
software  revenue  increased  6.8%  to  €152.3  million,  or  6% 
excluding  currency  effects,  and  primarily  reflected  higher 
personnel-related  costs  on  headcount  growth  as  well  as 
increased Cloud-related costs.

Cost of Services and Other Revenue
The  cost  of  services  and  other  revenue  includes  principally 
personnel and other costs related to organizing and providing 
consulting,  deployment  services,  content  creation  and 
educational  services  less  the  technical  support  provided  to 
sales operations.

(in millions of euros, 
except percentages)

Cost of services 
and other revenue

(as % of total revenue)

Year ended December 31,

2016

2015

€309.8

10.1%

€294.7

10.4%

IFRS cost of services and other revenue increased 5.1%. Non-
IFRS costs of services and other revenue totaled €308.1 million 
compared to €294.0 million in 2015, representing an increase 
of  4.8%,  or  5%  excluding  currency  effects.  The  increase  in 
non-IFRS cost of services and other revenue largely reflected 
higher personnel costs including subcontractors and selective 
personnel increases.

Research and development Expenses
The Company conducts its research in Europe (mainly France, 
Germany, the United Kingdom, the Netherlands and Poland), 
the Americas (the United States and Canada) and Asia Pacific 
(mainly India, Malaysia and Australia).

Expenses  for  R&D  include  primarily  personnel  costs  as  well 
as  the  rental,  depreciation  and  maintenance  expenses  for 
computers and computer hardware used in R&D, development 
tools, computer networking and communication expenses.

Expenses for R&D are recorded net of grants recognized from 
various  governmental  authorities  to  finance  certain  R&D 
activities (mainly R&D tax credits in France).

(in millions of euros, 
except percentages)

Research and development 
expenses

(as % of total revenue)

Year ended December 31,

2016

2015

€540.5

17.7%

€492.5

17.3%

During  2016,  IFRS  research  and  development  expenses 
increased  9.7%.  On  a  non-IFRS  basis, 
research  and 
development  expenses  totaled  €506.9  million  compared  to 
€474.8 million in 2015 and increased 6.8%, or 7% excluding 
currency impacts, reflecting higher personnel costs including 
total  headcount  growth  of  9%.  Government  grants  included 
in  research  and  development  totaled  €29.9  million  in  2016 
and  €34.8  million  in  2015.  See  Note  5  of  the  consolidated 
financial statements.

Sales and Marketing Expenses
Sales and marketing expenses consist primarily of personnel 
costs,  which  include  sales  commissions  and  personnel  for 
processing sales transactions; marketing and communications 
expenses, including advertising; travel expenses; and marketing 
infrastructure costs, such as information technology resources 
used for marketing.

(in millions of euros, 
except percentages)

Sales and marketing expenses

(as % of total revenue)

Year ended December 31,

2016

€952.6

31.2%

2015

€892.2

31.4%

Sales and marketing expenses increased 6.8%. Non-IFRS sales 
and marketing expenses totaled €925.6 million compared to 
€876.8 million in 2015, representing an increase of 5.6% or 
6%  excluding  currency  impacts  principally  due  to  growth  in 
sales  expenses  of  7%  on  personnel  costs  including  growth 
in  total  headcount  of  7%  excluding  acquisitions.  Marketing 
expenses increased 2.4% or 3% excluding currency impacts.

86 ANNUAL REPORT 2016  DASSAULT SYSTÈMES

General and Administrative Expenses
General  and  administrative  expenses  consist  primarily  of 
personnel  costs  of  the  finance,  human  resources  and  other 
departments,  including  legal;  third-party  professional  fees 
(excluding acquisition-related fees) and other expenses; travel 
expenses;  related  infrastructure  costs,  including  information 
technology resources as well as other expenses.

(in millions of euros, 
except percentages)

General and administrative 
expenses

(as % of total revenue)

Year ended December 31,

2016

2015

€230.5

7.5%

€211.7

7.5%

General  and  administrative  expenses  increased  8.9%.  On  a 
non-IFRS  basis,  general  and  administrative  expenses  totaled 
€215.0 million compared to €203.6 million in 2015, increasing 
5.6%  or  6%  excluding  currency  effects.  The  growth  of  non-
IFRS  general  and  administrative  expenses  was  principally 
related to higher personnel related costs, including growth in 
total headcount of 9%.

Amortization of Acquired Intangibles
Amortization  of  acquired 
includes  mainly 
amortization  of  acquired  technology  and  acquired  customer 
relationships.

intangibles 

(in millions of euros)

Amortization of acquired 
intangibles

Year ended December 31,

2016

2015

€155.8

€159.6

Amortization  of  acquired  intangibles  decreased  €3.8  million 
during 2016.

Other Operating Income and Expense, net
Other  operating  income  and  (expense),  net,  includes  the 
impact  of  events  that  are  unusual,  infrequent  or  generally 
non-recurring in nature.

(in millions of euros)

Other operating income 
and (expense), net

Year ended December 31,

2016

2015

€(40.6)

€(12.4)

Other operating and (expense), net increased €(28.2) million 
principally reflecting an expense of €(14.1) million related to 
a voluntary early retirement plan implemented in June 2016, 
an increase in restructuring costs of €(7.2) million and higher 
expenses related to the reorganization of the Group’s premises 
of  €(4.9)  million.  See  Note  8  to  the  consolidated  financial 
statements.

Financial Review and prospects
Operating and Financial Review

3

Operating Income

(in millions of euros)

Operating income

Year ended December 31,

2016

€672.0

2015

€633.2

Operating  income  increased  6.1%.  On  a  non-IFRS  basis, 
operating income increased 8.2% to €957.7 million for 2016, 
compared to €884.9 million for 2015. The non-IFRS operating 
margin increased to 31.2% for 2016 compared to 30.8% for 
2015, reflecting approximately 70 basis points of underlying 
improvement, offset in part by a net negative currency impact 
of 20 basis points and acquisition dilution of about 10 basis 
points.

3

Financial revenue and other, net
Financial  revenue  and  other,  net  includes  (i)  interest  income 
and interest expense, net; (ii) foreign exchange gains or losses, 
net, primarily composed of realized and unrealized exchange 
gains  and  losses  on  receivables  and  loans  denominated  in 
foreign  currencies;  and  (iii)  one-time  items,  net  principally 
composed of net gains or losses on sales of investments.

(in millions of euros)

Financial revenue and other, net

2016

€(10.5)

2015

€(0.1)

Year ended December 31,

2016 financial revenue and other, net was mainly comprised 
of interest income and (expense), net of €(7.9) million (2015: 
€11.2  million),  including  an  impact  of  €(12.6)  million  of 
discontinued  hedge  accounting  treatment  for  interest  rate 
swaps  given  the  expected  trend  of  negative  interest  rates, 
exchange losses of €(9.3) million (2015: €(12.0) million) and 
other income (loss), net of €6.7 million (2015: €0.7 million), 
including  a  gain  on  sale  of  investment.  See  Note  9  to  the 
consolidated financial statements.

On a non-IFRS basis, financial revenue and other, net totaled 
€(4.7)  million  compared  to  €(0.1)  million  in  2015  and 
principally  reflected  lower  net  financial  interest  income  due 
to the increase in interest expense related to a new five-year 
credit facility of €650 million drawn down in October of 2015, 
as  well  as  lower  interest  income  on  interest-earning  assets 
offset in part by lower foreign exchange losses.

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3 Financial Review and prospects

Operating and Financial Review

Income tax expense

Net income and diluted net income per share

(in millions of euros, 
except percentages)

Income tax expense

Effective consolidated tax rate

Year ended December 31,

2016

€209.3

31.6%

2015

€227.1

35.9%

Income tax expense decreased 7.8% in 2016 compared to 2015, 
benefiting from a decrease in the effective consolidated tax rate 
to 31.6% from 35.9%. See Note 10 to the consolidated financial 
statements for an explanation of the differences between the 
effective  tax  rates  and  the  taxes  computed  at  the  statutory 
French tax rate of 34.43% for 2016 and 38% for 2015.

On  a  non-IFRS  basis,  income  tax  expense  increased  1.1%  to 
€307.7  million  for  2016,  compared  to  €304.4  million  for 
2015,  with  growth  of  7.7%  in  non-IFRS  pre-tax  income  to 
€953.0 million partially offset by a decrease in the non-IFRS 
effective tax rate to 32.3% for 2016, compared to 34.4% for 
2015.

The  decreases  in  both  the  IFRS  and  non-IFRS  effective  tax 
rates for 2016 reflected both a tax reserve reversal in the 2016 
first quarter and a reduction in the corporate statutory tax rate 
mainly in France.

3.1.3  Trends in Quarterly Results

The  Company’s  quarterly  new  licenses  revenue  has  varied 
significantly  and  is  likely  to  vary  significantly  in  the  future, 
according  to  the  Company’s  business  seasonality,  clients’ 
decision processes and new licenses and rental licensing mix. 
Service  and  other  revenue  activity  also  vary  by  quarter.  The 
Company’s total software revenue is, however, less sensitive 
to  quarterly  variation  due  to  its  significant  level  of  recurring 
software  revenue,  which 
is  comprised  of  maintenance 
revenue  and  on-premise  software  subscriptions  as  well  as 
initial  cloud  subscriptions.  In  combination,  maintenance 
and  periodic  licenses  revenue  represented  71%  of  total  IFRS 
software revenue in 2016 and 2015. This significant level of 
recurring software revenue has served and continues to serve 
as a stabilizing factor when new licensing activity is impacting 
revenue and net income. Acquisitions and divestitures can also 
cause the different elements of revenue to vary from quarter 
to quarter.

(in millions of euros, 
except percentages)

Net income attributable 
to shareholders

Diluted net income per share

Diluted weighted average number 
of shares outstanding

Year ended December 31,

2016

2015

€447.2

€1.74

€402.2

€1.57

257.4

256.6

IFRS diluted net income per share increased 10.8%. Non-IFRS 
diluted  net  income  per  share  increased  10.7%  to  €2.49,  up 
from €2.25 in 2015. 2016 results included a 5 cents impact 
from  a  reversal  of  tax  reserves  in  the  first  quarter.  Currency 
exchange rates had a net negative impact on non-IFRS diluted 
net income per share growth of 100 basis points.

A  significant  portion  of  new  license  sales  typically  occurs  in 
the  last  month  of  each  quarter,  and  the  Company  normally 
experiences  its  highest  new  licenses  sales  for  the  year  in  its 
fiscal  fourth  quarter  ended  December  31.  Software  revenue, 
total  revenue,  operating  income,  operating  margin  and  net 
income have generally been highest in the fourth quarter of 
each year.

In 2016, non-IFRS total revenue for the fourth, third, second 
and first quarters represented, respectively, 28.8% (28.1% in 
2015), 24.0% (23.8% in 2015), 24.6% (25.2% in 2015) and 
22.6%  (22.9%  in  2015)  of  the  Company’s  non-IFRS  total 
revenue for the year.

Nonetheless,  it  is  possible  that  the  Company’s  quarterly 
total revenue could vary significantly and that its net income 
could  vary  significantly,  reflecting  the  change  in  revenues, 
together with the effects of the Company’s investment plans. 
See  paragraph  1.6.1.12  “Variability  in  Quarterly  Operating 
Results”.

88 ANNUAL REPORT 2016  DASSAULT SYSTÈMES

Financial Review and prospects
Financial Objectives

3

3.1.4  Capital Resources

Cash  and  cash  equivalents  and  short-term 
investments 
amounted to €2.49 billion as of December 31, 2016 compared 
to  €2.35  billion  as  of  December  31,  2015.  The  Company’s 
net  financial  position  was  €1.49  billion  at  December  31, 
2016,  compared  to  €1.35  billion  at  December  31,  2015, 
and was comprised of cash, cash equivalents and short-term 
investments, less long-term debt.

In  2016  the  Company’s  principal  sources  of  liquidity  were 
cash from operations of €621.7 million, and proceeds from the 
exercise of stock options amounting to €26.8 million. During 
2016  cash  obtained  from  operations  was  used  principally 
to fund acquisitions of €262.7 million, net of cash acquired, 
to  repurchase  shares  in  the  amount  of  €127.3  million,  to 
distribute  cash  dividends  aggregating  €101.9  million  (based 
upon  the  shareholders  electing  to  receive  cash),  and  to 
make  additions  to  property,  equipment  and  intangibles  of 
€56.7 million, net of sales.

In  2015  the  Company’s  principal  sources  of  liquidity  were 
cash  from  operations  of  €633.3  million,  and  proceeds  from 
the initially five-year credit facility of €650.0 million, as well 

as proceeds from the exercise of stock options amounting to 
€35.9  million.  During  2015  cash  obtained  from  operations 
was used principally to distribute cash dividends aggregating 
€98.4  million  (based  upon  the  shareholders  electing  to 
receive  cash),  to  make  additions  to  property,  equipment 
and  intangibles  of  €43.6  million,  to  repurchase  shares  in 
the  amount  of  €28.3  million  and  to  fund  acquisitions  of 
€20.2  million  net.  See  also  the  Consolidated  Statements 
of  Cash  Flows  in  paragraph  4.1.1  “Consolidated  Financial 
Statements”.

Exchange  rate  fluctuations  had  a  positive  translation  effect, 
on cash and cash equivalent balances, of €35.7 million as of 
December 31, 2016, and of €55.2 million as of December 31, 
2015.

The  Company  follows  a  conservative  policy  for  investing 
its  cash  resources,  mostly  relying  on  short-term  maturity 
investments. Investment rules are defined by the Company’s 
financial  management  and  controlled  by  the  Treasury 
department of Dassault Systèmes SE.

3

3.2  Financial Objectives

The  Company  confirms  its  initial  2017  non-IFRS  financial 
objectives which were announced on February 2, 2017, when 
the  unaudited  annual  results  for  2016  were  released.  These 
objectives  are  subject  to  the  assumptions  and  cautionary 
statements  set  forth  below  and  are  subject  to  revision,  as 
market and business conditions evolve during 2017.

The Company’s initial 2017 non-IFRS financial objectives are 
as follows:

 › 2017 non-IFRS revenue growth objective range of about 6% 
to 7% in constant currencies (€3.27 billion to €3.30 billion 
based upon the 2017 currency exchange rate assumptions 
outlined  below  for  its  principal  currencies)  with  about 
8-10%  non-IFRS  new  licenses  software  revenue  and  6% 
non-IFRS recurring software revenue growth;

 › 2017  non-IFRS  operating  margin  of  about  31.5% 
embedding about 50 basis points of organic improvement 
exclusive of acquisition dilution and currency effects;

 › 2017 non-IFRS earnings per share of about €2.65 to €2.70, 
representing  a  growth  objective  of  about  6-8%  or  about 
9-11% excluding the 2016 first quarter 5 cent impact from 
a tax reserve reversal;

 › These  financial  objectives  are  based  upon  an  average 
exchange rate assumption of U.S. dollar 1.10 per euro and 
Japanese yen of 117.0 per euro for 2017.

The  Company’s  objectives  are  prepared  and  communicated 
only  on  a  non-IFRS  basis.  The  2017  annual  non-IFRS 
objectives  set  forth  above  do  not  take  into  account  the 
following accounting elements and are based upon the 2017 

DASSAULT SYSTÈMES  ANNUAL REPORT 2016

89

3 Financial Review and prospects

Interim and Other Financial Information

currency exchange rate assumptions above: deferred revenue 
write-downs currently estimated at approximately €12 million 
for  2017;  share-based  compensation  expense,  including 
related  social  charges,  currently  estimated  at  approximately 
€78  million  for  2017  and  amortization  expense  for  acquired 
intangibles currently estimated at approximately €160 million 
for  2017.  These  objectives  do  not  include  any  impact  from 
other operating income and expense, net principally comprised 
of acquisition, integration and restructuring expenses. These 
estimates do not include any new stock option or share grants, 
or  any  new  acquisitions  or  restructurings  completed  after 
February 2, 2017.

In addition, in conjunction with its Capital Markets Day held 
on  June  10,  2016,  the  Company  reaffirmed  its  2019  non-

IFRS  EPS  objective  of  about  €3.50  and  confirms  it.  The 
2019 objective was initially outlined on June 13, 2014 at the 
Company’s prior capital markets day.

are 

based 

statements 

forward-looking 

The  information  above  includes  statements  that  express 
objectives  for  the  Company’s  future  financial  performance. 
on 
Such 
Dassault  Systèmes  management’s  views  and  assumptions 
as of the date of this Annual Report and involve known and 
unknown  risks  and  uncertainties.  The  Company’s  actual 
results or performance may be materially negatively affected 
and differ materially from those in such statements due to a 
range of factors as described in this Annual Report. For more 
information  regarding  the  risks  facing  the  Company,  see 
paragraph 1.6 “Risk factors”.

3.3 

Interim and Other Financial Information

Dassault Systèmes has not published any quarterly or half-year financial information since the date of its last audited financial 
statements.

90 ANNUAL REPORT 2016  DASSAULT SYSTÈMES

4

FINANCIAL STATEMENTS

4.1  Consolidated Financial Statements  92

4.3  Legal and Arbitration Proceedings  160

CONTENTS

4.1.1  Consolidated Financial Statements 

4.1.2  Statutory Auditors’ Report on the Consolidated 

Financial Statements 

4.2  Parent Company Financial 

Statements 

92

131

133

4.2.1  Parent Company Financial Statements and Notes  133

4.2.2  Selected financial and other information 

for Dassault Systèmes SE over the last five years 

155

4.2.3  Statutory Auditors’ Report on the Parent 

Company Financial Statements 

4.2.4  Statutory Auditors’ Report on Related Party 

Agreements and Commitments 

156

158

DASSAULT SYSTÈMES  ANNUAL REPORT 2016

91

4 Financial Statements

Consolidated Financial Statements

The  consolidated  and  parent  company  financial  statements  below  will  be  submitted  for  approval  at  the  General  Meeting  of 
Shareholders of Dassault Systèmes scheduled for May 23, 2017.

4.1  Consolidated Financial Statements

In compliance with article 28 of the European Regulation no. 809/2004 of the European Commission, the consolidated financial 
statements for 2014 and 2015 are incorporated by reference in this Annual Report as stated on page  2  hereof.

4.1.1  Consolidated Financial Statements

Consolidated Statements of Income

(in thousands of euros, except per share data)

New licenses revenue

Periodic licenses, maintenance and other software revenue

Software revenue

Services and other revenue

TOTAL REVENUE

Cost of software revenue

Cost of services and other revenue

Research and development

Marketing and sales

General and administrative

Amortization of acquired intangibles

Other operating income and expense, net

OPERATING INCOME

Interest income and expense, net

Other financial income and expense, net

INCOME BEFORE INCOME TAXES

Income tax expense

NET INCOME

Attributable to:

Equity holders of the Company

Non-controlling interest

Earnings per share

Basic net income per share

Diluted net income per share

Year ended December 31,

Notes

2016

2015

€773,180

€716,539

1,921,492

1,786,240

4

2,694,672

2,502,779

360,914

336,676

3,055,586

2,839,455

(153,838)

(309,757)

(540,506)

(952,566)

(230,463)

(155,830)

(40,592)

672,034

(7,928)

(2,607)

661,499

(209,292)

€452,207

(143,183)

(294,737)

(492,494)

(892,182)

(211,731)

(159,561)

(12,360)

633,207

11,172

(11,292)

633,087

(227,136)

€405,951

€447,192

€402,178

€5,015

€3,773

€1.76

€1.74

€1.59

€1.57

8

9

9

10

11

11

The accompanying notes are an integral part of these consolidated financial statements.

92 ANNUAL REPORT 2016  DASSAULT SYSTÈMES

Financial Statements
Consolidated Financial Statements

4

Consolidated Statements of Comprehensive Income

(in thousands of euros)

NET INCOME

(Losses) Gains on cash flow hedges

Foreign currency translation adjustment

Income tax on items to be reclassified

Other comprehensive income to be reclassified to profit or loss 
in subsequent periods, net of tax

Remeasurements of defined benefit pension plans

Income tax on items not being reclassified

Other comprehensive income not being reclassified to profit or loss 
in subsequent periods, net of tax

OTHER COMPREHENSIVE INCOME, NET OF TAX

TOTAL COMPREHENSIVE INCOME, NET OF TAX

Attributable to:

Equity holders of the Company

Non-controlling interest

The accompanying notes are an integral part of these consolidated financial statements.

Year ended December 31,

Notes

2016

2015

€452,207

€405,951

23

22

17,195

72,530

(6,110)

83,615

(12,506)

2,885

(9,621)

73,994

(7,137)

173,658

2,549

169,070

1,331

(582)

749

169,819

€526,201

€575,770

€520,903

€571,530

€5,298

€4,240

4

DASSAULT SYSTÈMES  ANNUAL REPORT 2016

93

4 Financial Statements

Consolidated Financial Statements

Consolidated Balance Sheets

(in thousands of euros)

Assets

Cash and cash equivalents

Short-term investments

Trade accounts receivable, net

Income tax receivable

Other current assets

TOTAL CURRENT ASSETS

Property and equipment, net

Non-current financial assets

Deferred tax assets

Intangible assets, net

Goodwill

TOTAL NON-CURRENT ASSETS

TOTAL ASSETS

(in thousands of euros)

Liabilities and equity

Trade accounts payable

Accrued compensation and other personnel costs

Unearned revenue

Income tax payable

Other current liabilities

TOTAL CURRENT LIABILITIES

Deferred tax liabilities

Borrowings, non-current

Other non-current liabilities

TOTAL NON-CURRENT LIABILITIES

Common stock

Share premium

Treasury stock

Retained earnings and other reserves

Other items

Parent shareholders’ equity

Non-controlling interest

TOTAL EQUITY

TOTAL LIABILITIES AND EQUITY

The accompanying notes are an integral part of these consolidated financial statements.

94 ANNUAL REPORT 2016  DASSAULT SYSTÈMES

Year ended December 31,

Notes

2016

2015

12

12

13

13

14

15

10

17

18

19

10

20

19

€2,436,701

€2,280,534

56,064

820,442

108,230

148,999

70,752

739,141

48,367

102,386

3,570,436

3,241,180

135,402

174,824

135,886

135,326

132,498

115,284

1,079,076

1,024,809

1,847,442

1,662,333

3,372,630

3,070,250

€6,943,066

€6,311,430

€144,860

€119,802

315,796

853,147

27,262

124,575

274,933

778,036

47,570

91,525

1,465,640

1,311,866

258,729

213,854

1,000,000

1,000,000

335,866

298,012

1,594,595

1,511,866

128,998

500,098

128,357

454,448

(222,933)

(108,921)

3,173,639

2,797,556

280,423

197,091

3,860,225

3,468,531

22,606

19,167

23

3,882,831

3,487,698

€6,943,066

€6,311,430

Consolidated Statements of Cash Flows

(in thousands of euros)

Net income

Adjustments for non-cash items

Changes in operating assets and liabilities

Net cash provided by operating activities

Additions to property, equipment and intangibles

Purchases of short-term investments

Proceeds from sales and maturities of short-term investments

Payment for acquisition of businesses, net of cash acquired

Other

Net cash used in investing activities

Proceeds from exercise of stock options

Cash dividends paid

Repurchase of treasury stock

Borrowings

Repayment of borrowings

Net cash provided by (used in) financing activities

Effect of exchange rate changes on cash and cash equivalents

INCREASE (DECREASE) IN CASH AND CASH EQUIVALENTS

CASH AND CASH EQUIVALENTS AT BEGINNING OF PERIOD

CASH AND CASH EQUIVALENTS AT END OF PERIOD

Supplemental disclosure

Income taxes paid

Cash paid for interest

The accompanying notes are an integral part of these consolidated financial statements.

Financial Statements
Consolidated Financial Statements

4

Year ended December 31,

Notes

2016

2015

€452,207

€405,951

24

24

14, 17

245,759

(76,224)

621,742

(56,655)

(41,320)

60,952

16

(262,664)

765

(298,922)

26,827

(101,944)

(127,259)

-

-

(202,376)

35,723

23

23

20

20

203,530

23,780

633,261

(43,579)

(93,283)

99,087

(20,209)

(2,538)

(60,522)

35,927

(98,418)

(28,295)

650,000

(10,796)

548,418

55,171

156,167

1,176,328

2,280,534

1,104,206

€2,436,701

€2,280,534

€309,539

€209,276

€11,257

€6,354

4

DASSAULT SYSTÈMES  ANNUAL REPORT 2016

95

4 Financial Statements

Consolidated Financial Statements

Consolidated Statements of Shareholders’ Equity

(in thousands of euros)

Common 
stock

Share 
premium

Treasury 
stock

Other items

Retained 
earnings and 
other 
reserves

Foreign 
currency 
translation 
adjustment

Cash flow 
hedges

Parent 
shareholders’ 
equity

Non-
controlling 
interest

Total 
Equity

JANUARY 1, 2015

€128,182

€484,208 €(187,085) €2,489,667

€(6,428)

€34,916 €2,943,460

€16,044 €2,959,504

402,178

−

−

402,178

3,773

405,951

749

(4,223)

172,826

169,352

467

169,819

Net income

Other 
comprehensive 
income, net of tax

COMPREHENSIVE 
INCOME, NET 
OF TAX

Dividends

Exercise 
of stock options

Treasury stock 
transactions

Share-based 
payments

Other changes

DECEMBER 31, 
2015

Net income

Other 
comprehensive 
income, net of tax

COMPREHENSIVE 
INCOME, NET 
OF TAX

Dividends

Exercise 
of stock options

Treasury stock 
transactions

Share-based 
payments

Other changes

DECEMBER 31, 
2016

−

−

−

93

−

−

−

12,801

884

34,340

−

−

−

−

−

402,927

(4,223)

172,826

(108,535)

−

−

−

−

−

−

−

−

−

−

−

571,530

(95,641)

4,240

575,770

(2,777)

(98,418)

35,224

(28,295)

40,194

2,059

−

−

−

1,660

35,224

(28,295)

40,194

3,719

(802)

(76,901)

78,164

(28,756)

−

−

−

−

−

−

40,194

2,059

€128,357

€454,448 €(108,921) €2,797,556 €(10,651)

€207,742 €3,468,531

€19,167 €3,487,698

−

−

−

−

−

−

140

19,062

501

26,588

−

−

−

−

−

−

−

−

−

−

−

447,192

−

−

447,192

5,015

452,207

(9,621)

11,130

72,202

73,711

283

73,994

437,571

11,130

72,202

520,903

5,298

526,201

(119,287)

−

(114,012)

(13,247)

−

−

71,764

(718)

−

−

−

−

−

−

−

−

−

−

(100,085)

(1,859)

(101,944)

27,089

(127,259)

71,764

(718)

−

−

−

−

27,089

(127,259)

71,764

(718)

€128,998

€500,098 €(222,933) €3,173,639

€479

€279,944 €3,860,225

€22,606 €3,882,831

The accompanying notes are an integral part of these consolidated financial statements.

96 ANNUAL REPORT 2016  DASSAULT SYSTÈMES

Notes to the Consolidated Financial Statements for Years 
Ended December 31, 2016 and 2015

CONTENTS

Note 1  Description of Business 

98

Note 15  Non-Current Financial Assets 

Note 2 

Summary of Significant 
Accounting Policies 

Note 16  Business Combinations 

98

Note 17 

Intangible Assets 

Note 3 

Segment and Geographic Information  103

Note 4 

Software Revenue 

Note 5  Government Grants 

Note 6 

Personnel Costs 

Note 7 

Share-based Payments 

Note 8  Other Operating Income 

and Expense, Net 

Note 9 

Interest Income and Expense, 
Net and Other Financial Income 
and Expense, Net 

Note 10 

Income Taxes 

Note 11  Earnings per Share 

Note 12  Cash and Cash Equivalents 

and Short-term Investments 

Note 13  Trade Accounts Receivable, 

Net and Other Current Assets 

Note 14  Property and Equipment 

105

106

106

106

110

110

111

112

113

114

115

Financial Statements
Consolidated Financial Statements

4

116

116

118

119

120

121

4

Note 18  Goodwill 

Note 19  Other Liabilities 

Note 20  Borrowings 

Note 21  Derivatives and Currency 

and Interest Rate Risk Management  121

Note 22  Post-employment Benefits 

Note 23  Shareholders’ Equity 

Note 24  Consolidated Statements 
of Cash Flows 

Note 25  Commitments and Contingencies 

Note 26  Related-Party Transactions 

Note 27  Principal Statutory Auditors’ Fees 

and Services 

Note 28  Principal Dassault Systèmes 

Companies 

Note 29  Events After the Reporting Period 

123

126

127

127

128

129

130

130

DASSAULT SYSTÈMES  ANNUAL REPORT 2016

97

4 Financial Statements

Consolidated Financial Statements

Note 1  Description of Business

The “Company” or the “Group” refers to Dassault Systèmes SE 
and  its  subsidiaries.  The  Company  provides  end-to-end 
software  solutions  and  services,  designed  to  support 
companies’  innovation  processes,  from  specification  and 
design  of  a  new  product,  to  its  manufacturing,  supply  and 
sale  to  the  customer,  through  all  stages  of  digital  mock-up, 
simulation,  and  realistic  3D  virtual  experiences  representing 
the end-user experience.

The  Company’s  global  customer  base  includes  companies  in 
12  industrial  sectors:  Transportation  &  Mobility;  Industrial 
Equipment; Aerospace & Defense; Financial & Business Services; 
High-Tech; Life Sciences; Energy, Process & Utilities; Consumer 
Goods & Retail; Natural Resources; Architecture, Engineering & 

Construction;  Consumer  Packaged  Goods  &  Retail  and 
Marine & Offshore. To serve its customers, the Company has 
developed a broad software applications portfolio, comprised 
of  3D  modeling  applications,  simulation  applications,  social 
and  collaborative  applications,  and  information  intelligence 
applications, powered by its 3DEXPERIENCE platform.

Dassault  Systèmes  SE  is  a  European  company  (Societas 
Europaea),  incorporated  under  the  laws  of  France.  The 
Company’s registered office is located at 10, rue Marcel Dassault, 
in Vélizy-Villacoublay, France. The Dassault Systèmes SE shares 
are  listed  in  France  on  Euronext  Paris.  These  consolidated 
financial statements were established under the responsibility 
of the Board of Directors on March 16, 2017.

Note 2  Summary of Significant Accounting Policies

Basis of preparation and consolidation
The  accompanying  consolidated  financial  statements  were 
prepared in accordance with International Financial Reporting 
Standards  (“IFRS”)  as  adopted  by  the  European  Union  as  of 
December  31,  2016.  The  consolidated  financial  statements 
are presented in thousands of euros except where otherwise 
indicated.

The  consolidated  financial  statements  include  the  accounts 
of Dassault Systèmes SE and its subsidiaries. Companies over 
which  the  Company  has  control  are  fully  consolidated.  The 
Group controls an entity when (i) it has power over this entity, 
(ii)  is  exposed  to  or  has  rights  to  variable  returns  from  its 
involvement with that entity, and (iii) has the ability to use its 
power over that entity to affect the amount of those returns. 
Companies  over  which  the  Company  exercises  significant 
influence  are  accounted  for  under  the  equity  method. 
Intercompany transactions and balances are eliminated.

Impact of recently issued accounting standards
New  standards,  interpretations  or  amendments  effective 
beginning  on  January  1,  2016  did  not  have  a  significant 
impact on the Company’s consolidated financial statements.

The Company undertakes no early application of any standard 
or  interpretation  or  associated  amendments  which  were 
already published in the Official Journal of the European Union 
at December 31, 2016:

IFRS 9 – Financial Instruments
IFRS  9  “Financial  Instruments”  which  supersedes  IAS  39 
“Financial 
Instruments:  Recognition  and  Measurement” 
deals  with  classification  and  measurement  as  well  as  with 
impairment  and  hedge  accounting.  The  new  standard  will 
come  into  effect  on  January  1,  2018  with  early  application 
permitted.

The  Company’s  consolidated  financial  statements  will  take 
into account IFRS 9 from January 1, 2018 and will fully assess 
the impact of its application in 2017.

IFRS 15 – Revenue from Contracts with Customers
IFRS  15  establishes  the  accounting  principles  that  an  entity 
shall apply to recognize revenue from contracts with customers. 
It replaces the previous standards and interpretations related 
to revenue recognition, notably IAS 18 “Revenue” and IAS 11 
“Construction  contracts”  and  IFRIC  13  “Customer  Loyalty 

98 ANNUAL REPORT 2016  DASSAULT SYSTÈMES

Programmes”. The standard provides a single, principle based 
five-step model to be applied in order to define the timing and 
the amount of revenue arising from a contract with a customer. 
It provides a guide to applying the standard, notably regarding 
the  licenses  and  specific  provisions  for  how  to  recognize 
incremental  costs  of  obtaining  or  fulfilling  a  contract,  that 
are  addressed  by  other  standards.  The  standard  requires  the 
disclosure of new qualitative and quantitative information in 
the notes to the consolidated accounts. The new standard will 
come  into  effect  on  January  1,  2018  with  early  application 
permitted.

The  Company’s  consolidated  financial  statements  will  take 
into account IFRS 15 from January 1, 2018. The Company is 
currently assessing in detail the impact of its first application.

IFRS 16 – Lease
IASB issued on January 13, 2016 a new accounting standard 
called  IFRS  16  “Leases”.  IFRS  16  is  a  major  revision  of  the 
way  in  which  companies  account  for  leases.  The  standard 
provides  a  single  lessee  accounting  model,  requiring  lessees 
to recognize assets and liabilities for all leases unless the lease 
term is 12 months or less or the underlying asset has a low 
value. IFRS applies to annual reporting periods beginning on 
or after January 1, 2019 with early application permitted and 
subject to its adoption by the European Union.

The  Company  has  begun  the  identification  of  all  leases  and 
the measurement of the lease liabilities for a limited scope of 
entities. Extension to all Group entities of this measurement 
process is scheduled for 2017.

Summary of significant accounting policies

Use of estimates
The  preparation  of  financial  statements  in  conformity  with 
IFRS requires management to make estimates and assumptions 
that  affect  the  reported  amounts  of  assets  and  liabilities, 
revenue  and  expenses  and  disclosure  of  contingent  assets 
and  liabilities  at  the  date  of  the  financial  statements.  Areas 
involving  the  use  of  significant  estimates  and  assumptions 
mainly 
identifying 
the  different  elements  comprising  a  software  arrangement, 
including  the  distinction  between  upgrades/enhancements 
and new products; determining when technological feasibility 
is achieved for its products; estimating the recoverable amount 
of  goodwill;  determining  the  nature,  fair  value  and  useful 

include:  assessing  product 

lifecycles; 

Financial Statements
Consolidated Financial Statements

4

4

life  of  acquired  intangible  assets  in  a  business  combination; 
determining assumptions to estimate the fair value of share-
based  payments;  assessing  the  recognition  of  deferred  tax 
assets;  and  making  reasonable  estimates  about  the  ultimate 
resolution  of  the  Company’s  tax  uncertainties  based  on 
current  tax  laws  and  the  Company’s  interpretation  thereof. 
Actual results and outcomes could differ from management’s 
estimates and assumptions.

Foreign currency adjustments
The functional currency of the Company’s foreign subsidiaries 
is generally the applicable local currency. Assets and liabilities 
with functional currencies other than the euro are translated 
into euro equivalents at the rate of exchange in effect on the 
balance  sheet  date.  Revenues,  expenses  and  cash  flows  are 
translated at the average exchange rates for the year unless this 
average is not a reasonable approximation of the cumulative 
effect of the rates prevailing on the transaction dates, in which 
case revenues, expenses and cash flows are translated at the 
rate  on  the  dates  of  the  transactions.  Translation  gains  or 
losses are recorded in Other items in shareholders’ equity.

Exchange  differences  on  the  settlement  or  retranslation 
of  monetary  items  in  a  currency  other  than  the  Company’s 
and  its  subsidiaries’  functional  currency  are  recorded  in  the 
statement of income.

Revenue recognition
The  Company  derives  revenue  from  two  primary  sources: 
(1)  new  software  licenses,  periodic  licenses,  maintenance 
and other software revenue, which includes software license 
updates, technical support and the development of additional 
functionalities  of  standard  products  requested  by  clients; 
(2) consulting and training services and other revenue.

Revenues are disclosed net of taxes collected from customers 
and remitted to governmental authorities.

New Software Licenses, Periodic Licenses, Maintenance 
and Other Software Revenue
license  revenue  represents  fees  earned  from 
Software 
granting  customers  licenses  to  use  the  Company’s  software. 
The Company’s software license revenue consists of perpetual 
and  periodic  license  sales  of  software  products.  Software 
license  revenue  is  recognized  (to  the  extent  the  Company 
has  no  remaining  obligations  to  perform)  when:  evidence  of 
an arrangement exists, delivery and acceptance has occurred, 

DASSAULT SYSTÈMES  ANNUAL REPORT 2016

99

4 Financial Statements

Consolidated Financial Statements

the amount of revenue and associated costs can be measured 
reliably,  and  it  is  probable  that  the  economic  benefits 
associated  with  the  transaction  will  flow  to  the  Company. 
In  instances  when  any  of  the  four  criteria  are  not  met,  the 
Company defers recognition of software license revenue until 
all criteria are met. Revenue related to the licensing of software 
through  value-added  resellers  (VARs)  is  generally  recognized 
when evidence of a sale to an end-user customer is provided to 
the Company, assuming all other revenue recognition criteria 
have been met.

Periodic  licenses  generally  have  a  one-year  term  and  the 
corresponding  fee  is  recognized  ratably  over  the  term  of  the 
license.

Maintenance  revenue  represents  periodic  fees  associated 
with  the  sale  of  unspecified  product  updates  on  a  when-
and-if-available  basis  and  technical  support.  Maintenance 
agreements  are  entered  into  in  connection  with  the  initial 
software  license  purchase.  Maintenance  support  may  be 
renewed  by  the  customer  at  the  conclusion  of  each  term. 
Revenue  from  maintenance  is  recognized  on  a  straight-line 
basis over the term of the maintenance agreement.

Other  software  revenue  mainly  relates  to  the  development 
of  additional  functionalities  of  standard  products  requested 
by  clients  and  is  recognized  as  the  development  work  is 
performed.

Recurring  fees  for  periodic  licenses,  maintenance  and  other 
software revenue are reported within software revenue.

Revenue  under  multiple-element  arrangements,  which 
typically  include  new  software  licenses  and  maintenance 
agreements  sold  together,  is  allocated  to  each  element  in 
the  arrangement  primarily  using  the  residual  method  based 
upon the fair value of the undelivered elements. Discounts, if 
any,  are  applied  to  the  delivered  elements,  usually  software 
licenses,  under  the  residual  method.  For  maintenance,  fair 
value  is  generally  determined  based  upon  the  expected 
renewal rate.

Services and Other Revenue
Services  and  other  revenue  consists  primarily  of  fees  from 
consulting  services  in  methodology  for  design,  deployment 
and support, and training services. Services generally do not 
require significant modification or customization of software 

products and are accounted for separately to the extent they 
are  not  essential  to  the  functionality  of  software  products. 
Service revenues derived from time and material contracts are 
recognized as time is incurred.

Service  revenues  derived  from  fixed  price  contracts  are 
generally recognized using a percentage of completion basis. 
For customer support contracts, when no performance pattern 
is discernible, revenue is recognized ratably over the term of 
the contract, generally one year, on a straight-line basis.

Share-based payment
The  Company  recognizes  compensation  expense  for  share-
based  payment  awards  expected  to  vest  on  a  straight-line 
basis  over  the  requisite  service  period  of  the  entire  award. 
Forfeitures are estimated at the time of grant and revised, if 
necessary,  in  subsequent  periods  if  actual  forfeitures  differ 
from initial estimates.

Stock  options  are  measured  at  fair  value  on  the  date  of  the 
grant  using  an  option-pricing  model  based  on  assumptions 
made by management on expected volatility, expected option 
life and distributed dividends.

Performance  shares  are  measured  at  fair  value  based  on 
the  quoted  price  of  the  Company’s  common  stock  on  the 
date  of  grant.  The  fair  value  may  also  include  the  impact  of 
a  market  condition  based  on  an  option-pricing  model.  Non-
market  vesting  conditions  are  excluded  from  the  fair  value 
measurement  but  are  taken  into  account  to  estimate  the 
number of shares that will eventually vest. At the end of each 
reporting period, the Group reviews this estimate and records 
the  impact  of  changes  to  original  estimate,  if  any,  in  the 
statement of income.

For  performance  share  plans  that  allow  the  beneficiaries  to 
acquire shares either upon satisfaction of a market condition or 
a non-market vesting condition, the Group estimates the fair 
value of the equity instrument at grant date for each possible 
outcome, and accounts for the share-based payment based on 
the most likely outcome at the end of each reporting period.

Cost of software revenue
Cost  of  software  revenue  primarily  includes  software  license 
expense  for  software  products  included  in  the  Company’s 
software, maintenance costs and delivery expense.

100 ANNUAL REPORT 2016  DASSAULT SYSTÈMES

Financial Statements
Consolidated Financial Statements

4

4

Research and development
Research costs are expensed as incurred.

Costs incurred to develop computer software products include 
mainly  payroll  and  other  headcount-related  costs  associated 
with  development  of  the  Company’s  products.  They  also 
include  amortization  expense,  lease  and  maintenance  costs 
of  computer  equipment  used  for  product  development, 
software  expenditures  and  costs  of  information  technology 
and communication.

Due  to  specificities  in  the  software  industry,  the  Company 
has determined that technological feasibility is the key criteria 
to  capitalize  development  expenditure  as  it  is  generally  the 
last  criteria  to  be  met.  Currently  the  risks  and  uncertainties 
inherent in the software development process make it difficult 
to  demonstrate  technological  feasibility  before  a  working 
prototype has been completed, which generally occurs shortly 
before  the  commercial  release  of  its  software  products.  As  a 
consequence,  costs  incurred  after  technological  feasibility 
is  established  that  could  potentially  be  capitalized  are  not 
material.

Government grants
The  Company  receives  grants  from  various  governmental 
authorities  to  finance  certain  research  and  development 
activities,  including  research  and  development  tax  credits  in 
France that are treated as government grants because they are 
realizable  in  cash  in  the  event  the  Company  has  insufficient 
income  tax  payable.  Government  grants  are  recognized  as 
a  reduction  of  research  and  development  costs  or  cost  of 
services and other revenue when the qualifying research and 
development  activities  have  been  performed  and  there  is 
reasonable assurance that the grants will be received.

Other operating income and expense, net
The  Company  distinguishes  income  and  expense  that  is 
unusual, infrequent or generally non-recurring in nature in the 
consolidated statement of income. Such income and expense 
includes  the  impact  of  restructuring  activity  and  other 
generally  non-recurring  events,  such  as  gain  or  loss  on  sale 
of subsidiaries, costs directly related to acquisitions, and costs 
related to site closings or moving from one site to another.

Other financial income and expense, net
Other  financial  income  and  expense  primarily  includes  the 
impact of remeasuring financial instruments at fair value, gains 
and losses on disposals and the impairment of investments in 
non-consolidated  companies,  exchange  gains  and  losses  on 
monetary items and change in fair value of derivative financial 
instruments not qualified for hedge accounting.

Income taxes
Deferred income tax is recognized using the liability method on 
temporary differences arising between the tax bases of assets 
and liabilities and their carrying amounts in the consolidated 
financial  statements.  However,  deferred  income  tax  is  not 
accounted  for  if  it  arises  from  initial  recognition  of  an  asset 
or liability in a transaction other than a business combination 
that, at the time of the transaction, affects neither accounting 
nor  taxable  profit  or  loss.  Deferred  income  tax  is  determined 
using tax rates and laws that have been enacted or substantially 
enacted by the balance sheet date and are expected to apply 
when the related deferred income tax asset is realized or the 
deferred income tax liability is settled.

Deferred tax assets are recognized for all deductible temporary 
differences,  the  carry  forward  of  unused  tax  credits  and  any 
unused tax losses. Deferred income tax assets are recognized 
only to the extent that it is probable that future taxable profit 
will be available against which the temporary differences can 
be utilized.

Deferred  income  tax  is  provided  on  temporary  differences 
arising  on  investments  in  subsidiaries  and  associates,  except 
where the timing of the reversal of the temporary difference 
is  controlled  by  the  Company  and  it  is  probable  that  the 
temporary difference will not reverse in the foreseeable future.

Allowance for doubtful accounts and loans receivable
The  allowance  for  doubtful  accounts  and  loans  receivable 
reflects  the  Company’s  best  estimate  of  probable  losses 
inherent in the receivable balance. The Company determines 
the  allowance  based  on  known  troubled  accounts,  historical 
experience and other currently available evidence.

Financial instruments
Fair  Value  –  The  carrying  amounts  of  cash  and  cash 
equivalents,  short-term  investments,  accounts  receivable, 
accounts  payable  and  accrued  expenses  approximate  fair 
value, due to the short-term maturities of such instruments. 
Foreign  exchange  options  and  forward  contracts,  which  are 
designated  and  serve  as  hedges,  are  recorded  at  their  fair 
market  value.  Fair  value  is  measured  based  on  the  following 
fair  value  hierarchy:  level  1:  quoted  price  in  active  markets; 
level  2:  inputs  observable  directly  or  indirectly,  other  than 
quoted  price  included  in  level  1;  level  3:  inputs  not  based 
on  observable  market  data.  Cash,  cash  equivalents  and 
short-term  investments  are  measured  using  the  level  1  fair 
value. Derivative instruments are measured using the level 2 
fair  value.  Other  investments  that  are  not  equity  method 
investments are measured using the level 3 fair value.

DASSAULT SYSTÈMES  ANNUAL REPORT 2016

101

4 Financial Statements

Consolidated Financial Statements

Cash  and  Cash  Equivalents  and  Short-Term  Investments  – 
The Company considers deposits with banks, investments in 
money  market  mutual  funds  and  marketable  debt  securities 
with short-term maturities to be cash equivalents since they are 
readily convertible to a known amount of cash and are subject 
to  an  insignificant  risk  of  change  in  value.  Other  marketable 
debt securities and mutual funds that do not qualify as cash 
equivalents are considered to be short-term investments and 
are  generally  classified  as  trading  securities  with  changes  in 
fair value recorded in interest income and expense, net.

Non-Current  Financial  Assets  –  Non-current  financial  assets 
include, principally, available-for-sale equity securities at fair 
value,  loans,  deposits  and  other  non-current  receivables  at 
amortized cost and equity method investments. For available-
for-sale  equity  securities,  any  unrealized  holding  gains  and 
losses  excluded  from  operating  results  are  recognized  in  the 
consolidated  statements  of  comprehensive 
income  until 
realized.  The  Company  assesses  declines  in  the  value  of 
individual  investments  to  determine  whether  such  decline  is 
other-than-temporary  and  thus  the  investment  is  impaired. 
This  assessment  is  made  by  considering  available  evidence 
including  changes  in  general  market  conditions,  specific 
industry  and  individual  company  data,  the  length  of  time 
and the extent to which the market value has been less than 
cost,  the  financial  condition  and  near-term  prospects  of  the 
individual company, and the Company’s intent and ability to 
hold the investment.

Derivative  Instruments  –  The  Company  uses  derivative 
instruments  to  manage  exposures  to  foreign  currency  and 
interest  rates.  Derivative  instruments  are  measured  at  their 
fair value and changes in the fair value affect the consolidated 
statements of income unless specific hedge accounting criteria 
are met. Changes in the fair value of derivatives designated as 
cash-flow hedges are reported as a component of shareholders’ 
equity until the hedged item is recognized in earnings.

Property and equipment
Property and equipment are recorded at cost and depreciated 
using  the  straight-line  method  over  their  estimated  useful 
lives: computer equipment, two to five years; office furniture 
and  equipment,  five  to  10  years;  buildings,  30  years; 
leasehold  improvements  are  depreciated  over  the  shorter  of 
the life of the assets or the remaining lease term. Repair and 
maintenance costs are expensed as incurred.

Intangible assets
include  acquired  technology, 
Intangible  assets  primarily 
contractual  customer  relationships  and  computer  software. 
Costs related to intangible assets are capitalized and amortized 
using  the  straight-line  method  over  their  estimated  useful 
lives, which range from two to 16 years. No intangible assets 
have been identified with an indefinite useful life.

Business combinations and goodwill
Business combinations are accounted for using the purchase 
method.  The  cost  of  an  acquisition  is  measured  as  the  fair 
value  of  the  assets  transferred,  equity  instruments  issued 
and  liabilities  incurred  or  assumed  on  the  acquisition  date. 
Identifiable  assets  acquired  and  liabilities  and  contingent 
liabilities  assumed  in  a  business  combination  are  measured 
initially at fair value at the date of acquisition, irrespective of 
the extent of any non-controlling interest.

Goodwill is initially measured at cost being the excess of the 
cost of the business combination over the Company’s share in 
the net fair value of the acquiree’s identifiable assets, liabilities 
and contingent liabilities.

After initial recognition, goodwill is measured at cost less any 
accumulated impairment losses. For the purpose of impairment 
testing, goodwill acquired in a business combination is, from 
the acquisition date, allocated to each of the Company’s cash 
generating  units  or  group  of  cash  generating  units  that  are 
expected  to  benefit  from  the  synergies  of  the  combination, 
irrespective of whether other assets or liabilities of the acquiree 
are assigned to those units.

Goodwill is tested whenever events or changes in circumstances 
indicate that the carrying amount may not be recoverable, and 
at  a  minimum  annually.  For  the  purpose  of  the  impairment 
test, the Company relies upon projections of future cash flows 
and  takes  into  account  assumptions  regarding  the  evolution 
of  the  market  and  its  ability  to  successfully  develop  and 
commercialize  its  products.  Changes  in  market  conditions 
could  have  a  major  impact  on  the  valuation  of  assets  and 
liabilities and could result in additional impairment losses.

102 ANNUAL REPORT 2016  DASSAULT SYSTÈMES

Financial Statements
Consolidated Financial Statements

4

Provisions
Provisions  are  recognized  as  liabilities  to  cover  probable 
outflows  of  resources  that  can  be  estimated  and  that  result 
from  present  obligations  (legal,  contractual  or  constructive) 
relating to past events. In cases where a potential obligation 
resulting  from  past  events  exists,  but  where  occurrence  of 
the outflow of resources is not probable or where the amount 
cannot be reliably estimated, a contingent liability is disclosed 
among the Company’s commitments.

The amount of the provision provided is the best estimate of 
the  outflow  of  resources  required  to  extinguish  this  present 
obligation.

Treasury shares
Own  equity  instruments  which  are  reacquired  (treasury 
shares) are recognized at cost and deducted from equity. Gains 
and losses on the purchase, sale, issue or cancellation of the 
Company’s own equity instruments are credited or charged to 
shareholders’ equity and are not recognized in the statement 
of income.

Borrowings
Borrowings  are  recognized  initially  at  fair  value,  net  of 
transaction  costs 
incurred.  Any  difference  between  the 
recorded amount and the redemption value is amortized into 
income  over  the  period  of  the  borrowing  using  the  effective 
interest rate method.

Post-employment benefits
The  Company’s  payments  for  defined  contribution  plans  are 
recorded as expenses for the relevant period.

For  defined  benefit  plans  concerning  post-employment 
benefits, the Company uses the projected unit credit method 
to  determine  the  present  value  of  its  obligations.  Under  this 
method, benefits are attributed to periods of service according 
to  the  plan’s  benefit  formula.  However,  if  an  employee’s 
service  in  later  years  will  earn  a  materially  higher  level  of 
benefit than in earlier years, benefits are attributed to periods 
of service on a straight-line basis.

Actuarial gains and losses are charged or credited to equity in 
other comprehensive income in the period in which they arise.

The future payments for employee benefits are measured on 
the basis of future salary increases, retirement age, mortality 
and  length  of  employment  with  the  Company,  and  are 
discounted at a rate determined by reference to yields on long-
term high quality corporate bonds of a duration corresponding 
to the estimated duration of the benefit plan concerned.

The  net  expense  for  the  year,  corresponding  to  the  sum  of 
the  current  service  costs,  past  service  costs  and  net  interest 
expense or income, is charged in full to operating income.

4

Note 3  Segment and Geographic Information

Operating  segments  are  components  of  the  Company  for 
which  discrete  financial  information  is  available  and  whose 
operating  results  are  regularly  reviewed  by  management  to 
assess  performance  and  allocate  resources.  The  Company 
operates in a single operating segment, the sale of software 
solutions,  whose  aim  is  to  offer  customers  an  integrated 
innovation  process,  from  the  development  of  a  new  concept 
to  the  realistic  experience  of  the  resultant  product,  through 
all  stages  of  detailed  design,  scientific  simulation  and 
manufacturing, thanks to the 3DEXPERIENCE platform.

The  assessment  of  the  operating  segment’s  performance 
is  based  on  the  Group’s  supplemental  non-IFRS  financial 
information  (see  paragraph  3.1.1.2  “Supplemental  Non-
IFRS  Financial  Information”).  The  accounting  policies  used 

differ from those described in Note 2 Summary of Significant 
Accounting Policies as follows:

 › the  measure  of  operating  segment  revenue  and  income 
includes the whole revenue that would have been recognized 
by  acquired  companies  had  they  remained  stand-alone 
entities but which is partially excluded from Group revenue 
to reflect the fair value of obligations assumed;

 › the measure of operating segment income excludes share-
based  compensation  expense  and  associated  payroll  taxes 
(see  Note  6  Personnel  Costs  and  Note  7  Share-based 
Payments), amortization of acquired intangibles, and other 
operating  income  and  expense,  net  (see  Note  8  Other 
Operating Income and Expense, Net).

DASSAULT SYSTÈMES  ANNUAL REPORT 2016

103

4 Financial Statements

Consolidated Financial Statements

(in thousands of euros)

TOTAL REVENUE FOR OPERATING SEGMENT

Adjustment for unearned revenue of acquired companies

TOTAL REVENUE

(in thousands of euros)

INCOME FOR OPERATING SEGMENT

Adjustment for unearned revenue of acquired companies

Share-based compensation expense and related payroll taxes

Amortization of acquired intangibles

Other operating income and expense, net

OPERATING INCOME

Year ended December 31,

2016

2015

€3,065,617

€2,876,652

(10,031)

(37,197)

€3,055,586

€2,839,455

Year ended December 31,

2016

2015

€957,700

€884,834

(10,031)

(79,213)

(37,197)

(42,509)

(155,830)

(159,561)

(40,592)

(12,360)

€672,034

€633,207

Data by geographic operations of the Company is established according to geographical location of the consolidated companies 
and is as follows:

Total revenue

Total assets

Additions to 
property, 
equipment and 
intangibles

€1,027,655

€4,224,578

€35,938

496,249

219,556

1,959,214

720,539

1,284,581

2,191,327

1,234,761

1,982,857

743,350

409,094

527,161

155,254

20,457

1,967

18,543

16,414

6,336

2,192

€3,055,586

€6,943,066

€60,817

€984,154

€3,656,664

463,345

214,496

2,612,147

442,781

1,206,888

2,150,243

1,154,515

1,954,114

648,413

357,888

504,523

136,901

€22,447

18,134

891

12,370

11,580

8,762

1,207

€2,839,455

€6,311,430

€43,579

(in thousands of euros)

2016

Europe

of which France

of which Germany

Americas

of which the United States

Asia

of which Japan

TOTAL

2015

Europe

of which France

of which Germany

Americas

of which the United States

Asia

of which Japan

TOTAL

104 ANNUAL REPORT 2016  DASSAULT SYSTÈMES

Financial Statements
Consolidated Financial Statements

4

The  Company  also  receives  data  that  identifies  the  location  of  the  Company’s  end-user  customers.  Using  such  information, 
revenue by geographic area would be as follows:

(in thousands of euros)

Europe

of which France

of which Germany

Americas

of which the United States

Asia

of which Japan

TOTAL REVENUE

Note 4  Software Revenue

Software revenue is comprised of the following:

(in thousands of euros)

New licenses revenue

Periodic licenses and maintenance revenue

Other software revenue

SOFTWARE REVENUE

Breakdown of software revenue by main product line is as follows:

(in thousands of euros)

CATIA software revenue

SOLIDWORKS software revenue

ENOVIA software revenue

Other

SOFTWARE REVENUE

4

Year ended December 31,

2016

2015

€1,301,944

€1,226,426

273,167

365,961

942,389

828,799

811,253

393,118

246,439

357,021

889,504

755,552

723,525

347,837

€3,055,586

€2,839,455

Year ended December 31,

2016

2015

€773,180

€716,539

1,910,316

1,765,873

11,176

20,367

€2,694,672

€2,502,779

Year ended December 31,

2016

2015

€970,817

€938,484

626,010

321,441

776,404

569,827

301,878

692,590

€2,694,672

€2,502,779

DASSAULT SYSTÈMES  ANNUAL REPORT 2016

105

4 Financial Statements

Consolidated Financial Statements

Note 5  Government Grants

Government grants and other government assistance were recorded in the consolidated statements of income as a reduction to 
research and development expenses and to cost of services and other revenue expenses, as follows:

(in thousands of euros)

Research and development

Costs of services and other revenue

TOTAL GOVERNMENT GRANTS

Note 6  Personnel Costs

Year ended December 31,

2016

€29,916

1,507

€31,423

2015

€34,780

1,308

€36,088

Personnel costs
Personnel costs, excluding share-based payments (€71.8 million in 2016 and €40.2 million in 2015, see Note 7 Share-based 
Payments) and associated payroll taxes (€7.4 million in 2016 and €2.3 million in 2015), are presented in the following table:

(in thousands of euros)

Personnel costs

Social security costs

TOTAL

Average number of employees was 13,817 and 13,188 in 2016 and 2015 respectively.

Note 7  Share-based Payments

Year ended December 31,

2016

2015

€(1,171,951)

€(1,102,733)

€(262,214)

(252,212)

€(1,434,165)

€(1,354,945)

Compensation  expense  related  to  share-based  payments,  including  associated  payroll  taxes,  is  recorded  in  the  consolidated 
statements of income as follows:

(in thousands of euros)

Research and development

Marketing and sales

General and administrative

Cost of revenue

TOTAL COMPENSATION EXPENSE RELATED TO SHARE-BASED PAYMENTS

Year ended December 31,

2016

2015

€(33,580)

€(17,628)

(26,928)

(15,448)

(3,257)

(15,377)

(8,121)

(1,383)

€(79,213)

€(42,509)

106 ANNUAL REPORT 2016  DASSAULT SYSTÈMES

Financial Statements
Consolidated Financial Statements

4

Changes during 2016 and 2015 of unvested options and performance shares were as follows:

UNVESTED AT JANUARY 1, 2015

Granted

Vested

Forfeited

UNVESTED AT DECEMBER 31, 2015

Granted

Vested

Forfeited

UNVESTED AT DECEMBER 31, 2016

Number of awards

Performance 
shares

Stock options

Total

2,488,840

609,850

3,098,690

1,034,600

1,965,555

3,000,155

(773,550)

-

(76,500)

(170,150)

(773,550)

(246,650)

2,673,390

2,405,255

5,078,645

1,082,950

1,947,785

3,030,735

(336,310)

(683,205)

(1,019,515)

(41,810)

(296,636)

(338,446)

3,378,220

3,373,199

6,751,419

Performance shares
Pursuant to an authorization granted by the shareholders at 
the  General  Meeting  of  Shareholders  held  on  September  4, 
2015,  the  Board  of  Directors  decided  to  grant  on  May  26, 
2016  782,950  performance  shares  to  some  employees  and 
executives (Plan 2016-A) and 300,000 shares to Mr. Bernard 
Charlès,  Vice-Chairman  of  the  Board  of  Directors  and  Chief 
Executive Officer, as part of a plan of progressively associating 
him  with  the  Company’s  capital  (Plan  2016-B).  Such  shares 
shall be vested at the end of an acquisition period of two to 
three years, subject to the condition that the beneficiary be an 
employee or a director of the Company at the acquisition date 
and  to  the  achievement  of  certain  performance  objectives. 
The shares granted to Mr. Bernard Charlès are also subject to 
an  additional  performance  condition  related  to  his  variable 
compensation  itself  dependent  on  achieving  performance 
criteria previously established by the Board.

The  performance  condition  for  the  first  tranche  will  be 
measured based on the average performance of two criteria: 
the growth of the non-IFRS diluted earnings per share of the 
Group for the year 2017, excluding foreign currency effects, 
compared  to  the  year  2015  (non-market  condition),  and  the 
outperformance  of  the  price  of  the  Dassault  Systèmes  share 

compared  to  the  performance  of  the  CAC  40  index  between 
February  2016  and  February  2018  (market  condition).  Such 
growth  and  outperformance  must  be  at  least  equal  to  a 
threshold established by the Board.

The  performance  condition  for  the  second  tranche  will  be 
measured based on two cumulative criteria: the growth of the 
non-IFRS diluted earnings per share of the Group for the year 
2018,  excluding  foreign  currency  effects,  compared  to  the 
year  2015  (non-market  condition),  and  the  outperformance 
of the price of the Dassault Systèmes share compared to the 
performance  of  the  CAC  40  index  between  February  2016 
and  February  2019  (market  condition).  Such  growth  and 
outperformance  must  be  at  least  equal  to  a  threshold 
established by the Board.

The weighted average grant-date fair value of shares granted 
in  2016  was  €48.08.  It  was  estimated  based  on  the  quoted 
price of the Company’s common stock on the date of grant, 
adjusted to include the market condition using a Monte Carlo 
model when applicable. The model simulates the performance 
of Dassault Systèmes share price and compares it against the 
performance  of  the  CAC  40  index.  Assumptions  used  are  as 
follows:  expected  volatility  rate  of  22%,  expected  dividend 
yield of 0.70% and average risk-free interest rate of (0.29%).

4

DASSAULT SYSTÈMES  ANNUAL REPORT 2016

107

4 Financial Statements

Consolidated Financial Statements

A summary of the Company’s performance shares plans is as follows:

Plans

2010-04

2014-A

2014-B

2015-A

2015-B

2016-A

2016-B

Date of General Meeting of Shareholders

05/27/2010 05/30/2013 05/30/2013 09/04/2015 09/04/2015 09/04/2015 09/04/2015

Date of grant by Board of Directors

09/07/2012 02/21/2014 02/21/2014 09/04/2015 09/04/2015 05/26/2016 05/26/2016

Total number of shares granted

539,230

529,940

Restated total number of shares granted (1) 1,078,460 (2)

1,059,880

150,000

300,000

734,600

734,600

300,000

300,000

Acquisition period (in years) (3)

Three or 
four (4)

Four

Four

Two

Two

782,950

782,950

Two or 
three (7)

300,000

300,000

Two or 
three (7)

Performance conditions

See Note (5)

See Note (6)

See Note (6)

See Note (6)

See Note (6)

See Note (8)

See Note (8)

Performance conditions is reached
at December 31, 2016

Yes

See Note (9)

See Note (9)

See Note (10) See Note (10)

N/A

N/A

(1)  For shares granted before July 17, 2014, total number of shares granted has been restated to reflect the two-for-one stock split effected on July 17, 2014.
(2) 

Including 28,000 shares granted to Mr. Bernard Charlès, Vice-Chairman of the Board of Directors and Chief Executive Officer, subject to an additional performance condition related 
to his variable compensation.

(3)  Subject to the condition that the beneficiary be an employee or a director of the Company at the acquisition date.
(4)  Three years in France and four years outside of France.
(5)  Non-market performance conditions based on actually realized non-IFRS diluted earnings per share of the Group compared to the upper limit of the non-IFRS diluted earnings 
per share objective during three years (2012, 2013 and 2014 for 2010-04 Shares). The shares granted to Mr. Bernard Charlès, Vice-Chairman of the Board of Directors and Chief 
Executive Officer, are also subject to an additional performance condition related to variable compensation dependent on achieving performance criteria previously established by 
the Board of Directors.

(6)  Performance condition measured based on two alternative criteria, the growth of the non-IFRS diluted earnings per share of the Group or the outperformance of the price of the 
Dassault Systèmes share compared to the performance of the CAC 40 index (market condition) for each of the years 2015, 2016 and 2017 for 2014-A and 2014-B Shares, and 
for the year 2016 for 2015-A and 2015-B Shares, compared to the year 2014. Such growth or difference must be at least equal to a threshold established by the Board of 
Directors. The 2015-B Shares granted to Mr. Bernard Charlès, Vice-Chairman of the Board of Directors and Chief Executive Officer, are also subject to an additional performance 
condition related to variable compensation dependent on achieving performance criteria previously established by the Board of Directors.

(7)  Share acquisition divided into two tranches, the first vesting in May 26, 2018 and the second in May 26, 2019.
(8)  Performance condition for the first tranche will be measured based on the average performance of two criteria: the growth of the non-IFRS diluted earnings per share of the Group 
for the year 2017, excluding foreign currency effects, compared to the year 2015 (non-market condition), and the outperformance of the price of the Dassault Systèmes share 
compared to the performance of the CAC 40 index between February 2016 and February 2018 (market condition). Such growth and outperformance must be at least equal to a 
threshold established by the Board of Directors. Performance condition for the second tranche will be measured based on two cumulative criteria: the growth of the non-IFRS 
diluted earnings per share of the Group for the year 2018, excluding foreign currency effects, compared to the year 2015 (non-market condition), and the outperformance of the 
price of the Dassault Systèmes share compared to the performance of the CAC 40 index between February 2016 and February 2019 (market condition). Such growth and 
outperformance must be at least equal to a threshold established by the Board of Directors. The 2016-B shares granted to Mr. Bernard Charlès, Vice-Chairman of the Board of 
Directors and Chief Executive Officer, are also subject to an additional performance condition related to his variable compensation itself dependent on achieving performance 
criteria previously established by the Board of Directors.

(9)  Tranche 1 performance conditions based on year 2015 are reached. Tranche 2 performance condition will be measured by March 16, 2017 Board of Directors.
(10)  Will be measured by March 16, 2017 Board of Directors.

Performance shares granted in 2016 are measured at fair value based on the quoted price of the Company’s common stock on 
the date of grant.

108 ANNUAL REPORT 2016  DASSAULT SYSTÈMES

Financial Statements
Consolidated Financial Statements

4

Stock option
The  main  features  of  the  Group  stock  option  plans  are  as 
follows: Options vest over various periods ranging from one to 
four years, subject to continued employment, options expire 
eight  to  ten  years  from  grant  date,  or  after  termination  of 
employment, whichever is earlier, options have generally been 
granted at an exercise price equal to or greater than the grant-
date market value of the Company’s share.

Pursuant to an authorization granted by the shareholders at 
the General Meeting of Shareholders held on May 26, 2016, 
the  Board  of  Directors  decided  on  the  same  day  to  grant 
1,947,785 options to subscribe to Dassault Systèmes shares 
to  certain  employees,  at  an  exercise  price  of  €69.00  (Plan 
2016-01).

Such  options  shall  be  vested  at  the  end  of  an  acquisition 
period  of  one  to  three  years,  subject  to  the  condition  that 
the  beneficiary  be  an  employee  of  the  Company  at  the 
acquisition  date  and  to  the  achievement  of  certain  non-
market performance objectives for the years 2016, 2017 and 
2018.  The  options  expire  ten  years  from  grant  date  or  after 
termination of employment, whichever is earlier.

The weighted average grant-date fair value of options granted 
in  2016  was  €13.19.  It  was  estimated  on  the  date  of  grant 
using a Black-Scholes option pricing model. Assumptions used 
are  as  follows:  weighted-average  expected  life  of  6  years, 
expected  volatility  rate  of  21%,  expected  dividend  yield  of 
0.70%  and  average  risk-free  interest  rate  of  (0.05%).  The 
expected volatility was determined using a combination of the 
historical  volatility  of  the  Company’s  stock  and  the  implied 
volatility of the Company’s exchange-traded options

A summary of the Company’s stock option activity is as follows:

4

OUTSTANDING AS OF JANUARY 1,

Granted

Exercised

Forfeited

OUTSTANDING AS OF DECEMBER 31,

Exercisable

2016

2015

Number 
of options

5,312,096

1,947,785

(1,001,683)

(296,636)

5,961,562

2,588,363

Weighted 
average 
exercise price

€38.40

€69.00

€27.04

€58.31

€49.31

€29.41

Number 
of options

5,287,411

1,965,555

(1,769,020)

(171,850)

5,312,096

2,906,841

Weighted 
average 
exercise price

€23.73

€62.00

€19.91

€47.57

€38.40

€21.50

A summary of the remaining contractual life and the exercise price of options outstanding as of December 31, 2016 is presented below:

Stock option plan

2008-02

2010-01

2014-01

2015-01

2016-01

OUTSTANDING AS OF DECEMBER 31, 2016

Number 
of options

922,616

1,150,623

326,326

1,668,917

1,893,080

5,961,562

Remaining 
life (years)

Exercise price

0.90

1.40

5.40

8.68

9.40

6.12

€19.50

€23.50

€45.50

€62.00

€69.00

€49.31

DASSAULT SYSTÈMES  ANNUAL REPORT 2016

109

4 Financial Statements

Consolidated Financial Statements

Note 8  Other Operating Income and Expense, Net

Other operating income and expense, net are comprised of the following:

(in thousands of euros)

Costs incurred in connection with voluntary early retirement plan (1)

Costs incurred in connection with relocation activities (2)

Restructuring costs (3)

Acquisition costs-and other (4)

Year ended December 31,

2016

€(14,137)

(9,959)

(8,759)

(7,737)

2015

€-

(5,085)

(1,556)

(5,719)

OTHER OPERATING INCOME AND EXPENSE, NET

€(40,592)

€(12,360)

(1)  In June 2016, the Group has implemented for French subsidiaries a voluntary early retirement plan over 3 years. This plan allows eligible employees to retire early while receiving 
a replacement income until they can access to their full pension. This plan is treated as a post-employment benefit which estimated costs are based on an assumption of expected 
proportion of employees to enter the plan and accrued taking into account the employees estimated residual service period.

(2)  In 2016 and 2015, primarily composed of expenses for vacant leasehold properties related to the reorganization of the Group’s premises in North America.
(3)  In 2016, primarily composed of severance costs relating to the termination of employees following the Company’s decision to rationalize its sales organization principally in Europe.
(4)   In 2016 transaction costs primarily relating to the acquisition of CST AG.

Note 9 

Interest Income and Expense, Net and Other Financial 
Income and Expense, Net

Interest income and expense, net and other financial income and expense, net for the years ended December 31, 2016 and 2015 
are as follows:

(in thousands of euros)

Interest income (1)

Interest expense (2)

INTEREST INCOME AND EXPENSE, NET

Foreign exchange losses, net (3)

Other, net (4)

Year ended December 31

2016

€17,400

(25,328)

(7,928)

(9,318)

6,711

2015

€18,576

(7,404)

11,172

(11,963)

671

OTHER FINANCIAL INCOME AND EXPENSE, NET

€(2,607)

€(11,292)

(1)  Interest income is primarily composed of interests on cash, cash equivalents and short-term investments.
(2)  In 2016, mainly includes interest expense of €11.2 million due pursuant to two term loan facility agreements entered into in October 2015 and June 2013, respectively, for €650 
and €350 million, respectively (see Note 20. Borrowings), and the impact of discontinued hedge accounting for interest rate swaps for €12.6 million given the expected trend of 
negative interest rates (see Note 21. Derivatives). In 2015, mainly include interest expense of €6.3 million due pursuant to these two term loan facility agreements.

(3)  Foreign exchange losses, net are primarily composed of realized and unrealized exchange gains and losses on receivables and loans denominated in Malaysian ringgits and British 

pounds in 2016 and U.S. dollars, Australian dollar and Canadian in 2015.

(4)  In 2016, mainly includes a gain on sale of investment.

110 ANNUAL REPORT 2016  DASSAULT SYSTÈMES

Note 10  Income Taxes

Deferred tax assets and liabilities are as follows:

(in thousands of euros)

Provisions and other expenses

Profit-sharing and pension accruals

Net tax loss and tax credit carryforward assets

Amortization and basis difference

Amortization of acquired intangibles

Other

NET DEFERRED TAX LIABILITY

Deferred tax assets

Deferred tax liabilities

NET DEFERRED TAX LIABILITY

Change in deferred taxes can be summarized as follows:

(in thousands of euros)

NET DEFERRED TAX LIABILITY AS OF JANUARY 1,

Changes included in the income statement

Business combinations

Other changes included in shareholders’ equity

Currency translation adjustments

NET DEFERRED TAX LIABILITY AS OF DECEMBER 31,

The components of income before income taxes are as follows:

(in thousands of euros)

France

Foreign

INCOME BEFORE INCOME TAXES

The components of income tax expense are as follows:

(in thousands of euros)

France

Foreign

CURRENT TAXES

France

Foreign

CHANGE IN DEFERRED TAXES

INCOME TAX EXPENSE

Financial Statements
Consolidated Financial Statements

4

4

Year ended December 31,

2016

2015

€87,334

€80,449

44,651

42,963

24,285

53,686

44,418

26,504

(299,967)

(288,605)

(22,109)

(15,022)

€(122,843)

€(98,570)

135,886

(258,729)

€(122,843)

115,284

(213,854)

€(98,570)

Year ended December 31,

2016

2015

€(98,570)

€(136,048)

43,170

(59,337)

(6,013)

(2,093)

42,461

(1,398)

5,540

(9,125)

€(122,843)

€(98,570)

Year ended December 31,

2016

2015

€290,719

€298,189

370,780

334,898

€661,499

€633,087

Year ended December 31,

2016

2015

€(98,774)

€(116,418)

(153,688)

(252,462)

(153,179)

(269,597)

12,716

30,454

43,170

137

42,324

42,461

€(209,292)

€(227,136)

DASSAULT SYSTÈMES  ANNUAL REPORT 2016

111

4 Financial Statements

Consolidated Financial Statements

Differences between the income tax provision and the provision computed using the statutory French income tax rate are as follows:

(in thousands of euros)

Taxes computed at the statutory rate of 34,43% in 2016 (38% in 2015)

Foreign tax rate differentials

R&D tax credit and other tax credits (1)

Tax exempt income

Adjustments of prior income tax provision

Other, net (2)

INCOME TAX EXPENSE

Effective tax rate

Year ended December 31,

2016

2015

€(227,754)

€(240,573)

(6,681)

13,723

19,813

4,412

6,852

17,374

12,458

518

(12,805)

(23,765)

€(209,292)

€(227,136)

31.6%

35.9%

(1)  R&D tax credit and other tax credits derived mainly from research tax credits in France and in the United States.
(2)  In 2016, included mainly tax impact in connection with French cotisation sur la valeur ajoutée des entreprises (“CVAE”) and reversal of tax reserves. In 2015, includes mainly tax 

impact in connection with transfer of certain contracts in Asia, and French CVAE.

At December 31, 2016, there were unrecognized tax losses and tax credit carried forward of €51.9  million, which are scheduled 
to expire after 2022.

Note 11  Earnings per Share

Basic  net  income  per  share  is  determined  by  dividing  net 
income attributable to equity holders of the Company by the 
weighted  average  number  of  common  shares  outstanding 
during the period. Diluted net income per share is determined 

by  dividing  net  income  attributable  to  equity  holders  of 
the  Company  by  the  combination  of  the  weighted  average 
number of common shares outstanding during the period and 
the dilutive effect of stock options and performance shares.

The following table presents the calculation for both basic and diluted net income per share:

(in thousands of euros, except shares and per share data)

Net income attributable to equity holders of the Company

Weighted average number of shares outstanding

Dilutive effect of share-based payments

Diluted weighted average number of shares outstanding

Basic net income per share

Diluted net income per share

Year ended December 31,

2016

2015

€447,192

€402,178

253,916,266

252,480,762

3,483,036

4,111,621

257,399,302

256,592,383

€1.76

€1.74

€1.59

€1.57

112 ANNUAL REPORT 2016  DASSAULT SYSTÈMES

Financial Statements
Consolidated Financial Statements

4

Note 12  Cash and Cash Equivalents and Short-term Investments

Cash and cash equivalents are comprised of the following:

(in thousands of euros)

Bank accounts

Cash equivalents

CASH AND CASH EQUIVALENTS

Year ended December 31,

2016

2015

€66,759

€88,716

2,369,942

2,191,818

€2,436,701

€2,280,534

At  December  31,  2016  and  2015,  approximately  37%  and 
26%  of  cash  and  cash  equivalents  was  denominated  in 
U.S. dollars, respectively.

Short-term investments of €56.1 million and €70.8 million at 
December  31,  2016  and  2015,  respectively,  were  primarily 
comprised  of  bank  certificates  of  deposit,  mutual  funds  and 
fixed term deposits. At December 31, 2016 and 2015, short-
term  investments  included  approximately  85%  and  59%  of 
investments denominated in U.S. dollars, respectively.

Cash,  cash  equivalents  and  short-term 
investments  are 
maintained  on  deposit  with  high  credit-quality  financial 
institutions,  principally  in  France.  The  Company  follows  a 
conservative  policy  for  investing  its  cash  resources,  mostly 
relying on short-term maturity investments. Investment rules 
are determined and controlled by the Treasury department of 
Dassault Systèmes SE.

The  Company  has  adopted  policies  regarding  financial 
ratings  and  the  spread  of  maturity  dates  in  order  to  ensure 
the  security  and  liquidity  of  its  financial  instruments.  The 
Company’s  management  oversees  the  credit-worthiness  of 
its counterparts and the quality of its investments closely and 
believes that it has minimal exposure to the risk of bankruptcy 
of  any  one  of  them.  The  Company  also  closely  oversees  the 
liquidity of its financial assets held at these same counterparts. 
In  this  regard,  the  Company  follows  in  particular  the  credit 
rating  of  each  of  its  counterparties  and,  up  to  the  present 
time, all of its counterparties are rated in the Investment Grade 
category by rating agencies. As a result, the Company believes 
that it has very low exposure to credit or counterparty risk.

The  Group  has  a  central  cash  management  operated  by  a 
banking  institution.  In  this  context,  the  parent  company  of 
the  bank  offered  a  guarantee  to  the  Group  in  the  amount 
of  €474  million,  and  at  the  same  time  the  Group  offered  a 
guarantee to the bank for the same amount.

4

DASSAULT SYSTÈMES  ANNUAL REPORT 2016

113

4 Financial Statements

Consolidated Financial Statements

Note 13  Trade Accounts Receivable, Net and Other Current Assets

Trade accounts receivable and other current assets are receivables measured at amortized cost.

Trade accounts receivable

(in thousands of euros)

Trade accounts receivable

Allowance for trade accounts receivable

TRADE ACCOUNTS RECEIVABLE, NET

The maturities of trade accounts receivable, net, were as follows:

(in thousands of euros)

Trade accounts receivable past due at closing date:

Less than 3 months past due

3 to 6 months past due

More than 6 months past due

TRADE ACCOUNTS RECEIVABLE PAST DUE

Trade accounts receivable not yet due

TOTAL TRADE ACCOUNTS RECEIVABLE, NET

Year ended December 31,

2016

2015

€843,818

€759,609

(23,376)

(20,468)

€820,442

€739,141

Year ended December 31,

2016

2015

€84,805

€77,814

18,030

11,059

113,894

706,548

12,970

8,065

98,849

640,292

€820,442

€739,141

The Company is not dependent on any of its principal clients. No single customer or sales channel partner represented more than 
5% of the Company’s total revenue in 2016 and 2015.

Other current assets
Other current assets consist of the following:

(in thousands of euros)

Prepaid expenses

Value added tax

Derivatives, current (1)

Other current assets

TOTAL OTHER CURRENT ASSETS

(1)  See Note 21. Derivatives and Currency and Interest Rate Risk Management.

Year ended December 31,

2016

2015

€75,704

€42,964

49,332

8,909

15,054

40,248

2,272

16,902

€148,999

€102,386

114 ANNUAL REPORT 2016  DASSAULT SYSTÈMES

Financial Statements
Consolidated Financial Statements

4

Note 14  Property and Equipment

Property and equipment consist of the following:

(in thousands of euros)

Computer equipment

Office furniture and equipment

Leasehold improvements

Buildings

TOTAL

Year ended December 31, 2016

Year ended December 31, 2015

Gross

Accumulated 
depreciation

Net

Gross

Accumulated 
depreciation

Net

€177,734

€(128,278)

€49,456

€172,640

€(123,572)

€49,068

58,792

113,013

7,140

(40,736)

(50,560)

(1,703)

18,056

62,453

5,437

55,790

100,682

7,057

(35,806)

(40,177)

(1,288)

19,984

60,505

5,769

€356,679

€(221,277)

€135,402

€336,169

€(200,843)

€135,326

The change in the carrying amount of property and equipment as of December 31, 2016 is as follows:

4

(in thousands of euros)

NET PROPERTY AND EQUIPMENT 
AS OF JANUARY 1, 2016

Additions

Business combinations

Other changes

Depreciation for the period

Exchange differences

NET PROPERTY AND EQUIPMENT 
AS OF DECEMBER 31, 2016

Computer 
equipment

Office furniture 
and equipment

Leasehold 
improvements

Buildings

Total

€49,068

24,526

973

(1,017)

(24,817)

723

€19,984

3,376

722

202

(6,502)

274

€60,505

10,344

609

172

(10,271)

1,094

€5,769

€135,326

40

-

-

(391)

19

38,286

2,304

(643)

(41,981)

2,110

€49,456

€18,056

€62,453

€5,437

€135,402

The change in the carrying amount of property and equipment as of December 31, 2015 is as follows:

(in thousands of euros)

NET PROPERTY AND EQUIPMENT 
AS OF JANUARY 1, 2015

Additions

Other changes

Depreciation for the period

Exchange differences

NET PROPERTY AND EQUIPMENT 
AS OF DECEMBER 31, 2015

Computer 
equipment

Office furniture 
and equipment

Leasehold 
improvements

Buildings

Total

€47,956

€21,795

€61,614

€5,372

€136,737

26,415

(1,338)

(25,912)

1,947

3,756

(414)

(6,431)

1,278

4,164

120

(9,796)

4,403

298

-

(251)

350

34,633

(1,632)

(42,390)

7,978

€49,068

€19,984

€60,505

€5,769

€135,326

DASSAULT SYSTÈMES  ANNUAL REPORT 2016

115

4 Financial Statements

Consolidated Financial Statements

Note 15  Non-Current Financial Assets

Non-current financial assets consist of the following:

(in thousands of euros)

Tax receivable (1)

Loans receivable, non-current

Investments

Derivatives, non-current (2)

Deposits and other non-current financial assets

NON-CURRENT FINANCIAL ASSETS

Year ended December 31,

2016

2015

€123,098

€79,860

16,164

15,498

3,922

16,142

15,169

11,194

8,643

17,632

€174,824

€132,498

(1)  In 2016 and 2015, tax payments following tax reassessments which are disputed by the Group with the relevant authorities (see Note 25 Commitments and Contingencies).
(2)  See Note 21 Derivatives and Currency and Interest Rate Risk Management.

Note 16  Business Combinations

2016 acquisitions

Computer Simulation Technology AG (“CST”)
On  September  30,  2016,  the  Company  acquired  100%  of 
CST, for a cash consideration of approximately €294.8 million, 
including  a  contingent  consideration  of  approximately 
€10  million  to  be  paid  in  2017  subject  to  performance 
achieved  in  2016.  Based  near  Frankfurt,  Germany,  CST  is 
the  technology  leader  in  electromagnetic  and  electronics 
simulation.

The  preliminary  allocation  of  the  purchase  price  resulted  in 
€126.9 million of goodwill. The primary items that generated 
goodwill  include  mainly  the  value  of  the  synergies  between 
CST and the Company’s activities.

Other acquisitions
The  Company  completed 
its  acquisition  of  100%  of 
Ortems,  Wave  Six  LLC  and  Next  Limit  Dynamics  for  total 
cash  consideration  of  approximately  €42.7  million  in  May, 
September and December 2016 respectively.

This transaction resulted in €19.4 million of goodwill.

Purchase price allocation
The  estimated  fair  values  of  assets  acquired  and  liabilities 
assumed  in  connection  with  CST  and  the  other  acquisitions 
presented below are provisional. The Company is waiting for 
additional  information  necessary  to  finalize  these  fair  values 
and  the  provisional  measurements  of  fair  value  presented 
are  subject  to  change.  The  Company  expects  to  finalize  the 
valuation and complete the purchase price allocation as soon 
as  practical  and  no  later  than  one  year  from  the  acquisition 
date.

116 ANNUAL REPORT 2016  DASSAULT SYSTÈMES

Financial Statements
Consolidated Financial Statements

4

The purchase prices of CST and other acquisitions have been allocated to identifiable assets acquired and liabilities assumed based 
on estimated fair values at the date of the acquisition is as follows:

(in thousands of euros)

Cash and cash equivalents

Trade accounts receivable

Other assets

Intangible assets acquired (1)

Unearned revenue (2)

Other liabilities

Deferred taxes, net

TOTAL IDENTIFIABLE NET ASSETS

Goodwill

TOTAL PURCHASE PRICE

(1)  Intangible assets acquired are subject to amortization and include the following:.

(in thousands of euros)

Software

Customer relationships

TOTAL INTANGIBLE ASSETS ACQUIRED

CST

€56,117

7,847

15,830

154,163

(3,713)

(8,653)

(53,721)

€167,870

126,902

€294,772

Other 
acquisitions

€3,006

3,088

1,056

25,172

(1,167)

(2,307)

(5,616)

€23,232

19,446

€42,678

Total

€59,123

10,935

16,886

179,335

(4,880)

(10,960)

(59,337)

€191,102

146,348

€337,450

CST

€98,463

55,700

Other 
acquisitions

Total

€25,172

€123,635

-

55,700

€154,163

€25,172

€179,335

4

(2)  The  carrying  values  of  unearned  revenue  were  reduced  to  reflect  the  fair  value  of  obligations  assumed.  As  a  result,  approximately  €19.5  million  of  revenues  that  would  have 

otherwise been recorded by these entities had they not been acquired by the Company will not be recognized in the Company’s consolidated statements of income

The  unaudited  financial  information  presented  in  the  table 
below  summarizes  the  combined  results  of  operations  for 
the year ended December 31, 2016 as if the acquisitions had 
occurred  at  the  beginning  of  the  period.  This  information  is 
presented for informational purposes and does not purport to 
be indicative of the results that will be achieved in the future. 

This  financial  information  reflects  the  adjustment  to  reduce 
unearned revenue to the fair value of the associated obligation, 
and  the  additional  amortization  expense,  assuming  the  fair 
value  adjustments  to  deferred  revenue  and  intangible  assets 
had been applied from the beginning of the period, with the 
related tax effects.

(in thousands of euros)

Revenue

Net income

Year ended December 31, 2016 
(unaudited)

€3,088,157

€441,842

In addition, the portion of acquired companies’ revenue and net income generated since the acquisition date and included in the 
Company’s consolidated financial statements as of December 31, 2016 is as follows:

(in thousands of euros)

Revenue

Net income

Year ended December 31, 2016

€10,709

€(8,806)

DASSAULT SYSTÈMES  ANNUAL REPORT 2016

117

4 Financial Statements

Consolidated Financial Statements

Note 17  Intangible Assets

Intangible assets consist of the following:

(in thousands of euros )

Software

Customer relationships

Other intangible assets

Year ended December 31, 2016

Year ended December 31, 2015

Gross

Accumulated 
amortization

Net

Gross

Accumulated 
amortization

Net

€1,180,815

€(591,839)

€588,976

€1,030,711

€(503,038)

€527,673

1,053,573

(578,716)

34,809

(19,566)

474,857

15,243

972,529

27,796

(482,146)

(21,043)

490,383

6,753

TOTAL INTANGIBLE ASSETS

€2,269,197

€(1,190,121)

€1,079,076

€2,031,036

€(1,006,227)

€1,024,809

The change in the carrying amount of intangible assets as of December 31, 2016 is as follows:

(in thousands of euros )

Software

Customer 
relationships

Other intangible 
assets

Total intangible 
assets

NET INTANGIBLE ASSETS AS OF JANUARY 1, 2016

€527,673

€490,383

€6,753

€1,024,809

Business combinations

Other additions

Amortization for the period

Exchange differences

123,635

12,296

(80,411)

5,783

55,700

36

(82,728)

11,466

-

10,199

(1,317)

(392)

179,335

22,531

(164,456)

16,857

NET INTANGIBLE ASSETS AS OF DECEMBER 31, 2016

€588,976

€474,857

€15,243

€1,079,076

The change in the carrying amount of intangible assets as of December 31, 2015 is as follows:

(in thousands of euros )

Software

Customer 
relationships

Other intangible 
assets

Total intangible 
assets

NET INTANGIBLE ASSETS AS OF JANUARY 1, 2015

€581,159

€537,431

€7,405

€1,125,995

Business combinations

Other additions

Amortization for the period

Exchange differences

4,661

8,879

(83,054)

16,028

-

-

-

67

4,661

8,946

(84,720)

37,672

(1,229)

(169,003)

510

54,210

NET INTANGIBLE ASSETS AS OF DECEMBER 31, 2015

€527,673

€490,383

€6,753

€1,024,809

118 ANNUAL REPORT 2016  DASSAULT SYSTÈMES

Note 18  Goodwill

The change in the carrying amount of goodwill as of December 31, 2016 and 2015 is as follows:

(in thousands of euros )

GOODWILL AS OF JANUARY 1,

Business combinations

Exchange differences and other changes

GOODWILL AS OF DECEMBER 31,

Financial Statements
Consolidated Financial Statements

4

Year ended December 31,

2016

2015

€1,662,333

€1,563,269

146,348

38,761

4,401

94,663

€1,847,442

€1,662,333

The  Company  performed  annual  impairment  tests  in  the 
fourth quarter of 2016 and 2015; no impairment of goodwill 
was identified as a result of these tests.

For  the  purpose  of  the  impairment  test,  the  Company 
identified  12  cash-generating  units  (“CGUs”)  or  groups  of 
CGUs  as  of  December  31,  2016,  generally  corresponding  to 

the Company’s main software products. Each CGU represents 
the  lowest  level  within  the  Company  at  which  goodwill  is 
monitored for internal management purposes. Goodwill tested 
for impairment purposes was allocated to each CGU, or groups 
of CGUs that were expected to benefit from the synergies of 
the combination.

4

Goodwill allocated to each CGU or groups of CGUs is as follows:

(in thousands of euros) 

December 31, 2015

CST acquisition

Other acquisitions

and other changes December 31, 2016

Exchange differences 

BIOVIA

SIMULIA

CATIA

ENOVIA

DELMIA

GEOVIA

QUINTIQ

3DEXCITE

Other

TOTAL

€414,959

247,931

230,423

164,910

144,841

115,562

119,495

113,143

111,069

-

126,902

-

-

-

-

-

-

-

-

13,518

-

-

5,928

-

-

-

-

€1,662,333

€126,902

€19,446

€13,586

€428,545

6,248

1,315

4,700

3,973

7,381

-

-

1,558

€38,761

394,599

231,738

169,610

154,742

122,943

119,495

113,143

112,627

€1,847,442

The recoverable amount of each CGU or groups of CGUs has 
been  determined  based  on  a  value  in  use  calculation.  This 
calculation  uses  cash  flow  projections  based  on  financial 
budgets  covering  a  five-  to  ten-year  period.  The  ten-year 
period  projections  are  used  for  activities  that  have  longer 
development  cycles,  representing  approximately  57%  of 
the  Group’s  total  goodwill  as  of  December  31,  2016.  Key 
assumptions used to determine the value in use of assets are 
derived from management objectives for revenue growth and 
operating margin of each CGU or groups of CGUs. The pre-tax 
discount  rates  are  between  11.0%  and  13.1%.  Cash  flows 
beyond  that  five-  to  ten-year  period  have  been  extrapolated 
using  a  steady  growth  rate  comprised  between  2%  and  3%, 
reflecting long-term growth rates in the software industry.

At December 31, 2016, based on management estimates, the 
Company concluded that the value in use of each CGU or groups 
of  CGUs  exceeded  its  carrying  value.  Management  believes 
that  any  reasonable  possible  change  in  key  assumptions 
described above on which recoverable amount is based would 
not  cause  each  CGU  or  groups  of  CGUs’  carrying  amount  to 
significantly  exceed  its  recoverable  amount.  In  particular,  an 
increase of 150 basis points in the pre-tax discount rate or a 
decrease  of  100  basis  points  in  the  long-term  growth  rates 
would not cause each CGU or groups of CGUs’ carrying amount 
to significantly exceed its recoverable amount.

DASSAULT SYSTÈMES  ANNUAL REPORT 2016

119

4 Financial Statements

Consolidated Financial Statements

Note 19  Other Liabilities

Other liabilities are comprised of the following:

(in thousands of euros) 

Value added tax and other taxes

Provisions, current (1)

Post-employment benefits (2)

Derivatives, current (3)

Other current liabilities (4)

TOTAL OTHER CURRENT LIABILITIES

Post-employment benefits (2)

Provisions, non-current (1)

Accrual for deferred lease incentives

Employee profit sharing, non-current

Derivatives, non-current (3)

Other non-current liabilities

TOTAL OTHER NON-CURRENT LIABILITIES

(1)  See reconciliation of provisions below.
(2)  See Note 22 Post-employment Benefits.
(3)  See Note 21 Derivatives and Currency and Interest Rate Risk Management.
(4)  In 2016, includes the contingent consideration related to CST acquisition (see Note 16 Business Combinations).

The change in the carrying value of provisions as of December 31, 2016 is as follows:

Year ended December 31,

2016

€88,399

11,380

6,497

524

17,775

2015

€75,377

7,555

-

1,129

7,464

€124,575

€141,442

€91,525

€116,838

78,788

43,385

27,251

24,080

20,920

77,610

46,256

27,467

13,843

15,998

€335,866

€298,012

(in thousands of euros) 

PROVISIONS AS OF JANUARY 1, 2016

Additions

Utilization

Reversal of unused amounts

Business combinations

Exchange differences and other

Tax risks

€62,313

11,625

(450)

(15,543)

-

578

Claims, litigation 
and other

Restructuring Total provisions

€11,394

€11,458

2,176

(759)

(1,780)

399

2,421

16,053

(9,851)

(216)

-

350

€85,165

29,854

(11,060)

(17,539)

399

3,349

PROVISIONS AS OF DECEMBER 31, 2016

€58,523

€13,851

€17,794

€90,168

120 ANNUAL REPORT 2016  DASSAULT SYSTÈMES

Financial Statements
Consolidated Financial Statements

4

Note 20  Borrowings

In October 2015, the Company entered into a new five-year 
term loan facility agreement, which maturity can be extended 
by  two  additional  years,  for  €650  million.  The  facility 
was  immediately  fully  drawn  down  and  bears  interest  at 
Euribor 1 month plus 0.50% per annum. In October 2016, the 
Company exercised the option extension for one year.

In June 2013, the Company entered into a term loan facility 
agreement  for  €350  million,  which  was  immediately  fully 

drawn down. The facility provides credit for a period of 6 years 
and bears interest at Euribor 1 month plus 0.55% per annum.

In April 2010, the Company entered into a term loan facility in 
Japan for JPY14, 500 million (the equivalent of €115.0 million 
as of the draw date) in order to finance a portion of the IBM 
PLM  acquisition.  The  facility  bore  interest  at  Japanese  yen 
Libor 1 month plus 0.60% per annum and was scheduled to 
be repaid in ten equal semi-annual installments. The Company 
repaid the last installment in June 2015.

The table below provides a breakdown of total borrowings by contractual maturity date as of December 31, 2016:

(in thousands of euros) 

Term loan facilities in euros

Payments due by period

Total

Less than
1 year

1-3 years

3-5 years

€1,000,000

€-

€350,000

€650,000

4

Note 21  Derivatives and Currency and Interest Rate Risk Management

The  fair  market  values  of  derivative 
instruments  were 
determined  by  financial  institutions  using  option  pricing 
models.

All financial instruments related to the foreign currency hedging 
strategy of the Company have maturity dates of less than 3 
years  when  the  maturity  of  interest  rate  swap  instruments 
is less than 5 years. Management believes counter-party risk 
on financial instruments is minimal since the Company deals 
with major banks and financial institutions.

A  description  of  market  risks  the  Company  is  exposed  to  is 
provided in paragraph 1.6.2 “Financial and Market Risks”.

Foreign currency risk
The Company transacts in various foreign currencies, primarily 
U.S. dollars and Japanese yen.

In  2016,  revenue  denominated  in  U.S.  dollars  represented 
36.5% of total revenue, compared with 36.8% in 2015. The 
Company’s  operating  expenses  denominated  in  U.S.  dollars 
represented  34.4%  of  total  operating  expenses  in  2016, 
compared with 36.3% in 2015.

As  a  result,  the  Company’s  net  operating  exposure  to  U.S. 
dollars  amounted  to  €295.2  million  in  2016  (9.7%  of  the 
Company’s total revenue). The average value of the U.S. dollar 
remained stable against the euro in 2016 following an increase 
in  2015,  resulting  in  a  neutral  impact  on  the  Company’s 
revenue and operating income in 2016, and a positive impact 
in 2015.

In  2016,  revenue  denominated  in  Japanese  yen  represented 
13.1% of total revenue, flat compared to 11.8% in 2015. The 
Company’s operating expenses denominated in Japanese yen 
represented  5.2%  of  total  operating  expenses  in  2016  and 
4.3% in 2015.

As  a  result,  the  Company’s  net  operating  exposure  to 
Japanese  yen  amounted  to  €276.8  million  in  2016  (9.1% 
of  the  Company’s  total  revenue),  and  this  exposure  was 
in  part  hedged  through  market  instruments  at  a  level  of 
€197.3 million, as further described below. The average value 
of the Japanese yen increased by approximately 12% against 
the euro in 2016, after an increase in value of approximately 
4% in 2015, resulting in a favourable impact on the Company’s 
revenue and operating income in 2016 and 2015.

The Company usually hedges exchange rate risk related to its 
revenues  and  expenses  coming  from  usual  and  predictable 
activity  arising  in  the  normal  course  of  operations.  The 
Company may also cover occasional exchange rate risk arising 
from  specific  transactions,  such  as  acquisitions  paid  for  in 
foreign currencies. Hedging activities are generally carried out 
and  managed  by  Dassault  Systèmes  SE  for  its  own  account 
and  on  behalf  of  its  subsidiaries.  In  certain  cases,  however, 
the Company can authorize selected subsidiaries to enter into 
hedging instruments directly.

DASSAULT SYSTÈMES  ANNUAL REPORT 2016

121

4 Financial Statements

Consolidated Financial Statements

The table below sets forth, for the year ended December 31, 2016, the euro value of the Company’s revenue, operating expenses 
and net position, before and after hedging, denominated in U.S. dollars, Japanese yen and other currencies, principally the euro:

(in thousands of euros) 

Revenue

Operating expenses

NET POSITION

Hedge

NET POSITION AFTER HEDGE

Year ended December 31, 2016

U.S. dollars

Japanese yen

Euro and other 
currencies

Total

€1,115,739

€399,654

€1,540,193

€3,055,586

(820,512)

€295,227

€-

€295,227

(122,831)

(1,440,209)

(2,383,552)

€276,823

€197,311

€79,512

€99,984

€-

€99,984

€672,034

€197,311

€474,723

With  all  other  variables  held  constant,  movements  in  euro/
U.S. dollar exchange rates by +10% or -10% would have had 
an impact of €(26.8) and €32.8 million on operating income, 
respectively. In addition, with all other variables held constant, 
movements in euro/Japanese yen exchange rates by +10% or 
-10% would have had an impact of €(25.2) and €30.8 million 
on operating income, respectively.

To  manage  currency  exposure,  the  Company  generally  uses 
foreign exchange forward contracts. Except as indicated in the 
table below, the derivative instruments held by the Company 

are  designated  as  accounting  hedges,  have  high  correlation 
with  the  underlying  exposure  and  are  highly  effective  in 
offsetting underlying price movements.

The  effectiveness  of  forward  contracts  and  currency  options 
is measured using forward rates and the forward value of the 
underlying  hedged  transaction.  During  2016  and  2015,  the 
portion of gains or losses from hedging instruments excluded 
from  the  assessment  of  effectiveness  and  the  ineffective 
portions of hedges was nil.

At December 31, 2016 and 2015, the fair value of instruments used to manage the currency exposure was as follows:

Year ended December 31,

2016

2015

(in thousands of euros) 

Nominal amount

Fair value Nominal amount

Fair value

Forward exchange contract Japanese yen/euros – sale (1)

€162,391

€4,066

€133,832

Forward exchange contract euros/Indian rupees – sale (1)

Forward exchange contract euros/U.S. dollars – sale (1)

Forward exchange contract U.S. dollars/Indian rupees – sale (1)

Forward exchange contract Japanese yen/U.S. dollars – sale (1)

Forward exchange contract British pounds/euros – sale (1)

Cross currency swaps Canadian dollars/euros (2)

Cross currency swaps Australian dollars/euros (2)

Other instruments (2)

19,163

51,500

31,673

57,301

36,019

72,765

73,214

70,650

1,247

1,581

512

4,735

75

(3,341)

(1)

(315)

27,189

36,741

20,467

-

-

61,683

71,735

51,906

€(792)

1,865

(666)

471

-

-

6,449

2,082

(40)

(1)  Instruments entered into by the Company to hedge the foreign currency exchange risk of forecasted sales.
(2)  Derivatives not designated as hedging instruments. Changes in the derivatives’ fair value were recorded in other financial income and expense, net in the consolidated statement 

of income. Cross currency swaps mainly relate to the acquisition of Gemcom.

Interest rate risk
Except for their impact on the general economic environment, 
which  is  difficult  to  quantify,  the  Company  believes  that 
changes  in  interest  rates  in  2016  did  not  materially  affect 
its  revenue  and  earnings  before  financial  income.  Similarly, 
interest rates are not expected to affect its business or future 
operating income. Therefore, the Company’s interest rate risk 
is primarily a risk related to a reduction of financial revenue.

In  October  2015,  the  Company  entered  into  interest  rate 
swap  agreements  for  a  total  amount  of  €650  million  with 
the  objective  of  modifying  forecasted  interest  obligations 
relating  to  the  €650  million  new  French  term  loan  facility 
(see  Note  20  Borrowings)  so  that  the  interest  payable 
effectively becomes fixed at 0.72% from October 2015 until 
October 2020.

122 ANNUAL REPORT 2016  DASSAULT SYSTÈMES

Financial Statements
Consolidated Financial Statements

4

In  July  2013  and  October  2014,  the  Company  entered 
into  interest  rate  swap  agreements  for  a  total  amount  of 
€350  million  that  have  the  economic  effect  of  modifying 
forecasted  interest  obligations  relating  to  the  €350  million 
French  term  loan  facility  (see  Note  20  Borrowings)  so  that 
the interest payable effectively becomes fixed at 1.48% from 
June 2014 until June 2018 and 1.04% from June 2018 until 
July 2019.

The effectiveness of interest rate swap agreements is measured 
using  forward  interest  rates.  In  2016,  hedge  accounting  has 
been  discontinued  as  interest  rate  swaps  no  longer  met  the 
effectiveness criteria for hedge accounting given the expected 
trend  of  negative  interest  rates.  Consequently,  changes  in 
fair  value  of  interest  rate  swaps  were  recognized  in  interest 
income  and  expense,  net  for  €(6.9)  million  at  December  31, 
2016. Accumulated gains and losses on changes in fair value 
recognized  in  equity  are  reclassified  to  profit  or  loss  in  the 

periods  when  the  hedged  item  affects  profit  or  loss  (€(5.7) 
million  at  December  31,  2016).  In  2015,  the  portion  of 
gains or losses from hedging instruments excluded from the 
assessment  of  effectiveness  and  the  ineffective  portion  of 
hedges was nil.

Financial  revenue,  which  is  composed  of  interest  income 
from  cash,  cash  equivalents  and  short-term  investments,  is 
sensitive to fluctuations in interest rates. As of December 31, 
2016, cash and cash equivalents and short-term investments 
totaled  €2,492.8  million,  including  €721.2  million  sensitive 
to  fluctuations  in  interest  rates  mostly  in  Europe.  With  all 
other variables held constant, an increase in interest rates of 
100 basis points would have had a positive impact in 2016 of 
€18.6  million  on  financial  income  and  a  decrease  in  interest 
rates  of  100  basis  points  would  have  had  a  negative  impact 
of €9.3 million.

At December 31, 2016 and 2015, the fair value of instruments used to manage the interest rate risk was as follows:

4

(in thousands of euros) 

Interest rate swaps in euros

Year ended December 31,

2016

2015

Nominal amount

Fair value Nominal amount

Fair value

€1,000,000

€(20,332)

€1,000,000

€(13,426)

Note 22  Post-employment Benefits

Contributions  made  to  defined  contribution  plans  were 
€22.7 million and €21.5 million in 2016 and 2015 respectively.

The Company provides defined benefit retirement indemnities 
to  the  employees  of  its  French  operations,  and  sponsors 
defined  benefit  pension  plans  for  certain  employees  in  the 
United States. The Company also has certain defined benefit 
plans in other countries, mainly in Germany and in Japan.

In  France,  defined  employee  benefits 
include  certain 
gratifications  paid  upon  anniversary  of  employment  and 
retirement  indemnities  that  are  based  upon  an  individual’s 
years of credited service and annualized salary at retirement. 
Retirement indemnity benefits vest and are settled as a lump 
sum paid to the employee upon the employee’s retirement.

In  June  2016,  the  Group  has  implemented  for  French 
subsidiaries  a  voluntary  early  retirement  plan  over  3  years. 

This  plan  allows  eligible  employees  to  retire  early  while 
receiving a replacement income until they can access to their 
full pension. This plan is treated as a post-employment benefit 
which estimated costs are based on an assumption of expected 
proportion of employees to enter the plan and accrued taking 
into account the employees estimated residual service period.

In  the  United  States,  pension  benefits  are  based  upon 
years  of  credited  service  and  the  employee’s  average  final 
salary.  Retirement  benefits  are  funded  by  the  Company’s 
contributions to segregated pension plan assets, in an amount 
that  is  sufficient  to  meet  or  exceed  the  minimum  annual 
funding  requirements  of  the  Employee  Retirement  Income 
Security  Act.  In  2011,  the  Company  decided  to  freeze  the 
American defined-benefit pension plan, and in 2015, certain 
American  participants  received  a  lump  sum  distribution  of 
their benefit from the plan.

DASSAULT SYSTÈMES  ANNUAL REPORT 2016

123

4 Financial Statements

Consolidated Financial Statements

The projected benefit obligation was determined using the prospective method, based on the following assumptions:

Assumptions
Assumptions used to determine the benefit obligation are as follows:

Discount rate

Average rate 
of compensation increase

Year ended December 31, 2016

Year ended December 31, 2015

Europe

1.74%*

Americas

Asia

4.10%

0.40% – 2.70%

Europe

2.10%

Americas

Asia

4.40%

0.90% – 3.00%

2.50% – 2.80%

N/A

2.60% – 5.00%

2.50% – 2.80%

N/A

2.60% – 5.00%

* 

Except for the voluntary early retirement plan implemented for French subsidiaries.

Components of net periodic benefit cost
The components of net periodic benefit cost were as follows:

(in thousands of euros) 

Service cost*

Interest cost on benefit obligations

Interest income on plan assets

Other

NET PERIODIC BENEFIT COST

* 

In 2016, includes past service costs related to the voluntary early retirement plan implemented for French subsidiaries for €6.6 million.

Obligations and funded status
Changes in benefit obligations and plan assets as of December 31, 2016 and 2015 are as follows:

(in thousands of euros) 

Benefit obligations at beginning of year

Service cost

Interest cost on benefit obligations

Remeasurement (gains) losses*

Benefits paid

Settlement

Exchange rate differences and other changes

BENEFIT OBLIGATIONS AT END OF YEAR

Fair value of plan assets at beginning of year

Employer contribution

Interest income on plan assets

Benefits paid

Remeasurement (losses)

Settlement

Exchange rate differences and other changes

FAIR VALUE OF PLAN ASSETS AT END OF YEAR

NET DEFINED BENEFIT LIABILITY

Year ended December 31,

2016

€(22,360)

(4,764)

2,356

-

2015

€(7,961)

(4,942)

2,326

698

€(24,768)

€(9,879)

Year ended December 31,

2016

2015

€190,983

€185,245

22,360

4,764

10,704

(4,343)

(136)

2,309

7,961

4,942

(3,845)

(3,578)

(6,557)

6,815

€226,641

€190,983

€74,145

€70,330

4,221

2,356

(1,587)

(1,764)

-

1,331

€78,702

7,109

2,326

(1,415)

(2,461)

(5,990)

4,246

€74,145

€(147,939)

€(116,838)

*  Remeasurement gains and losses mainly arise from changes in financial assumptions. A decrease of 150 basis points in the discount rates would increase the obligation by 

€56.5 million.

124 ANNUAL REPORT 2016  DASSAULT SYSTÈMES

The benefit obligation by geographical location is as follows:

Europe

Americas

Asia

TOTAL BENEFIT OBLIGATIONS

The fair value of plan assets by geographical location is as follows:

Europe

Americas

TOTAL FAIR VALUE OF PLAN ASSETS

Plan assets
The weighted average asset allocations are as follows:

Debt instruments

Equity instruments

TOTAL

Financial Statements
Consolidated Financial Statements

4

Year ended December 31,

2016

70%

20%

10%

100%

2015

67%

23%

10%

100%

Year ended December 31,

2016

48%

52%

100%

2015

49%

51%

100%

4

Year ended December 31,

2016

65%

35%

100%

2015

73%

27%

100%

Cash flows
The Company expects to make additional contributions to its pension plans in 2017 for $3 million.

The following benefit payments, which reflect expected future service, as appropriate, are expected to be paid:

(in thousands of euros) 

2017

2018

2019

2020

2021

2022-2026

Total

€(10,850)

(11,817)

(13,052)

(11,397)

(10,580)

(65,061)

DASSAULT SYSTÈMES  ANNUAL REPORT 2016

125

4 Financial Statements

Consolidated Financial Statements

Note 23  Shareholders’ Equity

Shareholders’ equity activity
As of December 31, 2016, Dassault Systèmes SE had 257,996,603 common shares issued with a nominal value of €0.50 per share.

Changes in shares outstanding as of December 31, 2016 and 2015 are as follows:

(in number of shares)

SHARES ISSUED AS OF JANUARY 1,

Dividend paid in shares

Exercise of stock options

Cancellation of treasury stock

SHARES ISSUED AS OF DECEMBER 31,

Treasury stock as of December 31,

SHARES OUTSTANDING AS OF DECEMBER 31,

The primary objective of the Company’s capital management 
is  to  ensure  that  it  maintains  a  strong  credit  rating  and 
healthy capital ratios in order to support its business and for 
the  purpose  of  increasing  the  profitability  of  shareholders’ 
equity  and  earnings  per  share.  The  Company  manages  its 
capital structure and adjusts it in light of changes in economic 
conditions.  To  maintain  or  adjust  the  capital  structure,  the 
Company may adjust the dividend payment to shareholders, 
return capital to shareholders or issue new shares. No changes 
were made in the objectives, policies or processes during the 
years ended December 31, 2016 and 2015.

Dividend rights
Dassault Systèmes SE is required to maintain a legal reserve 
equal  to  10%  of  the  aggregate  nominal  value  of  its  issued 
share capital. The legal reserve balance was €12.8 million as 
of December 31, 2016 and 2015, respectively, and represents 
a component of retained earnings in the consolidated balance 
sheet.  The  legal  reserve  is  distributable  only  upon  the 
liquidation of Dassault Systèmes SE.

Distributable profit, consisting of net income of the year increased 
by retained earnings from prior years and after deduction for legal 
reserve when required, is available for distribution to shareholders 
of the Company as dividends. Allocation of this profit is subject 
to  approval  by  the  General  Meeting  of  Shareholders  following 
recommendations by the Board of Directors.

In  2016  and  2015,  the  Shareholders’  Meeting  approved  the 
distribution  of  a  dividend  of  €119.3  and  €108.5  million  for 

Components of other comprehensive income

Year ended December 31,

2016

2015

256,714,186

256,364,077

280,734

185,709

1,001,683

1,769,020

-

(1,604,620)

257,996,603

256,714,186

(4,370,051)

(2,863,505)

253,626,552

253,850,681

2015  and  2014  respectively,  and  offered  shareholders  the 
option to receive payment of their dividend in the form of new 
Dassault Systèmes shares. Shareholders who opted to receive 
payment in whole or in part of the 2015 and 2014 dividend 
in the form of new Dassault Systèmes SE shares represented 
approximately  16%  and  12%  of  Dassault  Systèmes’  shares, 
respectively, resulting in the issuance of 280,734 and 185,709 
new ordinary shares in 2016 and 2015, respectively. The cash 
dividend was paid in 2016 and 2015 in an aggregate amount 
of €100.1 million and €95.6 million, respectively.

Dividends per share were €0.47 and €0.43 as of December 31, 
2015 and December 31, 2014, respectively.

A dividend of €1.9 and €2.8 million was paid to non-controlling 
interest in 2016 and 2015 respectively.

Stock repurchase programs
The  General  Meeting  of  Shareholders  authorized  the  Board  of 
Directors  to  implement  a  share  repurchase  program  limited  to 
10% of the Company’s share capital. Under this authorization, the 
Company may not buy shares at a price exceeding €100 per share 
or above a maximum annual aggregate amount of €500 million.

Furthermore,  the  Group  signed  a  liquidity  agreement  for 
an  initial  period  until  December  31,  2016,  automatically 
renewable for subsequent 12-month terms. On December 31, 
2016, 1,760,576 shares were purchased, at an average price 
of  €70.90,  and  1,740,506  shares  were  sold,  at  an  average 
price of €70.87.

(in thousands of euros) 

Cash flow hedges:

(Losses) Gains arising during the year

Less: reclassification adjustments for gains or losses included in the income statement

Year ended December 31,

2016

2015

€(300)

(17,495)

€17,195

€(5,655)

1,482

€(7,137)

126 ANNUAL REPORT 2016  DASSAULT SYSTÈMES

Financial Statements
Consolidated Financial Statements

4

Note 24  Consolidated Statements of Cash Flows

Adjustments for non-cash items consist of the following:

(in thousands of euros) 

Depreciation of property and equipment

Amortization of intangible assets

Non-cash share-based payment expense

Deferred taxes

Other

ADJUSTMENTS FOR NON-CASH ITEMS

Notes

14

17

6, 7

10

Year ended December 31,

2016

€41,981

164,456

71,764

(43,170)

10,728

2015

€42,390

169,003

40,194

(42,461)

(5,596)

€245,759

€203,530

Changes in operating assets and liabilities consist of the following:

4

(in thousands of euros) 

(Increase) in trade accounts receivable

(Decrease) Increase in accounts payable

Increase in accrued compensation

(Decrease) in income tax payable

Increase in unearned revenue

Changes in other assets and liabilities

CHANGES IN OPERATING ASSETS AND LIABILITIES

Year ended December 31,

2016

2015

€(61,271)

€(71,581)

17,866

29,671

(116,542)

52,358

1,694

(16,905)

27,260

(52)

85,475

(417)

€(76,224)

€23,780

Note 25  Commitments and Contingencies

Leases
The Company leases computer equipment, premises and office equipment under operating leases. Rent expense under operating 
leases was €77.1 million for the year ended December 31, 2016 and €74.9 million for the year ended December 31, 2015.

At December 31, 2016, future minimum annual rental commitments under non-cancelable lease obligations were as follows:

(in thousands of euros) 

2017

2018

2019

2020

2021

2022 and thereafter

TOTAL FUTURE MINIMUM LEASE PAYMENTS

Operating leases

€80,156

74,058

66,486

56,687

54,407

204,445

€536,239

DASSAULT SYSTÈMES  ANNUAL REPORT 2016

127

4 Financial Statements

Consolidated Financial Statements

3DS Paris Campus (Headquarters facilities)
The  Company  has  leased  approximately  57,000  square 
meters  of  office  space  for  its  headquarters  facilities  located 
in  Vélizy-Villacoublay,  outside  Paris,  France  since  June  30, 
2008.  In  February  2013,  the  Company  entered  into  a  new 
lease  agreement  for  its  headquarters  facilities  for  a  non-
cancelable initial term of 10 years beginning with the delivery 
of an additional 13,000 square meters of office space in the 
fourth quarter of 2016. Close to that site, the Company also 
leases approximately 11,000 square meters more in a building 
located  in  Meudon-La-Forêt,  since  October  2010.  Future 
minimum rental payments until the end of the lease amount 
to  approximately  €248.1  million  in  the  aggregate  and  have 
been included in the table presented above.

3DS Boston Campus
The  Company  leases  approximately  27,000  square  meters 
of  office  space  for  its  campus  located  in  the  United  States, 
regrouping the primary operating facilities of the Company’s 
main  American  activities.  The 
lease  agreement 
signed  June  1st,  2011  included  a  lease  term  of  12  years. 
In  September  2016,  the  lease  has  been  extended  for  25 
months  and  will  end  June  30,  2026.  The  total  rented  space 
will  progressively  increase,  reaching  30,000  square  meters 
in  2017.  Future  minimum  rental  payments  amount  to 
approximately €123.4 million in the aggregate and have been 
included in the table presented above.

initial 

Litigation and other proceedings
The Company is involved in litigation and other proceedings, 
such  as  civil,  commercial  and  tax  proceedings,  incidental  to 
normal operations.

The  Company  is  subject  to  ongoing  tax  audits  and  tax 
reassessments  in  jurisdictions  in  which  the  Company  has  or 
had operations. Certain of these reassessments, in particular 
those  related  to  acquisition  financing,  are  being  challenged 
by the Company which is strongly confident in the technical 
merits of its positions and will continue to defend them with 
the relevant tax authorities. In this context, the Company made 
payments to the French tax authorities for a total amount of 
€123.1 million from 2014 to 2016, but disputed them with 
the  relevant  authorities.  Therefore,   the  Company  planned  to 
appeal     a  first  instance  judgment  in  relation  to  this  dispute 
before the end of March 2017..

It  is  not  possible  to  determine  with  certainty  the  outcome 
of  the  dispute  in  these  matters.  However,  in  the  opinion  of 
management,  after  consultation  with  legal  and  tax  counsel, 
the  resolution  of  such  litigation  and  proceedings  should  not 
have a material effect on the consolidated financial statements 
of the Company.

Other commitments
In  April  2016,  the  Company  and  Geometric  Ltd   announced 
that  they  have  reached  an  agreement  whereby  the  Group 
will  acquire  full  ownership  of  3D  PLM  Software  Solutions 
Limited   (3DPLM),  its  joint  venture  in  India  with  Geometric 
Ltd, increasing its share in 3DPLM capital from 42% to 100%. 
The  transaction  was  undertaken  through  a  court-approved 
scheme which is subject to shareholders, High Court and other 
I ndian statutory approvals. It was finalized on March 2, 2017. 
3DPLM  being  already  fully  consolidated  in  the  Company’s 
consolidated  financial  statements,  the  transaction  will  be 
treated as an equity transaction in 2017 financial statements.

Note 26  Related-Party Transactions

Compensation of key management personnel
The table below summarizes compensation granted to the members of the Group Executive Committee and to the Chairman of 
the Board of Directors as of December 31, 2016 and 2015:

(in thousands of euros)

Short-term benefits (1)

Share-based compensation (2)

COMPENSATION OF KEY MANAGEMENT PERSONNEL

(1)  Including gross salaries, bonus, incentives, profit-sharing, directors’ fees and fringe benefits.
(2)  Expense recorded in the income statement for share-based payments (stock options and performance shares).

Year ended December 31,

2016

€11,230

29,339

€40,569

2015

€9,368

15,052

€24,420

128 ANNUAL REPORT 2016  DASSAULT SYSTÈMES

Financial Statements
Consolidated Financial Statements

4

In certain circumstances, the Group Chief Executive Officer is 
entitled  to  an  indemnity  payment  upon  the  termination  of 
his  functions  as  Chief  Executive  Officer.  The  amount  of  the 
indemnity  due  would  be  equivalent  to  a  maximum  of  two 
years  of  compensation  as  Chief  Executive  Officer  and  would 
depend on satisfying the performance conditions established 
for calculating his variable compensation.

Other transactions with related parties
The Company licenses its products for internal use to Dassault 
Aviation, a sister company to the Company. The Chairman of 
Dassault  Systèmes  SE  is  also  the  Chief  Executive  Officer  of 

the Industrial Group Marcel Dassault which controls Dassault 
Aviation.  Dassault  Aviation  licenses  the  Company’s  products 
on  commercial  terms  consistent  with  those  granted  to  the 
Company’s  other  customers  of  similar  size.  These  licenses 
generated  €13.4  and  €16.8  million  of  software  revenue  for 
the years ended December 31, 2016 and 2015, respectively. 
The  Company  also  provides  service  and  support  to  Dassault 
Aviation.  Such  activity  generated  service  revenues  of  €4.0 
and €6.8 million in the years ended December 31, 2016 and 
2015, respectively. The balances of trade accounts receivable 
with Dassault Aviation were €8.0 million, and €7.1 million at 
December 31, 2016 and 2015, respectively.

Note 27  Principal Statutory Auditors’ Fees and Services

4

The following table presents the amount of fees paid to each of the Company’s principal Statutory Auditors in 2016 and 2015:

(in thousands of euros, excluding VAT)

2016

2015

2016

2015

2016

2015

2016

2015

PricewaterhouseCoopers Audit

Ernst & Young et Autres

Amount

%

Amount

%

Certification of accounts

Audit opinion, review of statutory 
and consolidated financial statements (1):

 › issuer

 › other consolidated subsidiaries

SUBTOTAL

Other services

Other audit related services (2):

 › issuer

 › other consolidated subsidiaries

Other services (Legal, tax, social) (3):

 › issuer

 › other consolidated subsidiaries

SUBTOTAL

TOTAL

€1,007

€1,013

1,851

2,858

1,636

2,649

32 %

58 %

90 %

50

93

-

158

301

-

339

-

139

478

€3,159

€3,127

2%

3 %

0%

5%

10 %

100%

32%

53%

85%

0%

11%

0%

4%

€230

€229

497

727

26

260

105

645

474

703

54

227

832

69

15%

1,036

1,181  

13%

28%

41%

1%

15%

6%

37%

59%

12%

25%

37%

3%

12%

44%

4%

63%

100%

€1,763

€1,885

100%

100%

(1)  Audit fees consist of fees billed for the annual audit services engagement and other audit services for the years ended December 31, 2016 and 2015, which are those services 
that only the Statutory Auditor reasonably can provide, and include the Group audit, statutory audits, consents, attest services, and services provided in connection with 
documents filed with the AMF.

(2)  Audit-related fees generally consist of fees billed for assurance and related services that are reasonably related to the performance of the audit or review of the Company’s 

financial statements or that are traditionally performed by the Statutory Auditor, and include due diligence services related to acquisitions, consultations concerning financial 
accounting and reporting standards, attestation services not required by statute or regulation, and information system reviews. In 2016 and 2015, they primarily included fees 
related to certain acquisitions.

(3)  Fees billed by members of the Statutory Auditors’ respective networks to consolidated subsidiaries are related to the support in the execution of software licensing reviews and 
to local and international tax compliance services, including the review of tax returns and tax services regarding statutory, regulatory or administrative developments and 
expatriate tax assistance and compliance.

DASSAULT SYSTÈMES  ANNUAL REPORT 2016

129

4 Financial Statements

Consolidated Financial Statements

Note 28  Principal Dassault Systèmes Companies

The principal Dassault Systèmes SE subsidiaries included in the scope of consolidation as at December 31, 2016 are as follows:

Country

France

Germany

Germany

Consolidated companies

Dassault Data Services SAS

Dassault Syste mes     Deutschland GmbH

Dassault Syste mes   3DExcite GmbH

Netherlands

Quintiq Applications B.V.

Italy

Sweden

United Kingdom

United Kingdom

Canada

United States

United States

United States

United States

United States

United States

United States

United States

China

India

India

Dassault Syste mes   Italia Srl

Dassault Syste mes   AB

Dassault Syste mes   UK Limited

Dassault Syste mes   Biovia Limited

Dassault Systèmes Canada Inc.

Dassault Syste mes  Americas Corp.

Dassault Syste mes   Corp.

Dassault Syste mes    Simulia Corp.

Dassault Syste mes    SolidW orks  Corporation

Dassault Syste mes    3DExcite Corp.

Dassault Syste mes    Biovia Corp.

Quintiq, LLC (formerly “Quintiq, Inc.”)

Spatial Corp.

Dassault Syste mes    (Shanghai) Information Technology Co., Ltd

3D PLM Software Solutions Limited  

Dassault Syste mes   India Private Limited

South Korea

Dassault Syste mes   Korea Corp.

Japan

Japan

Singapore

Australia

Malaysia

Dassault Syste mes   K.K.

SolidW orks Japan K.K.

Dassault Syste mes   Singapore Pte. Ltd.

Dassault Syste mes   Geovia Australia Pty Ltd

Quintiq Sdn Bhd

% of Interest

100%

100%

100%

100%

100%

100%

100%

100%

100%

100%

100%

100%

100%

100%

100%

100%

100%

100%

42%*

100%

100%

100%

100%

100%

100%

100%

* 

The Company determined that it has control over 3DPLM. As a result, 3DPLM is fully consolidated in the Company’s consolidated financial statements.

Note 29  Events After the Reporting Period

On March 2, 2017, the Group acquired full ownership of 3D PLM Software Solutions Limited   (3DPLM), its joint venture in India 
with Geometric Ltd, increasing its share in 3DPLM capital from 42% to 100%. See Note 25 Commitments and Contingencies.

130 ANNUAL REPORT 2016  DASSAULT SYSTÈMES

Financial Statements
Consolidated Financial Statements

4

4.1.2  Statutory Auditors’ Report on the Consolidated Financial 

Statements

This is a free translation into English of the Statutory Auditors’ report issued in French and is provided solely for the convenience of 
English speaking readers. The Statutory Auditors’ report includes information specifically required by French law in such reports, 
whether modified or not. This information is presented below the opinion on the consolidated financial statements and includes an 
explanatory paragraph discussing the Auditors’ assessments of certain significant accounting and auditing matters. These assessments 
were considered for the purpose of issuing an audit opinion on the consolidated financial statements taken as a whole and not to 
provide separate assurance on individual account captions or on information taken outside of the consolidated financial statements.

This report should be read in conjunction with, and construed in accordance with, French law and professional auditing standards 
applicable in France.

To the Shareholders,

In compliance with the assignment entrusted to us by your General Meetings of Shareholders, we hereby report to you, for the 
year ended December 31, 2016, on:  

 › the audit of the accompanying consolidated financial statements of Dassault Systèmes SE, 

4

 › the justification of our assessments,

 › the specific verification required by law. 

These consolidated financial statements have been approved by the Board of Directors. Our role is to express an opinion on these 
consolidated financial statements based on our audit. 

I – Opinion on the consolidated financial statements

We conducted our audit in accordance with professional standards applicable in France. Those standards require that we plan 
and perform the audit to obtain reasonable assurance about whether the consolidated financial statements are free of material 
misstatement.  An  audit  involves  performing  procedures,  using  sampling  techniques  or  other  methods  of  selection,  to  obtain 
audit evidence about the amounts and disclosures in the consolidated financial statements. An audit also includes evaluating 
the  appropriateness  of  accounting  policies  used  and  the  reasonableness  of  accounting  estimates  made,  as  well  as  the  overall 
presentation  of  the  consolidated  financial  statements.  We  believe  that  the  audit  evidence  we  have  obtained  is  sufficient  and 
appropriate to provide a basis for our audit opinion.

In our opinion, the consolidated financial statements give a true and fair view of the assets and liabilities and of the financial 
position of the Group as at 31 December 2016 and of the results of its operations for the year then ended in accordance with 
International Financial Reporting Standards as adopted by the European Union. 

II – Justification of our assessments

In  accordance  with  the  requirements  of  article  L.  823-9  of  the  French  Commercial  Code  (Code de commerce)  relating  to  the 
justification of our assessments, we bring to your attention the following matters:

 › The paragraph “Revenue recognition” of the note 2 to the consolidated financial statements sets out the accounting principles 
and methods used to account for revenue including firstly new software licenses along with related maintenance, and secondly 
services and other revenue.

 › The  paragraph  “Business  combinations  and  goodwill”  of  the  note  2  to  the  consolidated  financial  statements  set  out  the 
accounting  principles  and  methods  used  to  determine  the  value  of  the  assets  and  liabilities  acquired  through  business 
combinations, which are based on significant assumptions and estimates made by management.

 › The paragraph ‘Share-based payment” of the note 2 to the consolidated financial statements set out the accounting principles 
and methods used to determine the fair value of the share based payment awards granted to certain employees and executive, 
which is based on significant assumptions and estimates made by management.

As part of our work, we verified the correct application of the above mentioned accounting principles and methods, examined the 
assumptions used and their application, and verified that the information provided in the notes 4, 7, 16 and 18 was appropriate.

These  assessments  were  made  as  part  of  our  audit  of  the  consolidated  financial  statements  taken  as  a  whole,  and  therefore 
contributed to the opinion we formed which is expressed in the first part of this report.

DASSAULT SYSTÈMES  ANNUAL REPORT 2016

131

4 Financial Statements

Consolidated Financial Statements

 III – Specific verification

As  required  by  law  and  in  accordance  with  professional  standards  applicable  in  France,  we  have  also  verified  the  information 
presented in the Group’s management report.

We have no matters to report as to its fair presentation and its consistency with the consolidated financial statements.

 Neuilly-sur-Seine and Paris-La Défense, on March 17, 2017

The Statutory Auditors

PRICEWATERHOUSECOOPERS AUDIT 

French original signed by: 

Pierre Marty 

ERNST & YOUNG ET AUTRES 

French original signed by: 

Pierre-Antoine Duffaud 

132 ANNUAL REPORT 2016  DASSAULT SYSTÈMES

 
Financial Statements
Parent Company Financial Statements

4

4.2  Parent Company Financial Statements

4.2.1  Parent Company Financial Statements and Notes

The 2016 financial statements presented below are the individual parent company financial statements of Dassault Systèmes SE.

Presentation of the parent company financial statements and the valuation methods used

The financial statements for the year ended December 31, 2016 have been prepared in accordance with the French General Chart 
of Accounts (Plan comptable général). They are presented in the same manner and prepared using the same valuation methods as 
the preceding year except for the accounting treatment of the intangible assets that now complies to the new ANC rule n°2015-
06 dated November 23, 2015 (see Note 2 Summary of Significant Accounting Policies and Note 10 Intangible Assets).

Results of operations of Dassault Systèmes SE

In 2016, operating revenue increased 6.3% to €1,362.4 million from €1,281.4 million in 2015. The portion of revenue earned 
from export sales amounted to €1,124.0 million, or 83.3% of net sales. Software revenue increased 4.6% to €1,049.1 million in 
2016 from €1,002.6 million in 2015.

Operating expenses increased 7.9% to €1,048.2 million in 2016, from €971.8 million in 2015. The main drivers of this change were:

 › a 6.8% increase in other purchases and external expenses, mainly due to an increase in intra-group subcontracting costs, and 

in expenses relating to distribution and IT services principally for on-line service activities;

 › a 10.7% increase in personnel costs resulting from the increase in new hiring principally in R&D, from the full year impact of 

2015 transmissions universelles de patrimoine or TUP, and from salary inflation;

 › a 92.1% increase in depreciation and reserves, mainly resulting from the application of the ANC rule n°2015-06 under which 

certain intangible assets are now amortized (see Note 10 Intangible Assets);

 › a  9.2%  decrease  in  other  expenses,  principally  due  to  a  decrease  in  royalties  from  Group  products  sales,  as  a  result  of  the 

acquisition in 2016 of ENOVIA-SmarTeam technology which was previously held by another Group subsidiary.

Operating income increased 1.5% to €314.2 million in 2016 compared to €309.6 million in 2015.

Financial income for 2016 amounted to €87.7 million, compared with €74.9 million for the preceding year, showing an increase 
of  €12.8  million.  This  change  was  principally  due  to  net  favorable  changes  in  the  provisions  for  financial  contingencies  and 
exchange losses, partly offset by the full year interest charges related to the loan facility agreement of €650 million entered into 
in October 2015.

Exceptional income and loss amounted to a loss of €28.3 million in 2016 compared to an income of €33.4 million in 2015. This 
is principally explained in 2015 by a capital gain of €43.2 million on a sale of a shareholding, and in 2016 by the cost related to 
a voluntary early retirement plan signed in June 2016.

In 2016, income tax expense amounted to €57.1 million as compared to €76.1 million in 2015. The effective income tax rate 
decreased to 17.5% in 2016 compared to 20.3% in 2015, mainly driven by the end of the exceptional contribution on income 
tax in 2016.

Net income decreased to €269.6 million in 2016 compared with €299.5 million in 2015.

At  December  31,  2016,  cash  and  short-term  investments  stood  at  €1,212.1  million,  compared  with  €2,035.2  million  at 
December  31,  2015.  This  decrease  was  principally  due  to  the  investment  policy  of  USD-denominated  cash  from  foreign 
subsidiaries into a cash pooling structure (see Note 19 Trade Payables).

4

DASSAULT SYSTÈMES  ANNUAL REPORT 2016

133

4 Financial Statements

Parent Company Financial Statements

Statement of income

(in thousands of euros)

OPERATING REVENUE

Revenue

Of which exports

Other revenue

OPERATING EXPENSE

Other purchases and external expenses

Taxes, duties and similar payments

Personnel Costs

Depreciation, amortization and provisions

Other operating expense

OPERATING INCOME

FINANCIAL INCOME AND EXPENSE, NET

CURRENT INCOME

EXCEPTIONAL INCOME/(LOSS)

EMPLOYEE PROFIT-SHARING

Contractual employee profit-sharing (intéressement)

Contractual employee profit-sharing (participation)

INCOME TAX EXPENSE

NET INCOME

Year ended December 31,

Notes

2016

2015

1,362,417

1,281,356

3

1,350,179

1,260,846

1,124,029

1,064,663

12,238

20,510

(1,048,188)

(971,754)

(413,588)

(387,266)

(24,233)

(21,874)

4

(376,947)

(340,468)

(59,971)

(31,219)

(173,449)

(190,927)

5

6

7

314,229

87,731

401,960

(28,345)

(46,916)

(23,458)

(23,458)

(57,113)

269,586

309,602

74,880

384,482

33,446

(42,323)

(21,160)

(21,163)

(76,133)

299,472

134 ANNUAL REPORT 2016  DASSAULT SYSTÈMES

Balance sheet

(in thousands of euros)

Assets

NON-CURRENT ASSETS

Intangible Assets

Property and Equipment

Non-current Financial Assets

CURRENT ASSETS

Receivables

Marketable Securities

Treasury Shares

Cash and cash equivalents

PREPAID EXPENSES

FOREIGN CURRENCY TRANSLATION ADJUSTMENT

TOTAL ASSETS

(in thousands of euros)

Liabilities and equity

SHAREHOLDERS’ EQUITY

Capital

Share and contribution premiums

Legal reserve

Retained earnings

Income (loss) for the fiscal year

Regulated provisions

PROVISIONS FOR CONTINGENCIES AND LOSSES

FINANCIAL LIABILITIES

TRADE PAYABLES

UNEARNED REVENUE

FOREIGN CURRENCY TRANSLATION ADJUSTMENT

TOTAL LIABILITIES AND EQUITY

Financial Statements
Parent Company Financial Statements

4

4

Year ended December 31,

Notes

2016
Net

2015
Net

10

11

12

13

14

14

2,818,554

2,412,937

313,617

37,420

317,845

35,794

2,467,517

2,059,298

2,004,024

2,602,789

592,512

460,799

1,206,967

2,029,351

199,450

106,822

5,095

52,853

19,764

5,817

23,095

25,633

4,895,195

5,064,454

Year ended December 31,

Notes

2016

2015

15

3,148,402

2,954,719

128,998

771,689

12,836

128,357

726,039

12,818

1,965,014

1,784,847

269,586

299,472

279

155,738

3,186

80,898

1,028,057

1,027,661

521,210

955,437

39,933

1,855

42,874

2,865

4,895,195

5,064,454

16

17

19

20

DASSAULT SYSTÈMES  ANNUAL REPORT 2016

135

4 Financial Statements

Parent Company Financial Statements

136 ANNUAL REPORT 2016  DASSAULT SYSTÈMES

Financial Statements
Parent Company Financial Statements

4

Notes to the Annual Financial Statements for Years 
Ended December 31, 2016 and 2015

CONTENTS

Note 1  Description of Business 

and Key Events of the Year 

Note 2 

Summary of Significant 
Accounting Policies 

Note 3 

Revenue Breakdown 

Note 4 

Personnel Costs 

Note 5 

Financial Income and Expense, Net 

Note 6 

Exceptional Income/Loss 

Note 7 

Income Tax 

Note 8 

Performance Shares 

Note 9  Additional Information 

Note 10 

Intangible Assets 

Note 11  Property and Equipment 

Note 12  Non-Current Financial Assets 

Note 13  Receivables 

138

138

141

141

142

143

143

144

144

145

145

146

146

Note 14  Treasury 

Note 15  Shareholders’ Equity 

Note 16  Provisions for Contingencies 

and Losses 

Note 17  Financial Liabilities 

Note 18  Elements Concerning 

Related Companies 

Note 19  Trade Payables 

Note 20  Unearned Revenue 

Note 21  Financial Commitments 

Note 22  Other Commitments 

and Contingencies 

Note 23  Additional Information 

Note 24 

Information Relating to Subsidiaries 
and Shareholdings 

147

147

149

150

150

151

151

152

153

153

154

4

DASSAULT SYSTÈMES  ANNUAL REPORT 2016

137

4 Financial Statements

Parent Company Financial Statements

Note 1  Description of Business and Key Events of the Year

Description of business

Key Events of the Year

Dassault Systèmes SE provides end-to-end software solutions 
and  services,  designed  to  support  companies’  innovation 
processes, from specification and design of a new product, to 
its manufacturing, supply and sale to the customer, through all 
stages of digital mock-up, simulation, and realistic 3D virtual 
experiences representing user experience.

Dassault  Systèmes  SE’s  global  customer  base 
includes 
companies in 12 industrial sectors: Transportation & Mobility; 
Industrial  Equipment;  Aerospace  &  Defense;  Financial  & 
Business Services; High-Tech; Life Sciences; Energy, Process & 
Utilities;  Consumer  Goods  &  Retail;  Natural  Resources; 
Architecture, Engineering & Construction; Consumer Packaged 
Goods & Retail and Marine & Offshore. To serve its customers, 
Dassault  Systèmes  SE  has  developed  a  broad  software 
applications portfolio, comprised of 3D modeling applications, 
simulation  applications,  social  and  collaborative  applications, 
and  information  intelligence  applications,  all  powered  by  its 
3DEXPERIENCE platform.

Dassault  Systèmes  SE  is  a  European  company  (Societas 
Europaea) incorporated under the laws of France. The Company’s 
registered office is located at 10, rue Marcel Dassault, in Vélizy-
Villacoublay,  France.  The  Dassault  Systèmes  SE  shares  are 
listed in France on Euronext Paris. These financial statements 
were  established  under  the  responsibility  of  the  Board  of 
Directors on March 16, 2017.

A  company  agreement  regarding  employment  forecasting, 
competencies  and  social  transformation  (GPEC)  has  been 
signed in June 2016 for three years with no automatic renewal 
(see  Note  16  Provisions  for  Contingencies  and  Losses).  The 
goal of this agreement is to implement means and measures 
allowing  Dassault  Systèmes  SE  to  reach  three  strategic 
objectives:

 › anticipation  of  competencies  needed  to  sustain  the 

Company’s development;

 › training  modalities  for  employees  to  acquire  those 

competencies;

 › internal  and  external  employment  evolution  plan, 

in 

interaction with its ecosystem.

This  agreement  applies  to  all  employees  of  the  French 
subsidiaries  of  the  Group.  It  includes  innovating  structures 
which enable the sharing of competencies, the development 
of entrepreneurial projects, the research of new but non-rival 
jobs  outside  the  Group  and  the  facilitation  of  the  transition 
between  work  and  retirement  on  a  voluntary  basis.  The 
costs  relating  to  this  agreement  are  recorded  as  exceptional 
expenses.

The Company has adopted the accounting ANC rule n°2015-
06  dated  November  23,  2015  regarding  the  treatment  of 
intangible assets from January 1, 2016 onwards (see Note 2 
Summary  of  Significant  Accounting  Rules  and  Note  10 
Intangible Assets).

Note 2  Summary of Significant Accounting Policies

The financial year lasts for 12 months from January 1 through 
December 31.

The  annual  financial  statements  for  the  fiscal  year  ended 
December 31, 2016 have been prepared and are presented in 
accordance with the French General Chart of Accounts. General 
accounting conventions have been applied in keeping with the 
principle of prudence, the principle of continuity of accounting 
methods  from  one  year  to  the  next,  the  independence  of 
financial  years,  and  the  assumption  that  the  business  is  a 
going  concern.  Assets  and  liabilities  are  initially  recorded  at 
historical cost.

Significant accounting polices applied are as follows:

Revenue

Dassault  Systèmes  SE  derives  revenue  from  three  primary 
licenses, 
sources: 

(1)  new  software 

licenses,  periodic 

license  updates, 

maintenance  and  other  software  revenue,  which  includes 
software 
the 
development of additional functionalities of standard products 
requested by clients; (2) consulting and training services and 
other revenue; and (3) royalties from distribution agreements 
signed primarily with the Group’s subsidiaries.

technical  support  and 

Revenues are disclosed net of taxes collected from customers 
and remitted to governmental authorities.

New  Software  Licenses,  Periodic  Licenses,  Maintenance  and 
Other Software Revenue

Software license revenue represents fees earned from granting 
customers  licenses  to  use  the  Company’s  software.  The 
Company’s software license revenue consists of perpetual and 
periodic  license  sales  of  software  products.  Software  license 
revenue  is  recognized  (to  the  extent  Dassault  Systèmes  SE 
has  no  remaining  obligations  to  perform)  when:  evidence 
of  an  arrangement  exists,  delivery  and  acceptance  has 

138 ANNUAL REPORT 2016  DASSAULT SYSTÈMES

Financial Statements
Parent Company Financial Statements

4

occurred,  the  amount  of  revenue  and  associated  costs  can 
be  measured  reliably,  and  it  is  probable  that  the  economic 
benefits  associated  with  the  transaction  will  flow  to  the 
Company. In instances when any of the four criteria are not 
met,  Dassault  Systèmes  SE  defers  recognition  of  software 
license  revenue  until  all  criteria  are  met.  Revenue  related  to 
the licensing of software through value-added resellers (VARs) 
is  generally  recognized  when  evidence  of  a  sale  to  an  end-
user customer is provided to the Company, assuming all other 
revenue recognition criteria have been met.

Periodic  licenses  generally  have  a  one-year  term  and  the 
corresponding  fee  is  recognized  ratably  over  the  term  of  the 
license.

Maintenance  revenue  represents  periodic  fees  associated 
with  the  sale  of  unspecified  product  updates  on  a  when-
and-if-available  basis  and  technical  support.  Maintenance 
agreements  are  entered  into  in  connection  with  the  initial 
software  license  purchase.  Maintenance  support  may  be 
renewed  by  the  customer  at  the  conclusion  of  each  term. 
Revenue  from  maintenance  is  recognized  on  a  straight-line 
basis over the term of the maintenance agreement.

Other  software  revenue  mainly  relates  to  the  development 
of  additional  functionalities  of  standard  products  requested 
by  clients  and  is  recognized  as  the  development  work  is 
performed.

Recurring  fees  for  periodic  license,  maintenance  and  other 
software  revenue  are  reported  within  software  revenue;  see 
Note 3 Revenue.

Revenue  under  multiple-element  arrangements,  which 
typically  include  new  software  licenses  and  maintenance 
agreements  sold  together,  is  allocated  to  each  element  in 
the  arrangement  primarily  using  the  residual  method  based 
upon the fair value of the undelivered elements. Discounts, if 
any,  are  applied  to  the  delivered  elements,  usually  software 
licenses,  under  the  residual  method.  For  maintenance,  fair 
value  is  generally  determined  based  upon  the  expected 
renewal rate.

Services and Other Revenue

Services  and  other  revenue  consists  primarily  of  fees  from 
consulting  services  in  methodology  for  design,  deployment 
and support, and training services. Services generally do not 
require significant modification or customization of software 
products and are accounted for separately to the extent they 
are  not  essential  to  the  functionality  of  software  products. 
Service revenues derived from time and material contracts are 
recognized as time is incurred.

Service  revenues  derived  from  fixed  price  contracts  are 
generally recognized using a percentage of completion basis. 
For customer support contracts, when no performance pattern 
is discernible, revenue is recognized ratably over the term of 
the contract, generally one year, on a straight-line basis.

Research and development

Research  costs  are  expensed  as 
incurred.  Technological 
feasibility  is  not  demonstrated  before  a  working  prototype 
has  been  completed.  Technological  feasibility  is  generally 
demonstrated  shortly  before  the  commercial  release  of 
software  products.  As  a  consequence,  costs  incurred  after 
technological  feasibility 
is  established  and  that  could 
potentially be capitalized are not material.

Intangible assets, property and equipment

Intangible  assets,  property  and  equipment  are  recognized  at 
cost, including ancillary expenses, when they are purchased, 
at  their  production  cost  when  they  are  produced  internally, 
and at their integration value when they are transferred.

Under  the  ANC  rule  n°2015-06  dated  November  23,  2015, 
intangible assets which were mainly made of technical deficits 
from  mergers  (transmissions  universelles  de  patrimoine  or 
TUP)  and  goodwill  have  been  allocated  to  their  underlying 
assets  and  amortized  if  necessary  since  January  1,  2016. 
Residual  goodwill  is  considered  as  permanent  and  is  not 
amortized but subject to yearly impairment tests.

4

The useful life of intangible assets, property and equipment is presented below:

Amortization using the straight-line method

Intangible assets

Software

Technologies

Customer assets

Tangible assets

Computer equipment

Fixtures and fittings

Office furniture

Depreciation using the declining balance method may be used for computer equipment.

Amortization period

3 to 5 years

5 to 10 years

5 to 10 years

3 to 5 years

Over the term of the lease

10 years

DASSAULT SYSTÈMES  ANNUAL REPORT 2016

139

4 Financial Statements

Parent Company Financial Statements

Non-current Financial Assets

Provisions for Contingencies and losses

Investments  in  subsidiaries  are  recognized  at  cost  without 
revaluation  of  the  transaction  currencies.  Expenses  directly 
related  to  the  acquisition  of  equity  securities  are  included  in 
the acquisition cost of these securities. Loans and advances to 
subsidiaries are valued at their net realizable value.

Provisions  for  contingencies  and  losses  are  recognized  as 
liabilities  to  cover  probable  outflows  of  resources  resulting 
from  a  present  obligation.  These  provisions  are  estimated 
taking in account the most probable hypothesis at the closing 
date.

Derivatives

Dassault Systèmes SE can manage exposure to foreign currency 
and interest rates with regards to revenue and cost generated 
by its ongoing and predictable activity. Dassault Systèmes SE 
can also mitigate a given foreign currency exposure linked to 
specific operations.

to 

order 

hedge 

exposure, 
In 
Dassault  Systèmes  SE  uses,  as  needed,  foreign  exchange 
contracts  or  financial  instruments  for  which  total  maximum 
losses are known from the outset.

currency 

foreign 

Interest rate derivatives

Financial  income  and  expense  resulting  from  the  use  of 
derivatives are recorded in the income statement in the same 
manner as income and expense from the covered transactions 
when the derivatives are considered to be hedging transactions 
from  an  accounting  perspective.  If  the  instruments  do  not 
qualify as hedging, they are accounted for as follows:

 › net unrealized losses are fully reserved;

 › net  gains  are  recognized  in  the  income  statement  upon 

settlement.

Exchange rate derivatives

Exchange rate derivatives are included in Dassault Systèmes SE’s 
currency  position.  Unrealized  losses  on  these  derivatives  are 
taken into account in determining the provision for unrealized 
exchange losses.

Tax credit in favor of competitiveness and 
employment (CICE)

Dassault  Systèmes  SE  recognizes  the  tax  credit  in  favor  of 
competitiveness  and  employment  (the  Crédit d'impôt pour 
la compétitivité et l'emploi, or CICE) as an offset to personnel 
costs.

Periodically  and  at  a  minimum  at  the  annual  closing  period, 
Dassault  Systèmes  SE  reviews  the  net  realizable  value  of 
its  investments  and  loans  and  advances  to  subsidiaries.  In 
particular,  the  net  realizable  value  of  securities  takes  into 
account  the  amount  of  shareholders’  equity,  long-term 
profitability  and  strategic  factors.  An  impairment  loss  is 
recognized if the net realizable value is less than the carrying 
value for a long period of time.

Marketable Securities

Marketable  securities  are  initially  recorded  at  cost  and  are 
depreciated,  when  applicable,  by  referring  to  their  quoted 
price in an active market at year end.

Receivables and payables

Trade receivables are reported at their net receivable value and 
trade payables are reported at their nominal value. For trade 
receivables, an allowance is recorded when the net realizable 
value is lower than the carrying value taking into account, in 
particular, aging and risk of non-collectability.

Foreign currency transactions

Transactions  in  foreign  currencies  are  recorded  in  euros  in 
the income statement at the monthly average exchange rate, 
except  for  significant  transactions  which  are  booked  at  the 
daily exchange rate. Receivables, payables and cash in foreign 
currencies are converted to euros in the balance sheet at the 
closing  exchange  rate  or  at  the  hedged  rate  when  they  are 
subject to exchange rate hedging. The conversion differences 
are  recorded  on  the  balance  sheet  in  “Unrealized  Exchange 
Losses/Gains”.  In  the  event  of  unrealized  losses,  a  provision 
for contingencies (exchange loss) is recorded.

However, the current accounts used for the Group cash pooling 
and  the  cash  and  cash  equivalents  (except  for  marketable 
securities)  are  reevaluated  at  the  closing  rate  and  generate 
exchange  gains  or 
income 
losses  recorded 
(expense),  net.  These  flows  are  shown  in  foreign  exchange 
gains or losses, net.

in  financial 

140 ANNUAL REPORT 2016  DASSAULT SYSTÈMES

Notes on the Income Statement

Note 3  Revenue Breakdown

(in thousands of euros)

New licenses revenue

Periodic licenses and maintenance revenue

Royalties

TOTAL SOFTWARE REVENUE

Services

Other revenue

TOTAL REVENUE

The breakdown of software revenue by geographic area is as follows:

(in thousands of euros)

Europe

Asia

Americas

TOTAL SOFTWARE REVENUE

Note 4  Personnel Costs

Personnel costs are comprised of the following:

(in thousands of euros)

Salaries and wages

Social security costs

TOTAL PERSONNEL COSTS

Average Headcount by Category

Salaried employees by category

Managers

Supervisors and technicians

Employees

TOTAL AVERAGE HEADCOUNT (IN FULL TIME EQUIVALENTS)*

*  Apprentices excluded.

Financial Statements
Parent Company Financial Statements

4

4

12/31/2016

12/31/2015

112,091

322,969

614,015

100,889

307,068

594,639

1,049,075

1,002,596

36,390

264,714

22,399

235,851

1,350,179

1,260,846

12/31/2016

12/31/2015

582,014

287,667

179,394

559,778

271,388

171,430

1,049,075

1,002,596

12/31/2016

12/31/2015

255,040

121,907

376,947

229,016

111,452

340,468

12/31/2016

12/31/2015

2,868

109

53

3,030

2,716

107

57

2,880

The merger operation (TUP) carried out in 2016 increased the headcount of Dassault Systèmes SE by 4 employees.

DASSAULT SYSTÈMES  ANNUAL REPORT 2016

141

4 Financial Statements

Parent Company Financial Statements

Tax credit in favor of competitiveness and employment (CICE)

The tax credit in favor of competitiveness and employment (the Crédit d'impôt pour la compétitivité et l'emploi, or CICE) is based 
on total compensation due for the current period. In 2016, an amount of €1.7 million of CICE was recognized (the  same amount 
as in 2015), and was allocated to funding working capital requirements.

Compensation of Executives

The total gross compensation paid to executive officers by Dassault Systèmes SE during 2016 was as follows:

(in thousands of euros)

Salaries

Benefits

Directors’ fees*

TOTAL COMPENSATION OF EXECUTIVES

* 

Compensation is based on payments made. 2016 directors’ fees represent €72,600 paid in 2017.

12/31/2016

12/31/2015

4,554

4,308

20

71

21

69

4,645

4,398

Note 5  Financial Income and Expense, Net

Net financial income and expense is as follows:

(in thousands of euros)

Interest income

Interest expense

INTEREST INCOME AND EXPENSE, NET

Revenue from disposals of investment securities

Net foreign exchange income (expense), net other financial contingencies

Net reversal (additions) of provisions for impairment

FINANCIAL INCOME AND EXPENSE, NET

12/31/2016

12/31/2015

73,606

(11,872)

61,734

8,752

(22,587)

39,832

87,731

63,105

(8,457)

54,648

16,821

(5,622)

9,033

74,880

Interest income is comprised primarily of dividends paid by Group subsidiaries for an amount of €62.0 million in 2016 compared 
to €48.9 million in 2015 as well as from income from treasury investments. Net movement of the provisions for impairment of 
subsidiary shares was a reversal of €40.0 million in 2016.

142 ANNUAL REPORT 2016  DASSAULT SYSTÈMES

Financial Statements
Parent Company Financial Statements

4

Note 6  Exceptional Income/Loss

Exceptional loss for the year ended December 31, 2016 was 
€28.3 million compared to an income of €33.4 million for the 
year  ended  December  31,  2015.  The  change  was  primarily 
due  to  the  recognition  in  2015  of  a  net  capital  gain  on  the 
sale of previously held investments, and to increasing costs in 

2016 resulting among others from the implementation of the 
GPEC  agreement  and  its  voluntary  early  retirement  plan  for 
3 years with no automatic renewal (see Note 1 Description of 
Business and Key Events of the Year).

Note 7 

Income Tax

The tax group included 10 entities at the end of December 2016.

Under  the  tax  integration  agreement,  it  is  agreed  that  the 
income  tax  expense  of  tax-integrated  companies  will  be  the 

same as it would have been if each subsidiary had not been a 
member of the Group. Without the tax integration agreements, 
the income tax expense of Dassault Systèmes SE, the head of 
the tax group, would have been €78.8 million in 2016.

4

The breakdown of income tax between current income and exceptional income for the year ended December 31, 2016, was as follows:

(in thousands of euros)

Current income

Exceptional income

TOTAL

Income 
before tax

Tax (expense) 
credit

Income after 
income tax

401,960

(75,261)

326,699

(84,720)

27,607

(57,113)

317,240

(47,654)

269,586

The effective income tax rate for the year ended December 31, 2016 was 17.5% against 20.3% in 2015. This decrease is mainly 
driven by the end of the exceptional contribution on income tax in 2016.

DASSAULT SYSTÈMES  ANNUAL REPORT 2016

143

4 Financial Statements

Parent Company Financial Statements

Note 8  Performance Shares

Pursuant to an authorization granted by the Extraordinary General Meeting held on September 4, 2015, the Board of Directors 
of Dassault Systèmes SE, meeting on May 26, 2016, decided to grant 782,950 performance shares to certain employees and 
executives and 300,000 shares to Mr. Bernard Charlès, Vice-Chairman of the Board of Directors and Chief Executive Officer, in 
respect of the gradual process of associating him with the Company’s share capital.

The main characteristics of the performance share plans impacting 2015 or 2016 accounts are shown in the table below:

Plan

2010-04

2014-A

2014-B

2015-A

2015-B

2016-A

2016-B

Date of General Meeting

05/27/2010 05/30/2013 05/30/2013 09/04/2015 09/04/2015 09/04/2015 09/04/2015

Date granted by the Board 
of Directors

09/07/2012 02/21/2014 02/21/2014 09/04/2015 09/04/2015 05/26/2016 05/26/2016

Total number of shares granted

539,230

529,940

150,000

734,600

300,000

782,950

300,000

Restated total number 
of shares granted (1)

1,078,460 (2)

1,059,880

300,000

734,600

300,000

782,950

300,000

Acquisition period (in years) (3)

Three or 
four (4)

Four

Four

Two

Two

Two or 
three (7)

Two or 
three (7)

Performance conditions

See note (5)

See note (6)

See note (6)

See note (6)

See note (6)

See note (8)

See note (8)

Performance conditions reached 
at December 31, 2016

Yes

See note (9)

See note (9)

See note (10)

See note (10)

N/A

N/A

(1)  For shares granted before July 17, 2014, total number of shares granted has been restated to reflect the two-for-one stock split effected on July 17, 2014.
(2) 

Including 28,000 shares granted to Mr. Bernard Charlès, Vice-Chairman of the Board of Directors and Chief Executive Officer, subject to an additional performance condition related 
to his variable compensation.

(3)  Subject to the condition that the beneficiary be an employee or a director of the Company at the acquisition date.
(4)  Three years in France and four years outside of France.
(5)  Non-market performance conditions based on actually realized non-IFRS diluted earnings per share of the Group compared to the upper limit of the non-IFRS diluted earnings per share 
objective during three years (2012, 2013 and 2014 for 2010-04 shares). The shares granted to Mr. Bernard Charlès, Vice-Chairman of the Board of Directors and Chief Executive Officer, 
are also subject to an additional performance condition related to variable compensation dependent on achieving performance criteria previously established by the Board of Directors.
(6)  Performance condition measured based on two alternative criteria, the growth of the non-IFRS diluted earnings per share of the Group or the outperformance of the price of the 
Dassault Systèmes share compared to the performance of the CAC 40 index (market condition) for each of the years 2015, 2016 and 2017 for 2014-A and 2014-B shares, and for 
the year 2016 for 2015-A and 2015-B shares, compared to the year 2014. Such growth or difference must be at least equal to a threshold established by the Board of Directors. 
The 2015-B shares granted to Mr. Bernard Charlès, Vice-Chairman of the Board of Directors and Chief Executive Officer, are also subject to an additional performance condition 
related to variable compensation dependent on achieving performance criteria previously established by the Board of Directors.

(7)  Share acquisition divided into two tranches, the first vesting in May 26, 2018 and the second in May 26, 2019.
(8)  Performance condition for the first tranche will be measured based on the average performance of two criteria: the growth of the non-IFRS diluted earnings per share of the Group 
for the year 2017, excluding foreign currency effects, compared to the year 2015 (non-market condition), and the outperformance of the price of the Dassault Systèmes share 
compared to the performance of the CAC 40 index between February 2016 and February 2018 (market condition). Such growth and outperformance must be at least equal to a 
threshold established by the Board of Directors. Performance condition for the second tranche will be measured based on two cumulative criteria: the growth of the non-IFRS 
diluted earnings per share of the Group for the year 2018, excluding foreign currency effects, compared to the year 2015 (non-market condition), and the outperformance of the 
price of the Dassault Systèmes share compared to the performance of the CAC 40 index between February 2016 and February 2019 (market condition). Such growth and 
outperformance must be at least equal to a threshold established by the Board of Directors. The 2016-B shares granted to Mr. Bernard Charlès, Vice-Chairman of the Board of 
Directors and Chief Executive Officer, are also subject to an additional performance condition related to his variable compensation itself dependent on achieving performance 
criteria previously established by the Board of Directors.

(9)  Tranche 1 performance conditions based on year 2015 are reached. Tranche 2 performance condition will be measured by March 16, 2017 Board of Directors.
(10)  Will be measured by March 16, 2017 Board of Directors.

The expense related to performance shares plans, for personnel of subsidiaries of Dassault Systèmes SE is recharged when the 
shares  are  definitively  attributed  to  beneficiaries.  During  the  vesting  period,  Dassault  Systèmes  SE  accrues  only  for  the  costs 
related to the performance shares attributed to employees contributing directly to its activity.

Note 9  Additional Information

Research and Development Expenses

In 2016, Dassault Systèmes SE recorded a total of €236.9 million of research and development expenses, which corresponds to 
22.6% of software revenue.

144 ANNUAL REPORT 2016  DASSAULT SYSTÈMES

Financial Statements
Parent Company Financial Statements

4

12/31/2015

327,487

110,298

437,785

(37,188)

(82,752)

(119,940)

290,299

27,546

317,845

2016
additions

1,413

38,508

39,921

(31,140)

(13,009)

(44,149)

(29,727)

25,499

(4,228)

2016
disposals

(27,616)

(311)

(27,927)

27,616

311

12/31/2016

301,284

148,495

449,779

(40,712)

(95,450)

27,927

(136,162)

–

–

–

260,572

53,045

313,617

4

Notes to the Balance Sheet

Note 10  Intangible Assets

(in thousands of euros)

Goodwill

Software, technology and other

TOTAL GROSS VALUE

Goodwill

Software, technology and other

TOTAL AMORTIZATION AND PROVISIONS

Goodwill

Software, technology and other

TOTAL NET VALUE

Intangible  assets  are  now  amortized  in  compliance  with  the  ANC  rule  n°2015-06  dated  November  23,  2015  (see  Note  2 
Summary of Significant Accounting Policies). Goodwill is allocated to underlying assets and is amortized if necessary. In 2016, 
this amortization expense amounted to €26.6 million. Moreover, residual goodwill which is considered as permanent, amounted 
to €86.3 million net of provisions.

Note 11  Property and Equipment

(in thousands of euros)

Machinery and equipment

Fixtures and fittings

Office furniture and equipment

TOTAL GROSS VALUE

Machinery and equipment

Fixtures and fittings

Office furniture and equipment

TOTAL DEPRECIATION

Machinery and equipment

Fixtures and fittings

Office furniture and equipment

TOTAL NET VALUE

12/31/2015

2016 additions

2016 disposals

12/31/2016

74,953

27,220

15,714

117,887

(57,965)

(13,335)

(10,793)

(82,093)

16,988

13,885

4,921

35,794

10,500

920

3,626

15,046

(10,290)

(1,927)

(1,010)

(13,227)

210

(1,007)

2,616

1,819

(10,438)

(216)

(448)

(11,102)

10,299

212

398

10,909

(139)

(4)

(50)

(193)

75,015

27,924

18,892

121,831

(57,956)

(15,050)

(11,405)

(84,411)

17,059

12,874

7,487

37,420

DASSAULT SYSTÈMES  ANNUAL REPORT 2016

145

4 Financial Statements

Parent Company Financial Statements

Note 12  Non-Current Financial Assets

(in thousands of euros)

Investments in subsidiaries

Loans and advances to subsidiaries

Treasury Shares

TOTAL GROSS VALUE

Provision for impairment

TOTAL PROVISION FOR IMPAIRMENT

Investments in subsidiaries

Loans and advances to subsidiaries

Treasury Shares

TOTAL NET VALUE

12/31/2015

2016 additions

2016 disposals

12/31/2016

1,873,250

334,313

290,725

3,758

2,167,733

(108,435)

(108,435)

1,764,815

290,725

3,758

17,272

25,008

376,593

–

–

334,313

17,272

25,008

2,059,298

376,593

(1,600)

(3,016)

(3,758)

(8,374)

40,000

40,000

38,400

(3,016)

(3,758)

31,626

2,205,963

304,981

25,008

2,535,952

(68,435)

(68,435)

2,137,528

304,981

25,008

2,467,517

The  increase  in  investments  in  subsidiaries  mainly  relates  to  the  recapitalization  of  Group  entities  (see  Note  24  Information 
Relating to Subsidiaries and Shareholdings).

Note 13  Receivables

Receivables are as follows:

(in thousands of euros)

TRADE ACCOUNTS RECEIVABLE, NET

Trade accounts receivable and related items

Allowance for trade accounts receivable

OTHER CURRENT ASSETS

Current accounts receivable*

Income tax receivable

Value added tax

Foreign currency hedges

Other

TOTAL RECEIVABLES

* 

See Note 18 Elements Concerning Related Companies.

Less than 1 year

Due dates 
over one year

12/31/2016

12/31/2015

141,099

156,636

(15,537)

450,803

254,193

178,823

15,150

–

2,637

591,902

–

–

–

610

–

–

–

610

–

610

141,099

156,636

(15,537)

451,413

254,193

178,823

15,150

610

2,637

116,295

137,383

(21,088)

344,504

231,479

92,080

10,346

8,532

2,067

592,512

460,799

The €131.7 million increase in total receivables mainly results from the increase in income tax receivable (see Note 22 Other 
Commitments and Contingencies), and to a lesser extent, from the evolution of the trade accounts receivable and of the current 
accounts receivable, in line with the Group activity.

146 ANNUAL REPORT 2016  DASSAULT SYSTÈMES

Financial Statements
Parent Company Financial Statements

4

Note 14  Treasury

Marketable Securities

At  December  31,  2016,  marketable  securities  amounted 
to  €1,207.0  million  compared  with  €2,029.4  million  at 
December 31, 2015.

The  decrease 
is  principally 
in  marketable  securities 
attributable  to  the  new  cash  pooling  structure  dedicated  to 
the  USD-denominated  investments  coming  from  the  foreign 
subsidiaries.

An  amount  of  €1,206.1  million  of  marketable  securities  are 
held in monetary investments.

Treasury Shares

Share repurchases are analyzed below in 2016:

TREASURY SHARES AS OF JANUARY 1, 2016

Vesting of shares

Repurchase of treasury shares*

Repurchase of treasury shares through liquidity agreement

TREASURY SHARES AS OF DECEMBER 31, 2016

Number of shares 
authorized and issued

Average price
(in euros)

Total
(in thousands 
of euros)

4

2,359,891

(336,310)

1,822,786

20,070

3,866,437

46.86

39.39

69.02

65.97

58.05

110,580

(13,247)

125,801

1,324

224,458

* 

The Combined General Meetings of Shareholders authorized the Board of Directors to implement a share repurchase program not to exceed 10% of Dassault Systèmes SE’s share 
capital. In addition, Dassault Systèmes SE is authorized to purchase shares at a price not exceeding €100 per share and that the annual aggregate amount may not exceed 
€500 million.

Note 15  Shareholders’ Equity

Share Capital

Changes in share capital during the year ended December 31, 2016 were as follows:

SHARES AS OF JANUARY 1, 2016

Shares issued pursuant to exercise of share subscription options

Capital increase*

SHARES AS OF DECEMBER 31, 2016

* 

See “Dividend rights” below.

Number of shares 
authorized and issued

Par value
(in euros)

Capital
(in euros)

256,714,186

1,001,683

280,734

257,996,603

0.50

0.50

0.50

0.50

128,357,093

500,842

140,367

128,998,302

DASSAULT SYSTÈMES  ANNUAL REPORT 2016

147

4 Financial Statements

Parent Company Financial Statements

Shareholder base

On December 31, the share capital of Dassault Systèmes SE was held by:

(%)

Public

Groupe Industriel Marcel Dassault

Charles Edelstenne (1) and beneficiaries (2)

Bernard Charlès

Treasury stock (3) and indirect treasury stock (4)

Directors and senior management (5)

TOTAL

On December 31, the voting rights in Dassault Systèmes SE were held by:

(in % of exercisable voting rights) (2)

Groupe Industriel Marcel Dassault

Public

Charles Edelstenne (1) and beneficiaries (2)

Bernard Charlès

TOTAL

2016

49.7  

41.1

6.1

1.1

1.6  

0.4

2015

50.2

41.2

6.1

1.1

1.1

0.3

100.0

100.0

2016

55.6

34.7

8.2

1.5

2015

55.5

34.9

8.2

1.4

100.0

100.0

(1)  Including shares held in trust for the benefit of his family and managed by Mr. Edelstenne.
(2)  At December 31, 2016, Mr. Edelstenne held  4,063,810  shares with all ownership rights and  3,342  shares through two family companies which he manages, representing a total 
of   1.58 %  of  the  capital  and   2.11  %  of  the  exercisable  voting  rights,  as  well  as   11,613 ,382   shares  with  “usage”  rights  (usufruit).  For  the  usage  rights  with  respect  to  these 
 11,613 ,3 82  shares, representing  6.11 % of the exercisable voting rights, Mr. Edelstenne can only exercise the right to vote on decisions of the General  Meeting concerning the 
allocation of profits; the holders of the bare property rights (nue-propriété) exercise the right to vote for other resolutions in compliance with Article 11 of the by-laws.

(3)  Including  57,524  shares through the liquidity agreement as of December 31, 2016. As of December 31, 2015, such number was 50,988 shares.
(4)  Shares held by SW Securities LLC. This company is a subsidiary of Dassault Systèmes SE, Dassault Systèmes’ shares held by it do not have voting rights.
(5)  Management excluding Mr. Edelstenne and Mr. Charlès.

Stock Option Plan

A summary of the stock option activity is as follows:

(in  euros) 

OUTSTANDING AS OF JANUARY 1,

Number of options granted

Exercised

Forfeited

OUTSTANDING AS OF DECEMBER 31,

Exercisable

2016

2015

Number 
of options

5,312,096

1,947,785

(1,001,683)

(296,636)

5,961,562

2,588,363

Weighted 
average 
exercise price

38.40

69.00

27.04

58.31

49.31

29.41

Number 
of options

5,287,411

1,965,555

(1,769,020)

(171,850)

5,312,096

2,906,841

Weighted 
average 
exercise price

23.73

62.00

19.91

47.57

38.40

21.50

A summary of the remaining contractual life and the exercise price of options outstanding as of December 31, 2016 is presented below:

Stock option plan

2008-02

2010-01

2014-01

2015-01

2016-01

OUTSTANDING AS OF DECEMBER 31, 2016

148 ANNUAL REPORT 2016  DASSAULT SYSTÈMES

Number of 
options

Remaining life 
(years)

Exercise price

922,616

1,150,623

326,326

1,668,917

1,893,080

5,961,562

0.90

1.40

5.40

8.68

9.40

6.12

19.50

23.50

45.50

62.00

69.00

49.31

Financial Statements
Parent Company Financial Statements

4

Movements in Shareholders’ Equity

Movements in shareholders’ equity for the year ended December 31, 2016 were as follows:

12/31/2015

Appropriation of 
2015 earnings

Effect of 
exercising options

Net income for 
2016 fiscal year

Other

12/31/2016

(in thousands of euros)

Share Capital

Share and contribution premiums

Legal reserve

Retained earnings

128,357

726,039

12,818

140

19,062

18

1,784,847

180,167

Income (loss) for the fiscal year

299,472

(299,472)

Regulated provisions

3,186

–

501

26,588

–

–

–

–

–

–

–

–

269,586

–

–

–

–

–

–

(2,907)

(2,907)

128,998

771,689

12,836

1,965,014

269,586

279

3,148,402

SHAREHOLDERS’ EQUITY

2,954,719

(100,085)

27,089

269,586

Dividend rights

The  Combined  General  Meeting  of  Shareholders  held  on 
May  26,  2016  approved  a  dividend  of  €119.3  million, 
based  on  the  existing  shares  as  at  February  29,  2016.  The 
General  Meeting  approved  offering  shareholders  the  option 

to receive payment of their dividend for 2015 in the form of 
new Dassault Systèmes SE shares. As a result, 280,734 new 
ordinary shares were created. The cash dividend was paid in 
the total amount of €100.1 million.

4

Note 16  Provisions for Contingencies and Losses

Movements of provisions for contingencies and losses were as follows:

(in thousands of euros)

Provisions for performance shares

Provisions for exchange losses

Provisions for post-employment benefits

Other provisions for contingencies and losses

Provisions for jubilee awards

TOTAL PROVISIONS

12/31/2015

Additions

Utilization

Reversal of 
unused amounts

12/31/2016

28,983

25,630

18,693

2,355

5,237

80,898

57,643

19,761

3,952

34,181

470

(13,247)

(25,630)

(18)

(432)

(10)

–

–

–

(1,830)

–

73,379

19,761

22,627

34,274

5,697

116,007

(39,337)

(1,830)

155,738

Dassault Systèmes SE recorded  in 2016 a €11.0 million provision for contingencies and losses in the framework of the Company 's 
voluntary early retirement agreement.

Changes in provisions for contingencies and losses impacted captions of the income statement as follows:

(in thousands of euros)

Operating income

Financial income and expense, net

Exceptional income/(loss)

TOTAL

Additions

Utilization

Reversal of 
unused amounts

46,079

42,080

27,848

(13,580)

(25,630)

(127)

116,007

(39,337)

(794)

–

(1,036)

(1,830)

DASSAULT SYSTÈMES  ANNUAL REPORT 2016

149

4 Financial Statements

Parent Company Financial Statements

Provisions for Post-employment Benefits

Dassault  Systèmes  SE’s  commitment  in  terms  of  post-
employment benefits was evaluated and recognized using the 
prospective  actuarial  future  rights  pro  rata  method  with  the 
use of a corridor.

This method takes into account rights acquired by employees 
on  the  date  of  their  retirement,  computed  on  the  basis  of 
the  employees’  seniority  and  annual  salary  at  the  time  of 
retirement. These rights are acquired and paid to employees 
when they retire as a fixed amount.

The  projected  benefit  obligation  at  December  31,  2016  was 
determined  based  on  the  following  assumptions:  retirement 
between  60  and  65  years  of  age,  discount  rate  of  1.74%, 
average  increase  in  salaries  of  2.80%  and  a  1.74%  expected 
return on plan. Dassault Systèmes SE has an insurance policy 
with  Sogecap,  a  life  insurance  company  affiliated  with  the 
Société  Générale,  intended  to  cover  the  retirement  payment 
commitments. Pursuant to this policy, Dassault Systèmes SE 
has  invested  a  total  of  €11.3  million.  Actuarial  gains  and 
losses and the cost of past service is spread in profit using the 
corridor method. They totaled €14.7 million to be spread over 
an average residual employee service of 22 years.

Note 17  Financial Liabilities

Financial liabilities are as follows:

(in thousands of euros)

Bank loans and borrowings

Mandatory employee profit-sharing scheme

Other financial liabilities

TOTAL FINANCIAL LIABILITIES

In  October  2015,  Dassault  Systèmes  SE  entered  into  a  new 
five year term loan facility agreement, which maturity can be 
extended  by  two  additional  years  at  the  Company’s  option, 
for  €650  million.  The  facility  was  immediately  drawn  down 
and bears interest at Euribor 1-month plus 0.50% per annum. 
In October 2016, the maturity of this loan facility agreement 
was extended by one year.

Less than
1 year

388

3,757

19

1 to
5 years

12/31/2016

12/31/2015

1,000,000

1,000,388

1,001,321

15,402

8,491

19,159

8,510

18,492

7,848

4,164

1,023,893

1,028,057

1,027,661

In  June  2013,  Dassault  Systèmes  SE  entered  into  a  six  year 
term  loan  facility  agreement  for  €350  million.  The  facility 
was  immediately  drawn  down  and  bears  interest  at  Euribor 
1-month plus 0.55% per annum.

Note 18  Elements Concerning Related Companies

(in thousands of euros)

Loans receivable

Trade accounts receivable and related items

Current accounts receivable

Accounts payable and related items

Current accounts with credit balances

Finance income: dividends collected and net interest received

12/31/2016

12/31/2015

297,904

51,092

254,193

–

287,242

73,157

290,315

41,634

231,479

1,603

757,806

61,324

Current accounts with credit balances sharply decreased as a result of the implementation of the new cash pooling structure set 
up within the Group for the foreign subsidiaries.

150 ANNUAL REPORT 2016  DASSAULT SYSTÈMES

Financial Statements
Parent Company Financial Statements

4

Less than
1 year

73,733

–

73,733

141,459

25,231

40,940

65,456

9,832

294,289

287,242

7,047

509,481

1 to
5 years

–

–

–

11,729

11,729

–

–

–

–

–

–

11,729

12/31/2016

12/31/2015

73,733

–

73,733

153,188

36,960

40,940

65,456

9,832

294,289

287,242

7,047

521,210

58,507

1,603

56,904

136,424

33,759

40,068

53,175

9,422

760,506

757,806

2,700

955,437

4

Note 19  Trade Payables

Trade payables are as follows:

(in thousands of euros)

ACCOUNTS PAYABLE AND RELATED ITEMS

Group trade payables

Third-party trade payables

TAX AND SOCIAL SECURITY PAYABLES

Mandatory and contractual profit-sharing

Accrued vacation

Other employee expenses

Value added tax and other taxes and duties

OTHER OPERATING LIABILITIES

Current accounts payable*

Other liabilities

TOTAL PAYABLES

* 

See Note 18 Elements Concerning Related Companies.

In accordance with Articles L. 441-6 and D. 441-4 of the French Commercial Code related to information regarding payment due 
dates, at December 31, 2016, the balance of Dassault Systèmes SE’s trade payables to its suppliers amounted to €22.7 million 
(2015: €11.6 million). Due dates are as follows:

Due within 30 days

Due in more than 30 days

TOTAL

Note 20  Unearned Revenue

12/31/2016

12/31/2015

54.1%

45.9%

100.0%

58.5%

41.5%

100.0%

Unearned revenue is composed primarily of deferred software, maintenance and support revenue relating to periods subsequent 
to year end. Unearned revenue amounted to €39.9 million in 2016 compared to €42.9 million in 2015.

DASSAULT SYSTÈMES  ANNUAL REPORT 2016

151

4 Financial Statements

Parent Company Financial Statements

Note 21  Financial Commitments

Financial Instruments

At December 31, 2016 and 2015, the fair value of instruments used to manage currency and interest rate exposure was as follows:

(in thousands of euros)

Interest rate swaps in euros (1)(5)

Forward exchange contract Japanese yen/euros – sale (3)

Cross currency swaps Canadian dollars/euros (4)

Cross currency swaps Australian dollars/euros (4)

Forward exchange contract euros/U.S. dollars – sale (2)

Forward exchange contract euros/U.S. dollars – buy (2)

Forward exchange contract British pounds/euros – sale (3)

Other instruments (5)

Year ended December 31,

2016

2015

Nominal amount

Fair value Nominal amount

1,000,000

(20,332)

1,000,000

Fair value

(13,426)

162,391

72,765

73,214

51,500

51,500

36,019

28,025

4,066

(3,341)

(1)

1,581

(1,581)

75

189

133,832

61,683

71,735

36,741

36,741

–

21,853

(792)

6,449

2,082

(666)

666

–

(73)

(1)  Term loan facilities obtained by Dassault Systèmes SE in June 2013 and October 2015 respectively for €350 million and €650 million (see Note 17 Financial liabilities).
(2)  Dassault Systèmes SE has entered into hedging agreements for its subsidiaries.
(3)  Instruments entered into by the Company to hedge the foreign currency exchange risk of forecasted sales.
(4)  Hedging contracts with regards to loans made to subsidiaries to finance acquisitions; these instruments are not designated as hedging instruments.
(5)  Derivatives not designated as hedging instruments.

The  fair  market  values  of  derivative 
instruments  were 
determined  by  financial  institutions  using  market  prices  and 
option pricing models.

At the end of 2016, foreign exchange contracts have maturity 
dates  of  less  than  three  years.  Swaps  of  cross  currency  and 
interest rates have respectively a maturity less than three and 
five years.

Increases and Reductions in Future Income Tax 
Payable

Increases  and  reductions  in  future  income  tax  payable  have 
been evaluated on the basis of the standard corporate tax rate, 
plus extraordinary contributions when applicable.

(in thousands of euros)

Nature of temporary differences

SHORT TERM

Provision for mandatory profit-sharing

Depreciation of receivables

Other

LONG TERM (28.92% TAX RATE)

Provision for post-employment benefits

TOTAL TEMPORARY DIFFERENCES

Net reduction of the future corporate tax debt

(34.43% tax rate)

(28.92% tax rate)

152 ANNUAL REPORT 2016  DASSAULT SYSTÈMES

12/31/2016

12/31/2015

39,333

23,458

15,537

338

32,475

32,475

71,808

13,542

9,392

42,553

21,163

21,088

302

18,692

18,692

61,245

21,087

–

Financial Statements
Parent Company Financial Statements

4

Note 22  Other Commitments and Contingencies

Leases

Dassault Systèmes SE has leased approximately 57,000 square 
meters of office space for its headquarters facilities located in 
Vélizy-Villacoublay, outside Paris, France since June 30, 2008. 
In  February  2013,  the  Company  entered  into  a  new  lease 
agreement for its headquarters facilities for a non-cancelable 
initial  term  of  10  years  beginning  with  the  delivery  of  an 
additional 13,000 square meters of office space in the fourth 
quarter of 2016.

On December 31, 2016, commitments stood at €256.8 million 
for real estate and equipment rentals including €233.6 million 
relating to the lease for the headquarters in Vélizy-Villacoublay 
(compared with €272.6 million as of December 31, 2015); and 
€14.5 million (compared with €8.6 million as of December 31, 
2015) related to the lease of the “Terre Europa” site, next to 
the headquarters, effective as from July 2011.

by  Dassault  Systèmes  SE  which  is  strongly  confident  in  the 
technical  merits  of  its  positions  and  will  continue  to  defend 
them  with  the  relevant  tax  authorities.  In  this  context, 
Dassault  Systèmes  SE  made  payments  to  the  French  tax 
authorities  for  a  total  amount  of  €123.1  million  from  2014 
to  2016,  but  disputed  them  with  the  relevant  authorities. 
Therefore,    Dassault  Systèmes  SE  planned  to  appeal     a  first 
instance  judgment  in  relation  to  this  dispute  before  the  end 
of March 2017.

It  is  not  possible  to  determine  with  certainty  the  outcome 
of  the  dispute  in  these  matters.  However,  in  the  opinion  of 
management,  after  consultation  with  legal  and  tax  counsel, 
the  resolution  of  such  litigation  and  proceedings  should 
not  have  a  material  effect  on  the  financial  statements  of 
Dassault Systèmes SE.

Guarantee pledged

Litigation and other proceedings

Dassault  Systèmes  SE  is  involved  in  litigation  and  other 
proceedings,  such  as  civil,  commercial  and  tax  proceedings, 
incidental to normal operations.

Dassault Systèmes SE is subject to ongoing tax audits and tax 
reassessments.  Certain  of  these  reassessments,  in  particular 
those  related  to  acquisition  financing,  are  being  challenged 

The  Group  has  a  central  cash  management  operated  by  a 
banking  institution.  In  this  context,  the  parent  company  of 
the bank offered a guarantee to the Group in the amount of 
€475  million,  and  at  the  same  time  Dassault  Systèmes  SE 
offered a guarantee to the bank for the same amount.

Moreover,  Dassault  Systèmes  SE  offered  guarantees  in  the 
framework of contracts between subsidiaries and third parties 
for a total amount of €33 million.

4

Note 23  Additional Information

Events after the reporting period

Identity of the Consolidating Company

In  April  2016,  the  Company  and  Geometric  Ltd  announced 
that they have reached an agreement whereby the Group will 
acquire full ownership of 3D PLM Software  Solutions Limited   
(3DPLM),  its  joint  venture  in  India  with  Geometric  Ltd, 
increasing its share in 3DPLM capital from 42% to 100%. The 
transaction was undertaken through a court-approved scheme 
which is subject to shareholders, High Court and other Indian 
statutory approvals. It was finalized on March 2, 2017.

Dassault Systèmes SE’s business is included in the consolidated 
financial statements of Groupe Industriel Marcel Dassault SAS, 
whose  registered  office  is  located  at  9,  Rond-Point  des 
Champs-Élysées – Marcel Dassault, 75008 Paris, France.

DASSAULT SYSTÈMES  ANNUAL REPORT 2016

153

4 Financial Statements

Parent Company Financial Statements

Note 24  Information Relating to Subsidiaries and Shareholdings

(in thousands of euros) (1)

> 50% owned subsidiaries (2)

Dassault Systemes Corp. (3)

Dassault Systemes UK Ltd

Dassault Systèmes International SAS

Dassault Systemes KK

Dassault Systemes Israel Ltd

Dassault Systèmes Provence SAS

Dassault Systemes Deutschland GmbH

Dassault Systemes India Private Ltd

Share capital 
and share 
premiums

Equity excluding 
share capital 
and share premiums

% of interest

Net profit or loss

1,753,435

353,596

128,943

35,251

33,307

32,394

10,601

4,424

818,551

(1,650)

577

22,800

(17,304)

8,464

130,977

8,944

100

100

100

100

100

100

100

100

19,088

1,140

(6,203)

30,344

7,321

19,916

(16,800)

1,334

(1)  The earnings of foreign subsidiaries are presented in local GAAP for the year 2015, based either on statutory accounts or, if not available, on accounts communicated in the 
framework of the consolidation process. The results and revenue have been converted using the 2016 average annual exchange rates for the relevant currencies, while the 
shareholders’ equity of foreign subsidiaries have been converted using the closing rates in effect at year-end 2016.

(2)  Subsidiaries with gross book values exceeding 1% of Dassault Systemes SE’s share capital at December 31, 2016.
(3)  American holding company owning 100% of Dassault Systemes SolidW orks  Corp., and Dassault Systemes Holding LLC, the latter itself holding principally 100% of 

Dassault Systemes Simulia Corp. and Dassault Systemes Americas Corp.

(in thousands of euros)

Gross book value of shares

Net book value of shares

Loans and advances

Guarantees received (provided)*

Dividend rights received

Subsidiaries

Participations

French

287,027

241,027

137,481

13,500

43,025

Foreign

1,917,421

1,894,987

91,817

69,422

18,961

French

Foreign

–

–

–

–

–

90

90

–

–

–

*  Dassault Systèmes SE has guaranteed the repayment of 3DPLM preference shares up to INR 4,974 million.

154 ANNUAL REPORT 2016  DASSAULT SYSTÈMES

Financial Statements
Parent Company Financial Statements

4

4.2.2  Selected financial and other information 

for Dassault Systèmes SE over the last five years

(in  euros) 

Share capital

Share Capital

2012

2013

2014

2015

2016

125,096,778

126,932,985

128,182,039

128,357,093

128,998,301

Number of shares authorized and issued (2)

125,096,778

126,932,985

256,364,077

256,714,186

257,996,603

Statement of income data

Revenue

Result before income tax, profit sharing, 
amortization and provisions

Result before income tax, profit sharing, amortization 
and provisions and reversals of provisions

Income tax

Regulated employee profit-sharing

Optional employee profit-sharing

Net income

Data per share

Result after income tax and profit sharing 
and before amortization and provisions

Basic net income per share

Dividend per share (2)

Personnel

Average headcount (3)

990,705,543 1,064,558,462 1,125,687,175 1,260,845,593 1,350,178,886

386,581,931

435,033,094

359,636,561

533,131,911

508,202,894

367,577,134

413,314,821

304,131,981

447,874,625

429,982,212

52,457,635

68,216,039

45,164,304

76,133,045

57,113,129

16,266,653

15,512,132

17,921,044

21,163,228

23,457,774

13,601,995

18,421,890

17,921,044

21,163,228

23,457,773

254,846,867

263,440,594

183,005,154

299,471,749

269,585,830

4

2.28

2.04

0.80

2.45

2.08

0.83

0.87

0.71

0.43

1.28

1.17

0.47

1.26

1.04

0.53  (1)

2,298

2,449

2,672

2,080

3,030

Personnel costs paid during the year

164,250,610

180,114,271

203,666,853

229,015,587

255,040,681

Social security contributions paid during the year

88,239,898

86,640,481

99,949,422

111,452,364

121,906,769

(1)  To be proposed for approval at the General Meeting scheduled for May 23, 2017.
(2)  Historical data prior to 2014 does not reflect the two-for-one stock split of Dassault Systèmes SE shares carried out on July 17, 2014.
(3)  Apprentices are excluded.

DASSAULT SYSTÈMES  ANNUAL REPORT 2016

155

4 Financial Statements

Parent Company Financial Statements

4.2.3  Statutory Auditors’ Report on the Parent Company Financial 

Statements

This is a free translation into English of the Statutory Auditors’ report on the financial statements issued in French and it is 
provided solely for the convenience of English-speaking users.

The Statutory Auditors’ report includes information specifically required by French law in such reports, whether modified or 
not. This information is presented below the audit opinion on the financial statements and includes an explanatory paragraph 
discussing the auditors’ assessments of certain significant accounting and auditing matters. These assessments were considered 
for the purpose of issuing an audit opinion on the financial statements taken as a whole and not to provide separate assurance on 
individual account balances, transactions or disclosures.

This report also includes information relating to the specific verification of information given in the management report and in the 
documents addressed to the shareholders.

This report should be read in conjunction with and construed in accordance with French law and professional auditing standards 
applicable in France. 

To the Shareholders,  

In compliance with the assignment entrusted to us by your annual general  meetings, we hereby report to you, for the year ended 
December 31, 2016, on: 

 › the audit of the accompanying financial statements of Dassault Systèmes;

 › the justification of our assessments;

 › the specific verifications and information required by law.

These financial statements have been approved by the Board of Directors. Our role is to express an opinion on these financial 
statements based on our audit.

I. Opinion on the financial statements

We conducted our audit in accordance with professional standards applicable in France; those standards require that we plan and 
perform the audit to obtain reasonable assurance about whether the financial statements are free of material misstatement. An 
audit involves performing procedures, using sampling techniques or other methods of selection, to obtain audit evidence about the 
amounts and disclosures in the financial statements. An audit also includes evaluating the appropriateness of accounting policies 
used and the reasonableness of accounting estimates made, as well as the overall presentation of the financial statements. We 
believe that the audit evidence we have obtained is sufficient and appropriate to provide a basis for our audit opinion.

In  our  opinion,  the  financial  statements  give  a  true  and  fair  view  of  the  assets  and  liabilities  and  of  the  financial  position  of 
the Company as at December 31, 2016 and of the results of its operations for the year then ended in accordance with French 
accounting principles.

Without  qualifying  our  opinion,  we  draw  your  attention  to  the  effects  of  the  application  of  the  ANC  rule  n°2015-06  of 
November 23,  2015 on the allocation and amortization of the intangible assets mainly made up of technical deficits from mergers 
and goodwill detailed in the paragraph “intangible assets, property and equipment” of note 2 and in note 10 “intangible assets” 
of the financial statements.  

II. Justification of our assessments

In  accordance  with  the  requirements  of  Article  L.  823-9  of  the  French  Commercial  Code  (Code de commerce)  relating  to  the 
justification of our assessments, we bring to your attention the following matters:

 › The paragraph on “Revenue” of note 2 to the financial statements sets out the accounting principles and methods used to 
account for revenue including, firstly, new software licenses along with the related maintenance, and, secondly, services and 
other revenue. We verified the appropriateness of the selected accounting principles and methods, their application and the 
information disclosed in note 2 to the financial statements.

 › The paragraph on “Intangible assets, property and equipment” of note 2 to the financial statements sets out the methods of 
recognition and valuation of intangible assets. We verified that the values in use of the business assets (“fonds de commerce”) 
were consistent with their carrying value. We also verified the validity of the aforementioned change in accounting method and 
the presentation thereof.

156 ANNUAL REPORT 2016  DASSAULT SYSTÈMES

Financial Statements
Parent Company Financial Statements

4

 › The paragraph on “Non-current Financial Assets” of note 2 to the financial statements sets out the methods of recognition 
and valuation of the financial fixed assets. We verified that the values in use of the long-term equity interests were consistent 
with their carrying value.

These assessments were made as part of our audit of the financial statements taken as a whole, and therefore contributed to the 
opinion we formed which is expressed in the first part of this report. 

III. Specific verifications and information

We have also performed, in accordance with professional standards applicable in France, the specific verifications required by 
French law.

We have no matters to report as to the fair presentation and the consistency with the financial statements of the information 
given in the management report of the Board of Directors and in the documents addressed to shareholders with respect to the 
financial position and the financial statements.

Concerning the information given in accordance with the requirements of Article L. 225-102-1 of the French Commercial Code 
(Code de commerce) relating to remunerations and benefits received by the Directors and any other commitments made in their 
favor, we have verified its consistency with the financial statements, or with the underlying information used to prepare these 
financial statements and, where applicable, with the information obtained by your Company from companies controlling your 
Company or controlled by it. Based on this work, we attest the accuracy and fair presentation of this information In accordance 
with French law, we have verified that the required information concerning the purchase of investments and controlling interests 
and the identity of the shareholders or holders of voting rights has been properly disclosed in the management report.

4

Neuilly-sur-Seine and Paris-La Défense, March 17, 2017

The Statutory Auditors

French original signed by

French original signed by 

PricewaterhouseCoopers Audit 

ERNST & YOUNG et Autres 

Pierre Marty

Pierre-Antoine Duffaud

DASSAULT SYSTÈMES  ANNUAL REPORT 2016

157

 
 
4 Financial Statements

Parent Company Financial Statements

4.2.4  Statutory Auditors’ Report on Related Party Agreements 

and Commitments

This is a free translation into English of a report issued in French and it is provided solely for the convenience of English speaking users. This 
report should be read in conjunction with, and construed in accordance with, French law and professional standards applicable in France.

To the Shareholders,

In our capacity as statutory auditors of your company, we hereby present to you our report on related party agreements and 
commitments.

We are required to inform you, on the basis of the information provided to us, of the terms and conditions of those agreements 
and commitments indicated to us, or that we may have identified in the performance of our engagement as well as the reasons 
why they benefit the company. We are not required to comment as to whether they are beneficial or appropriate or to ascertain 
the existence of any such agreements and commitments. It is your responsibility, in accordance with Article R. 225-31 of the 
French Commercial Code (Code de commerce), to evaluate the benefits resulting from these agreements and commitments prior 
to their approval.

We  are  also  required,  where  applicable,  to  inform  you  in  accordance  with  Article  R.225-31    of  the  French  Commercial  Code 
(Code de commerce) concerning the implementation, during the year ended 2016, of the agreements and commitments already 
approved by the Annual General Meeting.

We performed those procedures which we deemed necessary in compliances with professional guidance issued by the French 
Institute of Statutory Auditors (Compagnie Nationale des Commissaires aux Comptes) relating to this type of engagement. These 
procedures consisted in verifying the consistency of the information provided to us with the relevant source documents. 

Agreements and commitments submitted for approval to the Annual General Meeting 

We hereby inform you that we have not been notified of any agreements or commitments authorized in the course of the year 
to be submitted to the Annual General Meeting for approval in accordance with Article L.225-38 of the French Commercial Code 
(Code de commerce).

Agreements and commitments already approved by the Annual General Meeting

We  hereby  inform  you  that  we  have  not  been  notified  of  any  agreements  or  commitments  already  approved  by  the  Annual 
General Meeting, whose implementation continued during the year ended December 31, 2016.

Agreements and commitments approve in prior years

In addition, we have been notified that the following agreements and commitments, which were approved by the Annual General 
Meeting in prior years, were not implemented during the year ended December 31, 2016. 

1. With Mr. Bernard Charlès, CEO

Nature and purpose
Indemnity in the event of the removal of Mr. Bernard Charlès from corporate office.

Conditions
At its meeting held on May 26, 2014, on the occasion of the renewal of Mr. Bernard Charlès’ term of office as CEO, the Board of 
Directors authorized, upon the proposal of the Remuneration and Selection Committee, the renewal of the agreement granting 
Mr. Bernard Charlès a compensation in case of the termination of his functions as CEO according to the terms adopted by the 
Board of Directors at its meetings held on May 27, 2010, March 28, 2008 and March 27, 2009.

At its meeting held on May,26 2014, the Board of Directors decided to make no change to the conditions, as defined by the Board 
of Directors at its meeting held on March,27 2009, in which this compensation would be due in view of the recommendations 
of the Remuneration and Selection Committee and in accordance with the recommendations integrated into the AFEP/MEDEF 
Consolidated Corporate Governance Code (Code de gouvernement d’entreprise consolidé) of December 2008.

The amount of the indemnity due would be equivalent to a maximum of two years of remuneration of the CEO and would depend 
on meeting performance targets established for the calculation of his variable remuneration.

158 ANNUAL REPORT 2016  DASSAULT SYSTÈMES

  
Financial Statements
Parent Company Financial Statements

4

4

The amount paid would be calculated as a prorated percentage of the variable remuneration paid during the three years prior to 
the departure in relation to the target variable remuneration for these same years.

Thus, the amount due would be calculated according to the following formula:

 › total gross remuneration (including variable remuneration but excluding benefits in kind and directors’ fees) due in respect of 

his corporate office for the two years ended prior to the date of departure,

 › multiplied by the figure resulting from the division i) of the amount of the variable remuneration paid to the CEO during the 
three years ended prior to the date of the departure (numerator), by ii) the amount of the target variable remuneration decided 
for each of these same years by the Board of Directors according to the achievement of the targets fixed for the Company 
(denominator).

The indemnity may only be paid in the event of a change in control or strategy duly established by the Board of Directors that 
results in a forced departure within the following twelve months. It could also be paid in a scenario of a forced departure without 
being related to poor results of the Company or to mismanagement by the CEO; the Board of Directors can then decide to grant 
all or part of the termination compensation.

The indemnity will not be due in a situation where the CEO leaves the Company on his own initiative to take up a new position, 
or changes position within the Group, or if he is able to claim a pension within a short time period. 

Besides,  in  the  event  of  exceptional  events  that  could  seriously  damage  the  Group’s  image  or  income  and  have  a  significant 
negative impact on the stock market share price of your Company, according to the assessment of the Board of Directors, or in the 
event of misconduct independent of his functions and incompatible with the normal performance of his office as CEO, the Board 
of Directors may establish that the indemnity will not be due.

2. With the board members of your Company, in connection with the insurance policy "Civil liability 

of the Directors  and the Corporate Officers" signed with the Insurance company Allianz

a. Nature and purpose  
Advance to the Board Members of their expenses of possible legal defense instituted against them in the exercise of their mandate.

Conditions
At its meeting held on July 24, 1996, the Board of Directors authorized the decision to have your Company advance its Boards 
members’ legal defense costs should their personal civil liability be questioned, compensation for the financial consequences that 
may result therefrom and legal defense costs relating thereto, in case the insurance policy signed with the Insurance company 
(Allianz) would not cover these advances and financial consequences.

b. Nature and purpose
Payment of the Board Members’ legal defense costs in the framework of possible proceedings taking place in the United Sates.

Conditions
At its meeting held on September 23, 2003, the Board of Directors authorized the decision to have your company pay the fees 
and travel expenses that Board Members of the Company and of its subsidiaries might have to bear to prepare their personal 
defense before a civil, criminal or administrative court in the United States if this defense were to be exercised within the scope of 
an inquiry or investigations being carried out against your Company.

Payment  of  these  costs  is  ensured  on  the  three-part  condition  that  the  Board  Members  and  Directors  concerned  are  assisted 
by lawyers selected by the Company, that the Company remain in control of its strategic choices in terms of proceedings and 
methods of defense and that the expenses incurred be reasonable.

Neuilly-sur-Seine and Paris-La Défense, March 17, 2017

  The Statutory Auditors

French original signed by

PricewaterhouseCoopers Audit 

ERNST & YOUNG et Autres 

Pierre Marty

Pierre-Antoine Duffaud

DASSAULT SYSTÈMES  ANNUAL REPORT 2016

159

4 Financial Statements

Legal and Arbitration Proceedings

4.3  Legal and Arbitration Proceedings

In  the  ordinary  course  of  business,  the  Company  is  involved 
from  time  to  time  in  litigation,  tax  audits  or  regulatory 
inquiries. The Company is subject to ongoing tax audits and tax 
reassessments in jurisdictions in which it has or had operations. 
Certain reassessments have been contested and the Company 
is  under  discussion  with  the  relevant  tax  authorities.  To  the 

Company’s  knowledge,  there  is  no  outstanding,  suspended 
or  pending  government  proceeding,  litigation  or  arbitration, 
which  has  had  during  the  last  twelve  months  preceding  the 
publication  of  this  Annual  Report  (Document de référence), 
or  is  likely  to  have,  a  significant  impact  on  the  Company’s 
financial position or results of operations.

160 ANNUAL REPORT 2016  DASSAULT SYSTÈMES

5

CORPORATE 
GOVERNANCE

CONTENTS

5.1  Report of the Chairman 

on Corporate Governance 
and Internal Control 

5.1.1  Composition and Practices 

of the Board of Directors 

5.1.2  The Executive Committee 

5.1.3  Declarations regarding the administrative Bodies 

and Senior Management 

5.1.4  Principles established by the Board of Directors 

pertaining to compensation of the Executive 
Officers and directors 

5.1.5  Application of the AFEP-MEDEF Code 

162

162

174

175

175

179

5.1.6  Internal Control Procedures and Risk Management  179

5.1.7  Other information required by Article L. 225-37 

of the French Commercial Code 

182

5.2  Report of the Statutory Auditors 
on Corporate Governance 
and Internal Control 

5.3  Summary of the Compensation 

and Benefits Due to Corporate 
Officers (mandataires sociaux) 

5.3.1  Compensation of the Company’s Corporate 

Officers (mandataires sociaux) 

5.3.2  Interests of Executive Management 
and Employees in the Share Capital 
of Dassault Systèmes SE 

5.4  Transactions in the Company’s 
Shares by the Management 
of the Company 

5.5  Statutory Auditors 

183

184

184

189

194

196

DASSAULT SYSTÈMES  ANNUAL REPORT 2016

161

5 Corporate governance

Report of the Chairman on Corporate Governance and Internal Control

5.1  Report of the Chairman on Corporate Governance 

and Internal Control

Since  its  IPO  in  1996,  Dassault  Systèmes  has  sought  to 
implement  the  best  international  standards  of  corporate 
governance. Dassault Systèmes currently adheres to most of 
the  recommendations  of  the  AFEP-MEDEF  Code  (available 
on  the  MEDEF  website:  www.medef.com)  and  therefore 
summarizes in a table the reasons why it does not apply certain 
of these recommendations (see paragraph  5.1.5 “Application 
of the AFEP-MEDEF Code” ).

Report of the Chairman of the Board to the Combined 
General Meeting of May 23, 2017
To the Shareholders of Dassault Systèmes,

The  purpose  of  this  report  is  to  describe  inter  alia  the 
composition and practices of the Board of Directors of Dassault 
Systèmes  SE,  the  application  thereto  of  the  principle  of 
balanced representation of men and women, and the internal 
control  and  risk  management  procedures  established  by  the 
Company.

This  report  was  drawn  up  in  accordance  with  the  French 
Commercial Code and the regulations of the Financial Markets 
Authority  (AMF),  based  on  work  carried  out  by  the  Finance, 
Legal and Internal Audit departments of Dassault Systèmes. It 
has been reviewed by the Audit Committee and approved by 
the Board of Directors on March 16, 2017.

5.1.1  Composition and Practices of the Board of Directors

5.1.1.1 

Composition of the Board of Directors

As of the date of this Annual Report, the Board of Directors 
of Dassault Systèmes SE comprises 11 members the term of 
their office is 4 renewable years:

 › Charles Edelstenne (Chairman);

 › Bernard Charlès (Vice-Chairman);

 › Thibault de Tersant;

 › Jean-Pierre Chahid-Nouraï;

 › Catherine Dassault;

 › Arnoud De Meyer;

 › Odile Desforges;

 › Tanneguy  de  Fromont  de  Bouaille  (director  representing 

employees);

 › Marie-Hélène Habert-Dassault;

 › Laurence Lescourret;

 › Toshiko Mori.

The composition of the Board of Directors of Dassault Systèmes 
SE  reflects  the  particular  attention  the  Company  pays  to 
seeking a balance between senior and new directors, between 
independent  and  non-independent  directors,  between 
women  and  men,  as  well  as  to  the  diversity  of  background, 
nationalities and competences.

As  at  December  31,  2016,  the  proportion  of  independent 
directors as per AFEP-MEDEF Code (i.e. excluding the director 
representing the employees) is  50%.

To assess such independence, Dassault Systèmes SE bases its 
decision on the definition of the AFEP-MEDEF Code which has 
been  incorporated  into  the  internal  regulation  of  the  Board 
of  Directors,  whereby  a  director  is  independent  when  he  or 
she  has  no  relationship  whatsoever  with  Dassault  Systèmes 
SE,  the  Group  or  its  management  which  might  compromise 
his/her  free  judgment.  At  its  meeting  of  March  16,  2017, 
the  Board  of  Directors  assessed  (as  every  year)  and  stated 
that five directors are independent: Ms.  Desforges, Ms.  Mori, 
Ms.   Lescourret,  Messrs  Chahid-Nouraï  and  De  Meyer.  This 
decision by the Board is based on the recommendations of the 
Compensation and Nomination Committee.

162 ANNUAL REPORT 2016  DASSAULT SYSTÈMES

Corporate governance
Report of the Chairman on Corporate Governance and Internal Control

5

The  Board  does  also  have  an  international  dimension,  with 
a Belgian and a Japanese director accounting for 18% of the 
members.

The  average  age  of  the  directors  was  61  at  the  date  of  this 
Annual Report (Document de référence).

As  none  of  the  independent  directors  have  a  business 
relationship  with  the  Group,  the  Board  of  Directors  had  to 
express  an  opinion,  as  at  present,  neither  on  the  materiality 
of any such relationship nor on the criteria used to assess it.

Dassault Systèmes SE is also committed to ensure a significant 
female  representation  at  the  Board,  which  is,  with  50%  of 
women  director  (excluding  the  director  representing  the 
employees  in  accordance  with  law)  above  the  minimum  of 
40% set forth by law.

The above information is summarized in the table below.

COMPOSITION OF THE BOARD OF DIRECTORS OF DASSAULT SYSTÈMES SE

Director

Charles Edelstenne

Bernard Charlès

Thibault de Tersant

Jean-Pierre Chahid-Nouraï

Catherine Dassault

Nicole Dassault 

Arnoud De Meyer

Odile Desforges (3)

Tanneguy de Fromont de Bouaille

Marie-Hélène Habert-Dassault

Laurence Lescourret

Toshiko Mori

Independence

Start of 1st term 
of office

Term expires 
in

Changes 
in 2016

Contribution to the diversity 
of the Board’s composition

04/08/1993

04/08/1993

04/08/1993

04/15/2005

2018

2018

2018

2019

07/20/2016

2019

Cooptation (1)

05/26/2011

2019

Resignation (2)

04/15/2005

2019

05/30/2013

06/24/2016

07/23/2014

05/26/2016

2017

2020

2020

2020

05/26/2011

2019

Designation (4)

Re-appointment

Appointment

Enhanced female 
representation

Enhanced female 
representation

Enhanced international 
representation

Enhanced female 
representation

Enhanced female 
representation

Enhanced female and 
international representation

X

X

X

X

X

(1)  Replaces Nicole Dassault until expiry of her term of office. Ratification of her cooptation will be proposed to the General Meeting on May 23, 2017 (see the paragraph 7.1 

( “Presentation of the Resolutions Proposed by the Board of Directors to the General Meeting on May 23, 2017” ).

(2)  On May 27, 2016.
(3)  The re-appointment of this director is proposed to the General Meeting of May 23, 2017.
(4)  The director representing employees designated by the trade union organization that has obtained the highest number of votes in the first round of the elections for Works Council 

members, the CFE-CGC Aéronautique, Espace et Défense (Aeronautics, Space and Defense Union).

5

DASSAULT SYSTÈMES  ANNUAL REPORT 2016

163

5 Corporate governance

Report of the Chairman on Corporate Governance and Internal Control

The roles and duties performed by the Dassault Systèmes SE Corporate Officers (mandataires sociaux) in 2016 are indicated in 
the table below.

CHARLES EDELSTENNE – CHAIRMAN OF THE BOARD

Biography:  Charles  Edelstenne  qualified  as  a  Chartered 
Accountant. He has spent his whole career with Dassault Aviation, 
where  he  started  working  in  1960  as  Head  of  the  Financial 
Studies department. In 1975 he became General Secretary then 
Vice-Chairman  responsible  for  economic  and  financial  affairs  in 
1986. From 2000 to 2013, he was Dassault Aviation Chairman-
Chief Executive Officer. In January 2013, Charles Edelstenne was 
appointed  Chief  Executive  Officer  of  Groupe  Industriel  Marcel 
Dassault.  He  was  founder,  Manager  then  Chairman  and  Chief 
Executive Officer of Dassault Systèmes and is currently Chairman 
of its Board of Directors.

End  of  current  term:  General  Meeting  approving  the  financial 
statements for the year ending December 31, 2017

Date of first appointment: 04/08/1993

Dassault  Systèmes  shares  owned  at  December  31,  2016: 
 15,680,534  (including a majority of beneficial ownership shares)

Age: 79 years

Nationality: French

Professional address: Groupe Industriel Marcel Dassault – 9 Rond-
Point  des  Champs-Élysées  –  Marcel  Dassault,  75008  Paris  – 
France

Other current positions and directorships:

Inside  Dassault  Group,  in  France:  Chief  Executive  Officer  and 
member  of  the  Supervisory  Board  of  Groupe  Industriel  Marcel 
Dassault  SAS  (GIMD) (1),  Honorary  Chairman  and  Director  of 
Dassault  Aviation  SA  (listed  company,  subsidiary  of  GIMD), 
Director  of  Sogitec  Industries  SA,  Dassault  Médias  SA,  G roupe 
Figaro Benchmark SASU

Inside Dassault Group, outside France: Director of SABCA (listed 
company,  subsidiary  of  GIMD)  (Belgium),  Director  of  Dassault 
Falcon Jet Corporation (United States)

Outside Dassault Group: Director of Thales and Carrefour (listed 
companies),  and  Banque  Lepercq  de  Neuflize  &  Co.  Inc.  (USA); 
Honorary Chairman of Gifas (2), Manager of the partnerships Arie, 
Arie 2, Nili and Nili 2

Other positions held, and expired, during the past five years:

Chairman of Gifas and Cidef  (3)

Chairman  and  CEO  of  Dassault  Aviation  SA  (listed  company, 
subsidiary of GIMD), Chairman of the Board of Dassault Falcon Jet 
Corporation and Chairman of Dassault International, Inc.

(1)  GIMD is the main shareholder of Dassault Systèmes SE (See paragraph 6.3.2  “Controlling Shareholder” ).
(2)  Groupement des Industries Françaises Aéronautiques et Spatiales.
(3)  Conseil des Industries de Défense Françaises.

164 ANNUAL REPORT 2016  DASSAULT SYSTÈMES

 
Corporate governance
Report of the Chairman on Corporate Governance and Internal Control

5

BERNARD CHARLÈS – VICE-CHAIRMAN OF THE BOARD AND CHIEF EXECUTIVE OFFICER

Biography: Bernard Charlès has been Vice-Chairman of the Board 
(since  2016)  and  Chief  Executive  Officer  of  Dassault  Systèmes 
since 2002. Since 1995, Mr. Charlès has had executive functions 
which  he  shared  with  Mr.  Edelstenne.  Prior  to  holding  this 
position,  Mr.  Charlès  served  as  Director  of  the  New  Technology, 
Research and Development and Strategy department from 1986 
to 1988 and as Director of Strategy, Research and Development 
from 1988 to 1995.

End  of  current  term:  General  Meeting  approving  the  financial 
statements for the year ending December 31, 2017

Date of first appointment: 04/08/1993

Dassault  Systèmes  shares  owned  at  December  31,  2016: 
2,890,441

Age: 59 years

Nationality: French

Professional  address:  Dassault  Systèmes  –  10  rue  Marcel 
Dassault, 78140 Vélizy-Villacoublay – France

Main  position:  Vice-Chairman  of  the  Board  and  Chief  Executive 
Officer of Dassault Systèmes 

Main  other  current  positions  and  directorships  (inside  the 
Dassault  Systèmes  Group,  outside  France):  Chairman  of  the 
Board of Dassault Systemes Corp., Dassault Syste mes   SolidW orks  
Corp.,  Dassault  Syste mes   Simulia  Corp.  and  Dassault  Syste mes  
Biovia  Corp.  (United  States);  Chairman  of  the  Advisory  Board 
(corporate body) of Dassault Syste mes  3DExcite GmbH (Germany)

Other  positions  held,  and  expired,  during  the  past  five  years 
(all inside the Dassault Systèmes Group, outside France):

Chairman  of  the  Board  of  Dassault  Syste mes    Delmia  Corp., 
Dassault  Syste mes    Enovia  Corp.  (United  States),  Dassault 
Syste mes   Canada  Software  Inc.  (Canada)  and  Chairman  of  the 
Supervisory Board of RealTime Technology AG (Germany)

5

THIBAULT DE TERSANT – SENIOR EXECUTIVE VICE-PRESIDENT AND CHIEF FINANCIAL OFFICER

Biography:  Thibault  de  Tersant  has  been  Senior  Executive  Vice-
President and Chief Financial Officer of Dassault Systèmes since 
2003.  He  joined  Dassault  Systèmes  in  1988  as  Executive  Vice-
President  and  Chief  Financial  Officer.  Prior  to  joining  Dassault 
Systèmes, Mr. de Tersant served as a finance executive at Dassault 
International.

End  of  current  term:  General  Meeting  approving  the  financial 
statements for the year ending December 31, 2017

Date of first appointment: 04/08/1993

Dassault  Systèmes  shares  owned  at  December  31,  2016: 
123,651

Age: 59 years

Nationality: French

Professional  address:  Dassault  Systèmes  –  10  rue  Marcel 
Dassault, 78140 Vélizy-Villacoublay – France

Main  position:  Senior  Executive  Vice-President  and  Chief 
Financial Officer of Dassault Systèmes

Main other current positions and directorships:

Inside  Dassault  Systèmes  Group,  in  France:  Chairman  of 
Dassault Systèmes International SAS

Chairman of the Board of La Fondation  Dassault Systèmes 

Inside  Dassault  Group,  outside  France:  Chairman  of  the  Board 
of  Spatial  Corp.,  Director  of  Dassault  Syste mes   Corp.,  Dassault 
Syste mes    SolidW orks   Corp.,  Dassault  Syste mes   Simulia  Corp., 
Dassault  Systèmes  Biovia  Corp.  (United  States),  member  of  the 
Advisory Board (corporate body) of Dassault Syste mes  3DExcite 
GmbH (Germany)

Outside  Dassault  Systèmes  Group:  Director  of  Temenos  (listed 
company)  (Switzerland);  Director  of  the  DFCG  (the  French 
National  Association  of  Chief  Financial  Officers  and  Financial 
Controllers)

Other positions held, and expired, during the past five years (all 
inside the Dassault Systèmes Group, outside France):

Manager  of  Elsys  SPRL,  Director  of  Dassault  Syste mes    Delmia 
Corp., and Dassault Syste mes   Enovia Corp. (United States)

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JEAN-PIERRE CHAHID-NOURAÏ – INDEPENDENT DIRECTOR

Chairman of the Audit Committee
Chairman of the Compensation and Nomination Committee

Age: 78 years

Nationality: French

is  an 

Jean-Pierre  Chahid-Nouraï 

Biography: 
independent 
consultant. He was a managing director (administrateur délégué) 
of  Finanval  Conseil  from  1992  to  2007.  Former  member  of  the 
Michelin management and Financial Manager, Mr. Chahid-Nouraï 
was also an investment banker at MM. Lazard Frères et Cie, Banque 
Veuve Morin-Pons, Financière Indosuez and S.G. Warburg, as well 
as a consultant with McKinsey & Co. At the same time, he taught 
finance at ESSEC, the Centre de Formation à l’Analyse Financière, 
INSEAD and CEDEP (Centre Européen d’Éducation Permanente).

Professional  address:  56  rue  de  Boulainvilliers,  75016  Paris  – 
France

Main position: director

End  of  current  term:  General  Meeting  approving  the  financial 
statements for the year ending December 31, 2018

Other current positions and directorships:

None

Date of first appointment: 04/15/2005

Other positions held, and expired, during the past five years:

Dassault Systèmes shares owned at December 31, 2016: 2,062

Director of the Fondation Stanislas pour l’Éducation

NICOLE DASSAULT – DIRECTOR (1)

End  of  current  term:  General  Meeting  approving  the  financial 
statements for the year ending December 31, 2018

Date of first appointment: 05/26/2011

Dassault Systèmes shares owned at December 31, 2016: 0 (2)

(1)  Nicole Dassault resigned on May 27, 2016.
(2)  Nicole Dassault is a shareholder of GIMD.

Age: 86 years

Nationality: French

Professional address: Groupe Industriel Marcel Dassault, 9 Rond-
Point  des  Champs-Élysées  –  Marcel  Dassault,  75008  Paris  – 
France

Main  position:  member  of  the  Supervisory  Board  (Conseil  de 
surveillance) of GIMD

Other  current  positions  and  directorships:  ( All  Inside  Dassault 
Group)   Vice-Chairman  and  member  of  the  Supervisory  Board 
(Conseil  de  surveillance)  of  Immobilière  Dassault  SA,  Chief 
Executive  Officer  (Directeur  Général  Délégué)  of  Rond-Point 
Immobilier SAS, Director of Dassault Aviation (a listed company), 
Dassault  Medias  SA,  groupe  Figaro  SAS  and  Artcurial  SA  and 
founding member of the Serge Dassault Foundation 

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CATHERINE DASSAULT – DIRECTOR

Biography:  Catherine  Dassault  is  a  member  of  the  Organizing 
Committee  and  the  Honorary  Committee  of  the  French 
Alzheimer’s  Research  Association,  to  whose  growth  she  has 
contributed  decisively.  Catherine  Dassault  also  sits  on  the  Board 
of  the  Institut  de  l’Engagement,  which  helps  young  volunteers 
enrolled in France’s Civic Service scheme to pursue their studies, 
find a job or set up their own business. Before devoting her time 
to  helping  develop  and  fund  medical  research  and  education, 
Catherine  Dassault  studied  law  and  psychology  and  worked  for 
some time in the communications industry.

End  of  current  term:  General  Meeting  approving  the  financial 
statements for the year ending December 31, 2018

Date of first appointment: 07/20/2016

Age: 50 years

Nationality: French

Professional  address:  Groupe 
Industriel  Marcel  Dassault, 
9 Rond-Point des Champs-Élysées – Marcel Dassault, 75008 Paris 
– France

Main  position:  Active  member  of  associations  recognized  to  be  
of public interest  

Other current positions and directorships:

None

Other positions held, and expired, during the past five years:

Dassault Systèmes shares owned at December 31, 2016: 1,409

Manager of C’est Ainsi (SARL)

ARNOUD DE MEYER – INDEPENDENT DIRECTOR

Chairman of the Scientific Committee
Member of the Compensation and Nomination Committee

Biography:  Arnoud  De  Meyer  is  President  of  the  Singapore 
Management  University.  Mr.  De  Meyer  is  a  specialist  in  the 
management of innovation and has published numerous articles 
and  books  on  this  subject.  He  was  previously  Director  of  Judge 
Business School (University of Cambridge, U.K.) and Professor of 
Technology Management at INSEAD and Deputy Dean of INSEAD 
in France in charge of Administration and External Relations. He 
has also taught at Waseda University and Keio Business School in 
Japan and created the INSEAD Campus in Singapore.

End  of  current  term:  General  Meeting  approving  the  financial 
statements for the year ending December 31, 2018

Date of first appointment: 04/15/2005

Dassault Systèmes shares owned at December 31, 2016: 1,169

Age: 62 years

Nationality: Belgian

Professional  address:  Singapore  Management  University  – 
81 Victoria Street, Singapore 188065 – Singapore

Main  position:  President  of  the  Singapore  Management 
University

5

Other current positions and directorships:

Outside  France:  Director  of  Temasek  Management  Services 
Pte.  Ltd,  Singapore  International  Chamber  of  Commerce,  SMU 
Ventures Pte. Ltd, member of the Board of Directors of Singapore 
National  Research  Foundation,  Director  of  the  Singapore 
Symphony Orchestra

Other positions held, and expired, during the past five years:

Director of Kylian Technology Management Pte. Ltd.

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ODILE DESFORGES – INDEPENDENT DIRECTOR

Member of the Audit Committee

Biography:  Odile  Desforges  graduated  from  the  École  Centrale 
Paris  in  1973.  She  began  her  career  at  the  Transport  Research 
Institute,  before  joining  Renault  in  1981  as  Planner  and  then 
Product Engineer. In 1986, she joined the Purchasing department. 
She  was  Body  Equipment  Purchasing  General  Manager  for 
Renault/Volvo  Purchasing  Organization,  then  for  Renault.  In 
1999,  she  became  Executive  Vice-President  of  Renault-VI  Mack 
Group,  before  becoming  in  2001  President  of  Volvo  Group’s  3P 
Business Unit.

In  2003,  she  was  appointed  Senior  Vice-President,  Purchasing, 
and  Chairwoman  and  managing  director  of  Renault  Nissan 
Purchasing  Organization  (RNPO).  Between  March  1,  2009  and 
July 1, 2012, she was Executive Vice-President, Engineering and 
Quality, and a member of the Group Executive Committee.

End  of  current  term:  General  Meeting  approving  the  financial 
statements for the year ending December 31, 2016

Date of first appointment: 05/30/2013

Dassault Systèmes shares owned at December 31, 2016: 300

Age: 67 years

Nationality: French

Professional address: 3, rue Henri Heine, 75016 Paris – France

Main position: director

Other current positions and directorships:

In  France:  Director  of  Safran,  Faurecia  and  Imerys  (listed 
companies)

Outside  France:  Director  of  Johnson  Matthey  Plc  (United 
Kingdom)

Other positions held, and expired, during the past five years:

Director of RNBV, RNTBCI, Renault Espana SA and Sequana

TANNEGUY DE FROMONT DE BOUAILLE – DIRECTOR REPRESENTING THE EMPLOYEES

Biography:  Tanneguy  de  Fromont  de  Bouaille  is  the  director 
representing  the  employees  appointed  by  the  CFE-CGC.  He  has 
been recruited by Dassault Systèmes in 1992 and currently serves 
as Consumer Goods and Retail Industry Sales Director, after having 
been  employed  as  General  Manager  of  Dassault  Data  Services 
(between  1992  and  2004),  and  Europe  Sales  Administration 
Director for ENOVIA (between 2004 and 2012). He previously held 
technical  functions  and  then  commercial  agency  management 
functions  with  Cap  Gemini  France  and  Cap  Gemini  America. 
Tanneguy de Fromont de Bouaille graduated from École Centrale 
Lyon and Massachusetts Institute of Technology.

End  of  current  term:  General  Meeting  approving  the  financial 
statements for the year ending December 31, 2019

Date of first appointment: 06/24/2016

Age: 62 years

Nationality: French

Professional  address:  Dassault  Systèmes  –  10  rue  Marcel 
Dassault, 78140 Vélizy-Villacoublay – France

Main  position:  Consumer  Goods  and  Retail  Industry  Sales 
Director of Dassault Systè mes

Main other current positions and directorships:

None

Other positions held, and expired, during the past five years:

Dassault  Systèmes  shares  owned  at  December  31,  2016: 
13,257*

None

* 

Tanneguy de Fromont de Bouaille is not bound by law or convention to hold Dassault Systèmes shares.

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Age: 51 years

Nationality: French

Professional address: Groupe Industriel Marcel Dassault, 9 Rond-
Point  des  Champs-Élysées  –  Marcel  Dassault,  75008  Paris  – 
France

Main  position:  Director  of  Communication  and  Patronage, 
Dassault Group

Other current positions and directorships:

Inside  Dassault  Group:  member  of  the  Supervisory  Board  of 
GIMD,  permanent  representative  of  GIMD  on  the  Supervisory 
Board of Immobilière Dassault, member of the Board of Directors 
of  Dassault  Aviation  (listed  company),  member  of  the  Strategy 
Committee HDF, Director and Vice-Chairman of the Serge Dassault 
Foundation, Director of Artcurial

Outside Dassault Group: Director of Biomérieux (listed company), 
General Manager of H Investissements, General Manager of HDH

Other positions held, and expired, during the past five years:

Member of Strategic Committee of Dassault Développement

Age: 43 years

Nationality: French

Professional address: ESSEC Business School – Avenue Bernard 
Hirsch – 95021 Cergy-Pontoise – France

Main position: Associate professor in the Finance department – 
ESSEC Business School

5

Other current positions and directorships:

None

Other positions held, and expired, during the past five years:

Member of the Supervisory Board of Groupe ESSEC

MARIE-HÉLÈNE HABERT-DASSAULT – DIRECTOR

Biography: After a Master’s degree in Business Law and Taxation, 
a business law practitioner diploma (Assas, 1988) and a Master’s 
in  Strategy  and  Marketing  (Sciences  Po,  1989),  Marie-Hélène 
Habert-Dassault began her career at DDB Publicité in London as 
a  media  planning  consultant.  She  joined  the  Dassault  Group  in 
1991 as Deputy Director of Communications. Since 1998, she has 
been Group Director of Communication and Patronage.

End  of  current  term:  General  Meeting  approving  the  financial 
statements for the year ending December 31, 2019.

Date of first appointment: 07/23/2014

Dassault Systèmes shares owned at December 31, 2016: 500*

*  Marie-Hélène Habert-Dassault is a shareholder of GIMD.

LAURENCE LESCOURRET – INDEPENDENT DIRECTOR

Member of the Audit Committee

Biography:  Laurence  Lescourret  has  been  an  associate  professor 
at the Finance department of ESSEC Business School since 2010. 
She is also a Director of ESSEC’s “Capital Markets and Regulation” 
Excellence  Center  and  an  affiliate  academic  researcher  at  the 
Centre de Recherche en Économie et Statistique (CREST).

She  holds  a  PhD  in  finance  from  HEC  Paris  (2003),  a  Master  in 
management  from  EDHEC,  a  Master  “104  Finance”  from  Paris 
Dauphine University, and a Master in political economy analysis 
from the École d’Économie de Paris.

Between 2004 and 2011, she was first an assistant professor, co-
director and ultimately Director of the ESSEC Finance department. 
She also taught at ENSAE between 2000 and 2010.

As an academic researcher, she is the author of several publications 
on  organizing  and  regulating  capital  markets  and  has  received 
distinction for her work. She was the 2013 recipient of the Vega 
Prize from the Federation of European Securities Exchanges and 
received  the  2015  award  for  best  research  article  on  derivative 
products  granted  by  the  IFSID  (Montreal Institute of Structured 
Finance and Derivatives).

End  of  current  term:  General  Meeting  approving  the  financial 
statements for the year ending December 31, 2019.

Date of first appointment: 05/26/2016

Dassault Systèmes shares owned at December 31, 2016: 0*

* 

Laurence Lescourret indicated she had used some of the directors fees paid to her in Q1 2017 to purchase Dassault Systèmes shares. As a result, on February 28, 2017 she held 115 
Dassault Systèmes shares.

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TOSHIKO MORI – INDEPENDENT DIRECTOR

Member of the Scientific Committee

Biography:  Toshiko  Mori  is  the  Robert  P.  Hubbard  Professor  in 
the  Practice  of  Architecture  at  Harvard  University’s  Graduate 
School  of  Design  and  was  the  Chairman  of  the  department  of 
Architecture from 2002 to 2008. She is principal of Toshiko Mori 
Architect, and founder of VisionArc, a think-tank promoting global 
dialogue  for  a  sustainable  future.  She  has  been  honoured  with: 
numerous American Institute of Architects New-York Awards; the 
Academy Award in Architecture from the American Academy of 
Arts  and  Letters;  the  American  Institute  of  Architects  New-York 
Chapter Medal of Honor; and the 2016 Tau Sigma Delta National 
Honor Society Gold Medal. Her project in Senegal won the Plan 
2016 award in Culture, was a finalist for the Aga Khan 2014-2016 
award, and won the Architizer 2016 A+ awards for Architecture + 
Community and Architecture + Humanitarianism. The project was 
also recently awarded the American Institute of Architects 2017 
Institute  Honor  Award.  Architectural  Digest  listed  her  amongst 
their  biennial  AD100  in  2014,  2016  and  2017  (the  distinction 
became annual in 2017). She is a member of the World Economic 
Forum Global Future Council on The Future of Cities, jury member 
of the Alvar Aalto Medal 2017, and was inducted as a member of 
the American Academy of Arts & Sciences. Lastly she is a partner 
of Paracoustica, a non-for-profit organization which brings music 
to underserved communities.

End  of  current  term:  General  Meeting  approving  the  financial 
statements for the year ending December 31, 2018

Date of first appointment: 05/26/2011

Dassault Systèmes shares owned at December 31, 2016: 600

Age: 65 years

Nationality: Japanese

Professional  address:  Toshiko  Mori  Architect,  199  Lafayette 
Street, New York NY 10012 – USA

Main position: Partner at Toshiko Mori Architect PLLC

Other current positions and directorships:

Outside France: Robert P. Hubbard Professor in Harvard Graduate 
School of Design, member of the American Institute of Architects 
College of Fellows, member of the World Economic Forum Global 
Future Council on Future of Cities and Urbanism, member of the 
Advisory Board of A + U Magazine, member of the G1 Summit 
(Japan) and member of the Alvar Aalto Medal 2017 jury.

Other positions held, and expired, during the past five years:

President  of  World  Economic  Forum  Global  Agenda  Council  on 
Design

Advisor to Isamu Noguchi Museum

Member  the  World  Economic  Forum  Global  Agenda  Council  on 
Design & Innovation

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5

Main provisions of the Board’s internal regulation
The  Board  of  Directors  established  an  internal  regulation 
(amended on May 26, 2016) to reflect the future appointment 
of a director representing employees. It defines the objectives, 
and  the  rules  governing  the  composition  and  operation  of 
the  Board  and  its  committees,  and  their  interactions.  The 
Audit Committee has its own charter, which was updated on 
May 26, 2016.

The internal regulation stipulates the frequency of the Board 
meetings take place and how Board members may participate 
in  them.  It  also  provides  rules  on  the  information  and 
disclosure provided to the Board members on a regular basis 
(e.g. information on off-balance sheet commitments and the 
cash position) and on when an event occurs that might have 
a material impact on the Company’s prospects, outlook or on 
the implementation of the Company’s strategy.

The internal regulation requires that, each year:

 › the Board reviews the independence of the directors;

 › the non-executive directors meet on one occasion without 
the  other  directors  to  have  a  general  discussion  on  the 
practices of the Board of Directors, and if applicable, debate 
specific subjects; and

 › the  Board  discusses  its  practices.  Every  three  years,  the 

Board conducts a formal review.

With  regard  to  the  obligations  applicable  to  directors, 
the  internal  regulation  provides  a  reminder  of  the  legal 
confidentiality  requirements  and  reflects  the  ethical  rules 
set  out  in  the  AFEP-MEDEF  Code,  particularly  in  the  areas 
of  prevention  and  management  of  conflicts  of  interest (1).  In 
terms  of  the  number  of  positions  held  in  other  companies, 
each  director  is  required  to  inform  the  Board  of  any  other 
position held in another French or foreign company, including 
in  their  committees.  Moreover,  the  executive  officers 
(dirigeants mandataires sociaux) must first obtain the approval 
from  the  Board  prior  to  accepting  a  new  term  of  office  in  a 
listed company. The internal regulation also requires them to 
hold,  directly  or  indirectly,  a  relatively  significant  number  of 
Dassault Systèmes SE shares (except the director representing 
the employees), and to comply with the Group’s rules on the 
prevention of insider trading.  

5

5.1.1.2 

Practices of the Board of Directors

Separation of the offices of Chairman and Chief 
Executive Officer
Dassault  Systèmes  separated  the  offices  of  Chairman  of  the 
Board  and  Chief  Executive  Officer.  In  addition  to  the  balance 
of  powers  that  this  offers,  it  enables  the  Chairman  and  the 
Chief Executive Officer to concentrate on their specific remits 
(described  below)  within  an  experienced  and  harmonious 
management  team  (Mr.  Charles  Edelstenne  previously  held 
both roles as Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of Dassault 
Systèmes SE).

Mr.  Charles  Edelstenne,  Chairman  of  the  Board,  organizes 
and supervises the work of the Board and reports thereon at 
the  General  Shareholders’  Meeting.  He  ensures  the  proper 
functioning  of  the  Board  and  the  committees  of  Dassault 
Systèmes SE and their compliance with the best practices of 
good corporate governance, for example, by making sure that 
the directors are capable of fulfilling their duties. Mr. Bernard 
Charlès,  Vice-Chairman  of  the  Board  and  Chief  Executive 
Officer  keeps  him  regularly  informed  of  significant  matters 
concerning  the  Company  and  in  particular  its  strategy, 
organization and investment projects. Mr. Charles Edelstenne 
also oversees maintaining quality relations with shareholders 
in  close  coordination  with  measures  taken  in  this  area  by 
Mr.  Bernard  Charlès.  All  of  these  tasks  of  the  Chairman  of 
the Board are directed toward serving the Company, and his 
actions  are  taken  into  account  in  reviewing  and  determining 
his compensation.

The  Chief  Executive  Officer  is  vested  by  law  with  the  most 
comprehensive  powers  to  represent  Dassault  Systèmes  SE, 
subject to the limitations of powers indicated in paragraph  5.1.1.4 
“Powers  of  the  Chief  Executive  Officer”   below.  He  represents 
Dassault Systèmes SE in its dealings with third parties.

In accordance with the recommendation of the Compensation 
and  Nomination  Committee,  following  the  amendment  to 
the  by-laws  decided  by  the  General  Meeting  on  May  26, 
2016,  the  Board  meeting  held  on  the  same  day  decided  to 
appoint Bernard Charlès as Vice-Chairman of the Board. This 
appointment was made within framework of the implementing 
by  the  Group  of  best  governance  practices  and  a  succession 
plan to ensure the Board would continue to operate normally 
in the absence of its Chairman the maximum age of which has 
been increased in 2016, to 85 years old.

 The  Board  of  Directors  has  set  up  a  number  of  special 
committees to help it perform its tasks: the Audit Committee 
(established  in  1996),  the  Compensation  and  Nomination 
Committee  and  the  Scientific  Committee  (established  in 
2005).  The  committees  report  regularly  to  the  Board  as  to 
the performance of their missions. The composition of these 
committees  and  their  practices  are  described  in  paragraph 
 5.1.1.3  “Composition,  Practices  and  Activities  of  the  Board 
Committees” .

(1)  An amendment to the internal regulation is planned for 2017 to set out the rules governing the prevention and management of conflicts of interest, in 

line with the new provisions of the AFEP-MEDEF Code.

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The Board of Directors’ activities in 2016
The  Board  of  Directors  met  eight  times  in  2016,  with  an 
attendance rate of 91%.

The Board’s review of its practices and performance
The  Board  of  Directors  is  constantly  seeking  to  improve  its 
practices. It has two ways of doing this:

In addition to the deliberations on its agenda pursuant to the 
law (notice of the General Meeting and approval of the annual 
management report), the Board also discussed principally the 
following issues:

 › the Company’s strategy (definition and review of strategic 
directions, review of partnership, acquisition, financing and 
guarantee transactions);

 › the  financial  statements  and  the  budget  (approval  of 
the  2015  annual  financial  statements  and  consolidated 
financial statements, the consolidated financial statements 
for the first half of 2016, the 2016 forward accounts and 
the review of the 2016 quarterly results); the Board is kept 
informed  as  to  the  Group’s  financial  position  by  reports 
from the Audit Committee and presentations made at each 
meeting  by  the  Senior  Executive  Vice-President  and  Chief 
Financial Officer;

 › the review of the assessment of the internal control system;

 › the amendment of the Board’s internal regulation and the 

Audit Committee’s charter;

 › the compensation of directors and allocation of shares and 

share subscription options;

 › the  composition  and  the  functioning  of  the  Board  (review 
of  directors  identified  as  independent;  examination  of 
materiality  of  any  business  relationships  with  the  Group; 
cooptation  of  a  director;  decisions  relating  to  the  office  of 
the director representing employees – training, preparation 
time);

 › the compliance of Dassault Systèmes SE with the rules and 

recommendations on corporate governance;

 › the proposal to pay additional profit-sharing (intéressement 

et participation) for fiscal year 2016;

 › the professional equality policy.

Directors’ training
Since 2016, the Company has extended to all the directors the 
possibility to attend an annual information day implemented 
independent  directors.  The  Company 
in  2015  for  the 
also  systematically  requests  that  all  directors  attend   the 
3DEXPERIENCE Forum which  it organizes every year notably 
in  France,  USA  and  Japan  where  they  can  discover  reviews 
made by clients and partners of the Company. In accordance 
with the AFEP-MEDEF Code, each director may request, if he 
or  she  considers  it  necessary,  additional  training  relating  to 
Dassault Systèmes’ specific features, businesses and markets.

Tanneguy  de  Fromont  de  Bouaille  benefits  from  a  training 
specifically designed to his office of director representing the 
employees.

Finally,  the  members  of  the  Audit  Committee  receive,  upon 
appointment, information on the specific accounting, financial 
and operational aspects of the Group.

 › it  asks  the  independent  directors  for  their  comments  on 
the subject. The independent directors meet every year to 
discuss the Board’s practices. In 2016, a presentation was 
made  to  them  on  this  topic,  after  which  they  were  able 
to  have  a  discussion  without  the  presence  of  the  Dassault 
Systèmes teams, before reporting on their discussion to the 
Board;

 › it holds a debate at least once a year on its practices, and 
conducts  a  formal  review  every  three  years,  in  accordance 
with its internal regulation and the AFEP-MEDEF Code. The 
2016 discussions on Board practices provided the directors 
with  the  opportunity  to  welcome  the  decision  to  appoint 
a  new  director  and  member  of  the  Audit  Committee. 
This  decision  followed  a  wish  from  the  directors  of  such 
Committee,  which  was  formally  recorded  during  the 
2015  discussions  on  Board  practices  and  backed  by  the 
management.

The  Board  declared  that  it  was  satisfied  with  the  effective 
contribution of the directors to the works of the Board, notably 
on  the  basis  of  the  attendance  and  the  involvement  of  each 
director. 

5.1.1.3 

Composition, Practices and Activities 
of the Board committees

Audit Committee
The Audit Committee consists solely of independent directors: 
Ms.  Odile  Desforges,  Ms.  Laurence  Lescourret  (director 
since  May  26,  2016),  and  Mr.  Jean-Pierre  Chahid-Nouraï, 
the  Committee  Chairman.  All  have  financial  or  accounting 
expertise .

It is the task of the Audit Committee to oversee:

 › matters  related  to  the  preparation  and  the  auditing  of 
accounting  and  financial  information,  in  compliance  with 
the applicable regulations and its Charter;

 › the  preparation  process  for  financial  information,  the 
effectiveness of the internal control and risk management 
systems, the audit by the Statutory Auditors of the annual 
financial statements and consolidated financial statements 
and the independence of the Statutory Auditors and;

 › the  relationship  between  Dassault  Systèmes  SE  and  its 
Statutory  Auditors.  In  this  regard,  the  Audit  Committee 
is  involved  in  appointing  and  reappointing  the  Statutory 
Auditors  and  in  appointing  them  for  non-audit  related 
missions.  It  monitors  the  Statutory  Auditors  to  ensure 
they fulfill their mission and takes account of the findings 
and  conclusions  of  the Haut conseil du C ommissariat aux 
C omptes after audits have been conducted.

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On  all 
recommendations to the Board of Directors.

these  matters, 

this  Committee 

The  Audit  Committee  also  provides  the  Board  with  regular 
reports on its activities, the results of the process of certification 
of  the  financial  statements  by  the  Statutory  Auditors,  how 
this  process  contributed  to  the  integrity  of  the  financial 
information  and  the  role  it  played  in  this  process.  It  informs 
the Board immediately of any difficulties it encounters.

It  approves  the  annual  plan  for  internal  audits  and  gives  its 
opinion on the department’s organization. Lastly, it authorizes 
the  Statutory  Auditors  to  provide  services  other  than  the 
certification of the financial statements.

In  the  performance  of  its  missions,  the  Audit  Committee  is 
given  presentations  by  the  Group’s  financial  management, 
particularly regarding risks and, as the case may be, off-balance 
sheet  commitments,  and  during  the  audit  of  the  financial 
statements,  a  presentation  from  the  Statutory  Auditor  on 
the results of the statutory audit and the accounting options 
selected. With regard to the efficiency of the internal control 
and risk management systems, the Statutory Auditors informs 
the Audit Committee of their main findings and the Internal 
Audit Director reports to the Audit Committee the conclusions 
of his work. In addition, the Committee may call on external 
experts, having assessed their expertise and independence.

 In  2016,  the  Audit  Committee  met  eight  times,  including 
three  meetings  at  head  office,  which  were  attended  by  the 
Senior  Executive  Vice-President  and  Chief  Financial  Officer, 
the  Company  Finance  Vice-President,  the  Group  Controller, 
the  Financial  Reporting  Director,  the  Internal  Audit  Director, 
the  General  Counsel  and  the  Statutory  Auditors  of  the 
Company, with which regular discussions were held without 
the management in attendance. The meetings preceding the 
disclosure  of  the  quarterly  results  took  place  by  conference 
call. The attendance rate for meetings of the Audit Committee 
in 2016 was 100%.

During 2016, in addition to reviewing the financial statements, 
the  Audit  Committee  had  the  opportunity  to  express  an 
opinion on various topics brought to its attention, including:

 › audit reform introduced by the Order of March 17, 2016;

 › update  of  a  procedure  for  the  authorization  of  non-audit 

services following the reform of the auditing sector;

 › follow-up of the action plan in response to the OCDE Base 

Erosion and Profit Shifting (BEPS) recommendation;

 › presentation  on  the  significant  changes  in   accounting 

standards (IFRS or French) and their impacts;

 › regular reviews of the internal audit plan;

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reports 

its 

 › Anti-Piracy Compliance program;

 › information on the bill “Sapin II” regarding anti-corruption 

practices;

 › re-appointment of a Statutory Auditor;

 › information on the new market abuse legal framework ; and

 › possible  acquisitions  of  target  companies,  as  well  as  the 

Group’s corporate simplification scheme.

Compensation and Nomination Committee
The  Compensation  and  Nomination  Committee  is  entirely 
comprised  of 
independent  directors:  Mr.  Chahid-Nouraï 
(Chairman) and Mr. De Meyer.

The main duties of this Committee are:

 › to  propose  to  the  Board  of  Directors  the  amounts  for 
compensation  and  benefits  of  the  executive  officers 
(dirigeants mandataires sociaux), including the formulas and 
the  rules  to  apply  for  determining  variable  compensation, 
and to verify the application of these rules;

 › to  evaluate  the  overall  amount  and  the  allocation  of  the 

directors’ fees;

 › to  propose  to  the  Board  the  nomination  or  renewal  of 
directors and examine the independence of those who are 
so identified, based on criteria set out in the AFEP-MEDEF 
Code;

 › to  examine  the  Company’s  policy  for  nominating,  and  to 
be informed of the compensation policy for the managers, 
including non-executive officers;

 › to  discuss  the  employee  profit-sharing  and  incentive  plan 
comprised  of  grants  of  performance  shares  and  share 
subscription options; and

 › to  propose  to  the  Board  of  Directors  solutions  in  case  of 
vacancy  of  the  position  of  Chairman  of  the  Board  and  of 
Chief Executive Officer.

When  the  Compensation  and  Nomination  Committee  carries 
out its nomination work, it liaises with Mr. Charles Edelstenne, 
Chairman of the Board and Mr. Bernard Charlès, Vice-Chairman 
of the Board and Chief Executive Officer.

In  relation  to  its  duties,  the  Committee  met  three  times 
in  2016,  with  an  attendance  rate  of  100%.  During  these 
meetings,  the  Committee  made  recommendations  to  the 
Board on the following subjects:

 › the  governance  of  the  Board  of  Directors  and  the 

appointment of Bernard Charlès as Vice-Chairman;

5

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 › the  renewal  of  the  term  of  office  of  a  director,  the 

appointment and cooptation of directors;

 › the  independence  of  directors,  which  was  reviewed  in 
relation to the responses of each director to a questionnaire;

 › the  compensation  of  executive  officers 

(dirigeants 

mandataires sociaux);

 › the  share  plans  and  share  subscription  option  plans  for 

Group directors and employees;

 › the amount and allocation of the fees allocated to directors.

On  a  general  and  ongoing  basis,  the  Compensation  and 
Nomination Committee monitors the compliance of Dassault 
Systèmes with the law and best practice in the area of corporate 
governance, particularly with regard to the composition of the 
Board.

Scientific Committee
Similar  to  the  other  Board  committees,  the  Scientific 
Committee is comprised solely of independent directors: Ms. 
Toshiko  Mori  and  Mr.  Arnoud  De  Meyer  (Chairman  of  this 
Committee).  It  meets  at  least  once  a  year.  The  Committee 
reviews  the  main  directions  of  research  and  development, 
as  well  as  the  Company’s  technological  achievements  and 
makes recommendations on these matters. The persons with 
principal  responsibility  for  these  matters  within  Dassault 
Systèmes are invited to the Committee’s meetings.

The  Scientific  Committee  met  twice  in  2016,  with  an 
attendance  rate  of  75%.  At  these  meetings,  it  reviewed  a 
number  of  topics  central  to  Dassault  Systèmes  strategy  and 
in particular:

 › Data Science with big data, cloud, and machine learning; and

 › Life  Science  and  precision  medicine  with  the  Group’s 
the  development 
successes  and 

investments  and 
opportunities for this market.

5.1.1.4 

Powers of the Chief Executive Officer

Pursuant to French law, the Chief Executive Officer represents 
Dassault Systèmes SE in dealings with third parties within the 
limits  set  by  the  corporate  purpose  of  the  Company  and  by 
the powers reserved by law to the shareholders or the Board 
of Directors.

However, under the Dassault Systèmes SE’s by-laws, certain 
decisions  of  the  Chief  Executive  Officer  are  submitted  to  the 
prior  approval  of  the  Board.  This  concerns,  in  particular,  the 
acquisition or the disposal of an entity, shareholding or asset 
(excluding internal transactions) or the use of external funding 
(bank  loan  or  capital  market  issue),  if  the  amount  of  the 
transaction  exceeds  a  threshold  set  each  year  by  the  Board. 
This  threshold,  which  was  set  by  the  Board  on  March  16, 
2017, is € 500  million.

On March 16, 2017, the Board also renewed its authorization to 
the Chief Executive Officer to grant guarantees, endorsements 
or  securities  in  the  name  of  Dassault  Systèmes  SE  up  to  an 
aggregate amount of € 500  million.

5.1.2  The Executive Committee

Chaired by Mr. Bernard Charlès, Vice-Chairman of the Board and Chief Executive Officer, the Executive Committee gathers together 
the managers of the main Dassault Systèmes business areas and functions. It has 10 members:

Bernard Charlès (1)

Dominique Florack

Thibault de Tersant (2)

Bruno Latchague

Monica Menghini

Pascal Daloz

Sylvain Laurent

Laurent Blanchard

Laurence Barthès

Philippe Forestier

Vice-Chairman of the Board and Chief Executive Officer

President, Research and Development

Senior Executive Vice-President, Chief Financial Officer

Senior Executive Vice-President, Global Field Operations (Americas), 
Industry solutions and Indirect channels

Executive Vice-President, Chief Strategy Officer

Executive Vice-President, Brands and Corporate Development

Executive Vice-President, Global Field Operations (Asia-Oceania), 
Worldwide Business Transformation

Executive Vice-President, Global Field Operations (EMEAR) (3), Worldwide Alliances and Services

Executive Vice-President, Chief People and Information Officer

Executive Vice-President, Global Affairs and Communities

(1)  Mr Bernard Charlès is an acting executive officer (dirigeant mandataire social exécutif) as defined by the AFEP-MEDEF Code.
(2)  Mr. Thibault de Tersant is also a director of Dassault Systèmes SE.
(3)  Europe Middle-East Africa Russia.

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5.1.3  Declarations regarding the administrative Bodies 

and Senior Management

To Dassault Systèmes SE’s knowledge:

 › there  is  no  family  relationship  between  the  directors, 
or  between  a  director  and  a  member  of  the  Executive 
Committee  (see  paragraph   5.1.2   above  for  the  list  of 
members), with the exception of Ms. Marie-Hélène Habert-
Dassault and her sister-in-law Ms. Catherine Dassault;

 › in the past five years, none of the directors or members of 
the  Group’s  Executive  Committee  has  been  convicted  of 
fraud, been declared bankrupt or their property impounded 
or  liquidated,  been  subject  to  an  official  accusation  and/
or  penalty  delivered  by  legal  or  regulatory  authorities,  or 
been  prohibited  by  a  court  from  becoming  a  member  of 
an  administrative,  management  or  supervisory  body  of  a 

company,  or  from  being  involved  in  the  management  or 
direction of the affairs of a company;

 › there  are  no  potential  conflicts  of  interest  between  the 
duties  to  the  Company  of  the  members  of  the  Board  of 
Directors and their private interests and/or other duties, and 
no director or member of the Group’s Executive Committee 
has  been  named  to  the  Board  or  to  an  administrative, 
management  or  supervisory  body  as  a  result  of  an 
agreement  between  the  Company’s  main  shareholders, 
customers, suppliers or any other persons;

 › no director or member of the Group’s Executive Committee 
is  party  to  a  service  contract  with  Dassault  Systèmes  SE, 
or one of its subsidiaries, which provides him or her with a 
personal benefit.

5.1.4  Principles established by the Board of Directors pertaining 

to compensation of the Executive Officers and directors

5

Dassault  Systèmes  SE’s  compensation  policy  is  designed  to 
attract, motivate and retain highly qualified individuals, with 
the aim of ensuring the success of Dassault Systèmes. Indeed, 
this success depends on the achievement of its objectives, in 
particular,  strategic,  business  and  financial  objectives,  over 
the medium and long term. In setting criteria for determining 
compensation,  Dassault  Systèmes  seeks  to  strike  a  balance 
between short, medium and long-term financial objectives, in 
order  to  take  into  account  the  creation  of  stockholder  value 
and recognize individual performance.

The annual compensation of the executive officers (dirigeants 
mandataires  sociaux)  is  set  by  the  Board  on  the  basis  of 
recommendations  of  the  Compensation  and  Nomination 
Committee. Such Committee bases its recommendations on a 
benchmark of compensations granted to Presidents of Boards 
of Directors or Supervisory Boards and CEOs of French groups 
part of the SBF 120 index, and of compensations granted to 
CEOs  (also  founders  in  a  majority  of  cases)  of  international 
technology companies.

Also, in accordance with the recommendations of the AFEP-
MEDEF  Code,  the  compensation  elements  due  or  granted 
for the last financial year to each executive officer (dirigeant 
mandataire social) within the meaning of AFEP-MEDEF Code, 

i.e. Charles Edelstenne, Chairman, and Bernard Charlès, Vice-
Chairman  and  CEO,  will  be  subject  to  shareholders’  vote.  In 
2016, such resolutions relating to compensation elements due 
or granted for the financial year 2015 to Charles Edelstenne 
(6th  resolution)  and  to  Bernard  Charlès  (7th  resolution)  were 
approved by 98.46% and 81.35%, respectively.

Besides, in accordance with Article L. 225-37-2 of the French 
Commercial  Code,  the  principles  and  criteria  applicable  to 
the  determination,  distribution  and  to  the  granting  of  the 
fix,  variable  and,  as  the  case  may  be,  exceptional  elements 
which  are  part  of  the  total  compensation  and  benefits  of  all 
kinds attributable to Mr. Charles Edelstenne, Chairman of the 
Board,  and  to  Mr.  Bernard  Charlès,  Vice-Chairman  and  CEO, 
for  the  purposes  of  their  duty  during  2017  and  which  form 
part  of  the  compensation  policy  relating  to  them,  will  be 
subject to a vote in the next General Meeting (see paragraph 
 7.1  “Presentation  of  the  resolutions  proposed  by  the  Board 
of  Directors  to  the  General  Meeting  on  May  23,  2017” ).  In 
accordance with Article L. 225-100 of the French Commercial 
Code,  the  variable  or  exceptional  compensation  elements 
resulting  of  the  implementation  of  the  compensation  policy 
will be subject to a vote of the shareholders during the General 
Meeting convened to approve the 2017 annual accounts.

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5.1.4.1 

Fix, variable and exceptional 
compensation and in-kind benefits  

The  annual  compensation  of  the  Chairman  of  the  Board  is  a 
fixed  amount.  However,  the  compensation  of  each  member 
of  the  Executive  Committee  of  the  Group  is  comprised  of  a 
fixed portion and a variable portion. The variable portion may 
represent  a  significant  part  of  the  total  compensation  if  the 
annual  targets  are  achieved  or  outperformed.  The  targets 
are  reviewed  every  year  in  order  to  be  consistent  with  the 
Company’s  strategic  orientations  and 
individual 
management targets.

include 

Members of the Executive Committee within the French scope, 
except for the Chief Executive Officer, are also eligible for profit-
sharing  payments  in  the  same  manner  as  other  employees 
of  Dassault  Systèmes  SE,  as  described  in   paragraph  5.1.4.5 
“Employee Profit-sharing” .

Each year, the Board of Directors sets:

 › the amount of the compensation (fixed only in accordance 
with  the  recommendation  of  the  AFEP-MEDEF  Code)  of 
Mr. Charles Edelstenne, Chairman of the Board.

At  its  meeting  on  March  16,  2017,  the  Board  of  Directors 
set  the  amount  of  the  Chairman’s  2017  compensation  at 
€982,000.  The  Chairman’s  compensation  has  therefore 
remained the same since 2014.

 › the  annual  compensation  of  Mr.  Bernard  Charlès 

Vice-Chairman of the Board and CEO.

For his office as CEO, the annual target compensation with 
objectives achieved of Mr. Bernard Charlès is comprised of a 
fixed portion for 50%, paid monthly, and a variable portion 
for 50%, paid annually in relation to the achievement of the 
performance criteria previously set by the Board of Directors. 
The level of achievement of the objectives determines the 
amount actually paid for the variable compensation, which 
can result in a payment below the target, or up to 140%. 
Any  significant  change  in  his  fixed  compensation  is  made 
over the long term and relates to the increase in the Group’s 
scope and market footprint. 

The variable portion of the CEO’s compensation paid in 2017 in 
respect of 2016, was set by the Board dated at its meeting of 
March 16, 2017, upon recommendation of the Compensation 
and Nomination Committee, to 1,378,000 euros after review of 
the achievement of the performance criteria set, representing 
104% of the annual target compensation in 2016.

The categories of performance criteria, each equally weighted, are set forth in the following table with an indication , for each of 
them, of the level of payment resulting from the level of satisfaction of the quantifiable and qualitative objectives.   

Performance criteria categories 

Diluted net profit per share on a non-IFRS consolidated basis (hereinafter referred to as the “EPS”) 
in line with the objectives communicated by Dassault Systèmes for the year 

Company’s efficiency processes, measured by the fact that the non-IFRS operating margin 
is in line with the objectives announced by Dassault Systèmes for the year 

Dassault Systèmes’ competitive position, measured by the evolution of the increase 
in the turnover compared to the competitors and the increase of the weigh 
of the diversification industries in the global software turnover 

Composition of product portfolio 

Implementation of the Group’s short-, medium- and long-term strategy 

Type 

Quantifiable 

108 % 

Quantifiable 

104 %  

Quantifiable 

Qualitative 

Qualitative 

103 %  

100 %  

105 %  

During  its  meeting  held  on  March  16,  2017,  the  Board  of 
Directors also set the foregoing performance criteria categories 
to assess the payment of the CEO’s variable compensation for 
2017.  In  2017,  those  performance  criteria  categories  show, 
as  for  2016,  a  limit  of  40%  to  the  purely  qualitative  part  of 
this variable compensation. In order to protect the Company’s 
competitive position, the Board of Directors considered that it 
was not appropriate to disclose further details of the  qualitative 
performance criteria. These qualitative and quantifiable criteria, 
which  are  discussed  by  the  Compensation  and  Nomination 
Committee  and  the  Board,  are  both  internal  and  external  in 
nature and depend on the Group’s annual performance or its 
multi-year strategy (medium- and long-term). In addition, they 
include  a  strong  “Social  and  Environmental  Responsibility” 
dimension  in  relation  with  the  Group’s  business,  each  of 
Dassault Systèmes’ brands containing a promise of sustainable 

(see  paragraphs 

 2.2.2.1  “3DEXPERIENCE 
development 
platform for Sustainability: apps and solutions for sustainable 
development” ,  2.1.4 “Rewarding performance and recognizing 
employees”  and  2.1.2.3 “Developing relations with the social, 
regional and community environment”  ).

At its meeting of March 16, 2017, the Board of Directors set 
for  2017  the  annual  target  compensation  with  objectives 
achieved  for  the  Chief  Executive  Officer  at  €2,650,000, 
composed of a fixed portion for €1,325,000 (unchanged since 
2015)  and  a  variable  portion  the  paid  amount  of  which  will 
depend  upon  the  achievement  of  the  objectives  and  will  be 
subject to the prior approval by the General Meeting convened 
to approve the 2017 annual accounts. Therefore, the annual 
target  compensation  with  objectives  achieved  for  the  Chief 
Executive Officer remains unchanged since 2015.

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 Mr. Bernard Charlès receives as Chief Executive Officer, benefits 
in-kind in the form of the use of a vehicle provided by Dassault 
Systèmes  SE,  as  indicated  in  paragraph  5.3   “Summary  of 
Compensation and Benefits Due to Directors” .

As  regards  his  office  as  Vice-Chairman  of  the  Board, 
Mr. Bernard Charlès has not been granted nor has received any 
compensation in 2016.

Finally,  Mr.  Charles  Edelstenne,  Chairman  of  the  Board, 
and  Mr.  Bernard  Charlès,  Vice-Chairman  of  the  Board  and 
Chief  Executive  Officer  have  not  been  granted  in  2016  any 
exceptional compensation or any multi-annual compensation. 
They are not beneficiaries of an additional retirement plan nor 
any indemnity under a non-competition clause. 

5.1.4.2 

Performance Shares and Share 
Subscription Options

The  members  of  the  Group’s  Executive  Committee  are  given 
long-term  incentives  notably  through  grants  of  Dassault 
Systèmes performance shares or share subscription options to 
associate them with the development and performance of the 
Company. In general, performance shares or share subscription 
options  may  be  granted  to  key  employees  of  the  Company, 
and the number granted to each of them is dependent on the 
individual  performance  and  level  of  responsibility  of  each  of 
the beneficiaries (see paragraph  5.3.2 “Interests of Executive 
Management and Employees in the Share Capital of Dassault 
Systèmes SE” ).

Grants of share subscription options and performance shares 
generally occur during identical periods. However, there may 
be  rare  exceptions  to  this  rule,   given  the  recent  changes  in 
the tax and legal frameworks, or on the compliance with the 
knowledge of inside information by the corporate officers.

The General Meeting of September 4, 2015 set the maximum 
number  of  shares  which  could  be  granted  to  the  executive 
officers (dirigeants mandataires sociaux) at 35% of the overall 
amount  approved,  assessed  on  the  date  of  allocation,  which 
was 1,800,078 shares at May 26, 2016.

Within  the  framework  of  this  authorization,  the  Board  of 
Directors  which  met  on  May  26,  2016,  decided,  on  the 
recommendation  of  the  Compensation  and  Nomination 
Committee,  to  grant  300,000  shares  to  the  Vice-Chairman 
of  the  Board  and  Chief  Executive  Officer  (“2016-B  Shares”) 
as  part  of  the  gradual  process  of  making  Bernard  Charlès  a 
company shareholder that began several years ago, with the 
aim of recognizing his entrepreneurial role during more than 
30  years  with  the  Group  and  providing  him  with  an  equity 
interest  comparable  to  that  of  founders  of  companies  in 
the  same  sector  or  more  generally  his  peers  in  technology 
companies around the world. This number of 300,000 shares 
granted remains unchanged since 2005, which is the year of 
first  grant  to  the  CEO  (taking  into  account  the  two-for-one 
share split on July 17, 2014).

These 2016-B shares represent 5.86% of the overall amount 
approved by the General Meeting of September 4, 2015.

The  vesting  of  these  shares  to  Mr.  Bernard  Charlès,  Vice-
Chairman of the Board and Chief Executive Officer is subject 
to  his  remaining  in  office  and  two  cumulative  performance 
conditions:

1.  the  first  performance  condition  is  identical  to  that  of  the 
2016-A  performance  shares  plan  approved   by  the  Board 
at its meeting of  May 26, 2016, for the benefit of certain 
employees of the Group.

Under  the  first  tranche  of  the  2016-B  shares,  such  first 
performance condition is based on the average  achievement  
level  of the following objectives:

(i)  the intrinsic performance of the Group measured by the 
increase in  the EPS for 2017 compared to that for 2015. 
it being specified that the achievement level    will vary 
linearly  between  0  and   100%  subject  to  a  threshold  
and a target  defined by the Board dated May 26, 2016, 
and

(ii)  the  outperformance  by  reference  to   the  Dassault 
Systèmes  stock  price  determined  by  difference 
between the change in  the stock price over of the last 
five trading days of the months of February 2016 and 
2018 and the change in  the CAC40 Index on the same 
basis.  The  achievement   level   will  vary  linearly  subject 
to a threshold  and a target  defined by the Board dated 
May 26, 2016.

Under the second tranche of those 2016-B shares, the first 
performance condition is subject to:

(i)  the intrinsic performance of the Group measured by the 
increase of the EPS for 2018 compared to that for 2015. 
it being specified that the achievement level  will vary 
linearly  between  0  and   100%  subject  to  a  threshold  
and a target  defined by the Board dated May 26, 2016, 
and

(ii)  the  outperformance  by  reference  to   the  Dassault 
Systèmes  stock  price  determined  by  difference 
between  the  change  in   of  the  stock  price  over  of  the 
last five trading days of the months of February 2016 
and  2019  and  the  change  in   the  CAC40  Index  on  the 
same basis. This difference must be at least equal to a 
minimum set by the Board;

2.  the  additional  performance  condition,  only  applicable  to 
Mr.   Bernard  Charlès,  Vice-Chairman  and  Chief  Executive 
Officer,  is  related  to  his  variable  compensation   actually 
paid, for the first tranche, in respect of the years 2016 and 
2017 (and effectively paid in 2017 and 2018), and for the 
second  tranche,  in  respect  of  the  years  2016,  2017  and 
2018 (and effectively paid in 2017, 2018 and 2019), the 
amount of which depends on   the level of achievement of 
performance criteria set by the Board.

5

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In  accordance  with  the  AFEP-MEDEF  Code  and  AMF 
recommendations,  the  Board  meeting  of  May  26,  2016 
reached  a  decision  regarding  the  commitment  of  the  Vice-
Chairman  of  the  Board  and  CEO  to  maintain  in  a  registered 
form at least 15% of the total amount of shares vested to him 
under  the  2016-B  grant,  such  percentage  being  calculated 
after  deduction  of  the  number  of  shares  which  would  be 
necessary  to  sell  to  pay  taxes,  social  charges  and  expenses 
related to the sale of the total number of shares vested.

Mr. Bernard Charlès also as formally agreed not to use forward 
contracts  in  order  to  secure  a  capital  gain  in  connection 
with  the  sale  of  performance  shares  or  the  exercise  of  stock 
options,  until  the  expiry  of  the  legal  lock-up  period.  The 
Dassault Systèmes’ insider trading rules already impose such 
restriction. 

Further information concerning share subscription options and 
performance shares is provided in paragraph  5.3 “Summary of 
Compensation and Benefits Due to Directors” .

Aside from Dassault Systèmes SE, no other Group company has 
granted  shares  or  options  to  corporate  officers  (mandataires 
sociaux) in 2016.

5.1.4.3 

Indemnities Due in the Event of the 
Imposed Departure (départ contraint) 
of Mr. Bernard Charlès

In  accordance  with  the  French  Commercial  Code  and  the 
AFEP-MEDEF  Code,  the  principle  and  the  amount  of  the 
indemnity  paid  to  the  Chief  Executive  Officer  upon  the 
termination  of  his  functions  are  subject  to  conditions,  in 
particular  performance  conditions.  Thus  the 
indemnity 
would be due in case of a change in control or strategy duly 
acknowledged  by  the  Board  of  Directors,  which  results  in 
an  imposed  departure  (départ contraint)  in  the  subsequent 
12  months.  The  indemnity  may  also  be  paid  if  the  imposed 
departure is not linked to poor results of the Company or to 
mismanagement  by  the  Chief  Executive  Officer,  the  Board 
of Directors being entitled to decide to pay all or part of the 
indemnity.  The  Board  decided  to  provide  for  this  indemnity 
payment given the shareholder structure of the Company and 
the  length  of  service  to  the  Company  of  the  Chief  Executive 
Officer.

However,  the  indemnity  would  not  be  due  in  the  event  the 
Chief  Executive  Officer  were  to   leave  the  Company  on  his 
own initiative to take a new position elsewhere, or were to  be 
assigned a new position within the Company, or if he were to  
receive retirement benefits shortly after leaving. Furthermore, 
in the event of exceptional circumstances seriously damaging 
the  image  or  results  of  the  Company  and  significantly 
reducing, in the opinion of the Board, the market price of the 
Company’s  shares  or  in  the  event  of  misconduct  other  than 
in connection with his corporate functions (faute séparable de 
ses fonctions) and incompatible with the normal performance 
of  his  mandate,  the  Board  may  decide  that  the  indemnity 
payment is not due.

The  amount  of  the  indemnity  due  to  the  Chief  Executive 
Officer  in  the  event  of  the  termination  of  his  functions  will 
be  equivalent  to  a  maximum  of  two  years  of  compensation 
as  Chief  Executive  Officer  and  will  depend  on  satisfying  the 
performance conditions established for calculating his variable 
compensation.  The  amount  paid  would  be  calculated  pro 
rata with respect to the percentage of variable compensation 
which was paid during the three years preceding his departure 
as  compared  to  the  targeted  variable  compensation  for  such 
years.  The  amount  due  would  be  calculated  by  using   the 
following formula:

 › the  aggregate  gross  compensation  (including  variable 
compensation  but  excluding  compensation  in  kind  and 
directors’ fees) due in connection with his position for the 
two years ended  prior to the date of departure;

 › multiplied  by  the  quotient  of  (i)  the  amount  of  variable 
compensation actually paid during the three financial years 
completed  prior  to  the  date  of  departure  with  regard  to 
their respective years of reference (numerator), divided by 
(ii) the amount of target variable compensation determined 
for  each  of  these  years  by  the  Board  of  Directors  on  the 
basis of achievement of the objectives set for the Company 
(denominator).

The  indemnity  is  thus  subject  to  performance  conditions 
related to achieving targets fixed for the variable compensation.

5.1.4.4  Directors’ Fees

For the purposes of their respective offices as Chairman of the 
Board  and  director,  Mr.  Charles  Edelstenne  and  Mr.  Bernard 
Charlès  receive  directors’  fees  (see  paragraph   5.3  “Summary 
of  the  Compensation  and  Benefits  Due  to  Corporate  Officers 
(mandataires sociaux)” ).

The  General  Meeting  of  May  26,  2016,  set  the  maximum 
annual amount of directors’ fees at €420,000.

For 2016, the amount of the directors’ fees actually granted to 
the Dassault Systèmes SE directors was €353,749, of which 
€185,449 was for their positions (fixed portion) and €168,300 
was for attendance of meetings of the Board of Directors and 
its  committees  (variable  portion).  In  accordance  with  the 
AFEP-MEDEF Code, the variable portion of the directors’ fees 
is structurally greater.

The  distribution  of  the  fees  among  the  directors  for  2016 
is  based  on  the  following  principles,  which  were  set  by  the 
Board of Directors at  its meeting on May  26, 2016: €16,500 
per  director,  an  additional  €16,500  for  the  Chairman  of  the 
Board  and  an  extra  €4,400  for  the  Chairman  of  the  Audit 
Committee  (these  amounts  are  prorated  for  the  actual  period 
served  in  the  positions  during  the  year);  €2,200  per  director 
for actual attendance at a Board meeting; €4,400 per member 
of the Audit Committee for actual attendance at a meeting of 
that  Committee;  €2,200  per  member  of  the  Compensation 
and  Nomination  Committee  or  Scientific  Committee  for  each 
meeting  of  these  committees  they  physically  attend;  and 
€1,100 each per conference call or videoconference in relation to 
a meeting of the Board of Directors or one of these committees.

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5.1.4.5 

Employee profit-sharing

Finally  Dassault  Systèmes  SE  has  profit-sharing  plans  for 
all  employees.  The  results  of  the  year  ended  December  31, 
2016, which are subject to approval by the General Meeting 
of  Shareholders  on  May  23,  2017,  should  thus  enable  the 
distribution  of  an  amount  of  €46,915,455  in  profit-sharing 
(intéressement et participation).

More than 90% of the employees of the French subsidiaries 
held  directly  by  Dassault  Systèmes  SE  also  benefit  from 
profit-sharing  agreements.  For  more  information  on  these 
agreements,  see  paragraph   2.1.4  “Rewarding  performance 
and recognizing employees” .

5.1.5  Application of the AFEP-MEDEF Code

Dassault  Systèmes  refers  to  the  recommendations  of  the 
AFEP-MEDEF  Code  (revised  in  November  2016)  and  reviews 
its corporate governance practices on a regular basis in order 
to achieve continual improvement in this area.

As permitted by such Code and the law, Dassault Systèmes SE 
has  not  adopted  all  of  the  Code’s  provisions,  or  has  adopted 
certain  provisions  in  modified  form,  in  view  of  its  particular 
situation or due to its compliance with other provisions of the 
Code. These are summarized in the table below, together with 
the reasons for their exclusion/modification.

Recommendations of the AFEP-MEDEF Code Explanation

Proportion of performance shares 
in executive officer compensation
(Article 24.3.3)

Appointment to the Compensation 
and Nomination Committee of 
the director representing employees
(Article 17.1)

A significant portion of the shares granted to Mr. Bernard Charlès,  Vice-Chairman of the Board and 
Chief Executive Officer falls under the plan adopted several years ago to progressively make him a 
Company shareholder, with the goal of recognizing his entrepreneurial role during more than 30 years 
with the Company and to provide him an equity interest comparable to that of founders of companies 
in the same sector, and more generally, of his peers in technology companies around the world.

The Board of Directors did not wish to alter the composition of the Compensation and Nomination 
Committee  and  considers  that  its  current  composition  –  100%  independent  directors  –  is  the  best 
guarantee of its effectiveness. 

5

5.1.6 

Internal Control Procedures and Risk Management

Because Dassault Systèmes was listed on the stock market in 
the  United  States  until  the  end  of  2008,  Dassault  Systèmes 
defined and implemented an internal control procedure based 
mainly on the COSO (Committee of Sponsoring Organizations 
of  the  Treadway  Commission)  framework,  as  well  as  on  the 
AMF’s  suggested  reference  framework  regarding  internal 
control updated on July 22, 2010.

This Chairman’s report on internal control procedures applies 
to Dassault Systèmes SE and its consolidated subsidiaries.

5.1.6.1  Definition and objectives of internal 

control

According  to  the  COSO  accounting  basis,  internal  control  is  a 
process  implemented  by  the  Board  of  Directors,  managers  and 
employees, aimed at providing a reasonable guarantee with regard 
to achieving the following objectives: performing and optimizing 
operations, the reliability of financial and accounting information, 
and compliance with the laws and regulations in force.

The internal control procedures within the Company, whether 
at  the  level  of  Dassault  Systèmes  SE  or  its  subsidiaries,  are 
designed to:

 › improve  the  performance  and  efficiency  of  operations 
through  optimized  use  of  available  resources  (an  objective 
inspired by the COSO framework);

 › ensure the reliability, quality and availability of financial data 
(an objective inspired by the COSO and AMF frameworks);

 › ensure that operations comply with legislation in effect and 
the Company’s internal procedures (an objective inspired by 
the COSO and AMF frameworks);

 › guarantee  the  security  of  assets,  particularly  intellectual 
property,  the  human  and  financial  resources  and  the 
image  of  the  Company  (an  objective  inspired  by  the  AMF 
framework);

 › prevent risks of error or fraud (an objective inspired by the 

COSO and AMF frameworks).

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5.1.6.2 

Internal Control Participants and 
Organization

All  corporate  governance  bodies  participate 
implementation of the internal control processes.

in 

the 

The  Board  of  Directors,  concerned  with  the  issue  of  internal 
control,  created  in  1996  an  Audit  Committee,  with  the 
mission described above (see paragraph  5.1.1.3 “Composition, 
Practices and Activities of the Board Committees”) .

In  parallel,  the  Company’s  management  has  established  the 
following bodies:

 › an Insider Committee responsible for setting and applying 
the rules aimed at preventing insider trading. In particular, 
this  Committee  informs  all  interested  parties  (employees, 
directors,  consultants,  etc.)  of  the  periods  in  which  they 
are  prohibited  from  buying  or  selling  Dassault  Systèmes 
securities.  These  blackout  periods  are  longer  than  those 
set forth by law. In addition, as they have regular access to 
privileged and insider information in relation to their roles, 
the  Group  managers  must  obtain  the  Insider  Committee’s 
prior approval for any transactions involving the Company’s 
securities (as defined in the Group’s Insider Trading Rules). 
The Company complies with laws and regulations regarding 
the prevention of insider trading on a general basis;

 › an  Internal  Audit  department  reporting  to  the  Senior 
Executive  Vice-President  and  Chief  Financial  Officer  and 
to  the  Audit  Committee,  one  of  its  main  missions  is  to 
evaluate  the  relevance  of  Dassault  Systèmes’  internal 
control processes, to alert the management and the Audit 
Committee  regarding  possible  deficiencies  or  risks,  and  to 
propose measures that will limit the risks and improve the 
efficiency of operations. The Internal Audit department also 
has the responsibility for the annual assessment, on behalf 
of  the  management,  of  the  internal  control  mechanisms 
related to financial reporting;

 › an  Ethics  &  Compliance  department  reporting  to  the  Vice-
Chairman  and  Chief  Executive  Officer,  responsible  for 
ensuring  the  implementation  and  respect  of  the  Code 
of  Business  Conduct,  as  well  as  the  Company’s  specific 
policies, recommendations and procedures regarding ethics 
and compliance. This department is supported by an Ethics 
Committee which meets every month and investigates any 
alleged non-conformities brought to its knowledge.

The  internal  control  is  also  based  on  the  principle  of  giving 
responsibility  to  each  of  the  departments  and  subsidiaries 
of  the  Company  in  its  respective  area  of  expertise,  and  on 
delegations  of  powers  to  certain  members  of  the  Executive 
Committee of the Company, such delegations having specific 
fields of application.

Moreover, the subsidiaries’ local chief executive and financial 
officers are responsible for preparing the subsidiaries’ financial 
statements which are included in the Company’s consolidated 
financial statements, and the annual financial statements and 
management reports for each of their respective subsidiaries, 
whether  the  accounts  are  prepared  by  their  own  financial 

teams or by shared internal financial and accounting services 
centers  located  particularly  in  Malaysia,  Japan,  the  United 
States and France.

The Company’s Financial Planning and Analysis department 
is  responsible  for  directing  the  financial  objectives  of  the 
Company  in  accordance  with  budget  monitoring  procedures 
and,  in  this  respect,  performs  specific  controls  and  analyzes 
of the quarterly accounts. It is also responsible for identifying, 
analyzing  and  warning  of  any  differences  from  the  previous 
year,  the  previous  quarter  and  the  Company’s  budget 
objectives, which are subject to a quarterly update.

5.1.6.3 

Internal Control and Risk 
Management Procedures

The internal control mechanisms developed by the Company 
promote internal control in the following areas:

 › control report: The professional ethics of the Company are 
set forth in the Code of Business Conduct, which describes 
the manner in which Dassault Systèmes expects its business 
to  be  conducted  and  which  may  serve  as  a  reference  tool 
for  all  Group  employees  to  help  guide  their  behavior  and 
their  interactions  in  their  professional  work.  The  Code 
of  Business  Conduct,  which  applies  to  all  employees  of 
Dassault Systèmes and is available on the Group’s internet 
site and online community platform, addresses, in particular 
(i) compliance with regulations applicable to the Company’s 
business,  (ii)  individual  interactions  within  the  Company 
and with its ecosystem, and (iii) protecting the Company’s 
assets  (in  particular,  the  Company’s  intellectual  property 
and that of its clients and partners). The Code also includes 
rules  governing  conflicts  of  interest,  insider  trading  and 
financial reporting. The distribution of the Code of Conduct 
is accompanied by training, which is specifically provided to 
any new employee and to employees joining the Group as 
part of the integration process for such acquisitions;

 › risk  analysis:  The  main  risks  which  may  impact  the 
performance  of  the  Company  are  identified,  assessed  and 
regularly  reviewed  by  the  management  of  the  Company. 
These risks are described in paragraph  1.6.1 “Risks Related 
to  the  Company’s  Business” .  This  paragraph  specifies  the 
measures taken by the Group to manage or limit these risks 
whenever possible;

 › operational  risks  are  essentially  managed  by  subsidiaries. 
Risks in the area of IP protection, ethics and financial risks 
are specifically monitored by Dassault Systèmes SE as well 
as locally monitored;

 › protection and monitoring activities:

1)  protecting  its  intellectual  property  is  an  on-going 
concern  for  the  Group.  This  protection  is  ensured  by 
implementing  and  monitoring  corporate  processes 
designed  to  verify  the  Company’s  rights  before  it 
markets  its  software  products.  The  Company  also 
protects  its  inventions  through  a  reasonable  and 
well-considered  approach  to  filing  patents  in  several 

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jurisdictions.  The  Company’s  principal  brands  are  also 
registered in a large number of countries. The Group is 
continuing to actively develop its program designed to 
fight against infringement concerning its products,

2)  information  systems  security,  which  is  critical  to 
ensuring  the  protection  of  the  source  codes  for  the 
Company’s  applications, 
is  continually  evaluated, 
tested and strengthened in the areas of network access 
or performance, anti-virus protection, and the physical 
security  of  servers  and  other  information  system 
facilities,

3)  the internal control policies related to the main processes 
within the Company (information technology security, 
sales  administration,  human  resources,  protection 
of  intellectual  property,  closing  and  publication  of 
financial  statements,  treasury  management,  client 
credit  risk  management)  are  formalized  and  updated 
at the level of both Dassault Systèmes SE and its main 
subsidiaries or the related shared services centers,

4)  key  control  points  making  it  possible  to  prevent  or 
detect risks impacting the financial information in the 
significant entities of the Company are documented,

5)  tests  are  performed  annually  on  these  key  control 

points to evaluate their effectiveness,

6)  the  operational  entities  implement  action  plans  with 

the goal of continuous improvement;

 › monitoring:  The  Company  has  deployed  processes 
to  monitor,  review  and  analyze  on  a  regular  basis  its 
performance  at  the  level  of  its  main  entities,  brands, 
distribution  channels  and  geographical  areas  (governance, 
budget  reviews,  activity  reviews).  In  addition,  quarterly 
communication  meetings  are  also  held  to  ensure  a  better 
dissemination  of  the  Group’s  strategy  to  all  its  managers 
and discussions facilitating its implementation;

 › audit  missions:  In  2016,  the  Internal  Audit  department 
carried  out  different  missions  within  the  Company’s 
subsidiaries to verify compliance of the local internal control 
procedures  with  the  Company  objectives.  These  missions, 
authorized by the Audit Committee, result in the issuance of 
recommendations to the local management teams and the 
implementation  of  action  plans  when  deemed  necessary 
to  reinforce  the  audited  processes  and  organizations. 
The  Internal  Audit  department  carries  out  a  review  of  the 
implementation of these plans.

In addition, the Company has put in place internal preventative 
measures  to  continue  operations  and  limit  the  impact  of  a  
major damage. As a result, several secured computer systems 
protect  source  codes  and  all  electronic  data  stored  on  the 
servers,  work  stations  and  laptop  computers  used  in  the 
different  entities  of  the  Company.  The  computer  protection 
systems are maintained in different sites.

5.1.6.4 

Internal Control Procedures Relating 
to the Preparation and Treatment of 
Financial and Accounting Information

With  respect  to  the  internal  control  processes  related  to  the 
preparation  of  financial  and  accounting  information,  the 
Company’s focus has been to:

 › implement  a  quarterly  control  system  to  update  budget 
objectives and identify and analyze any variation from the 
objectives set by the Financial department of the Company 
and from the previous quarter and fiscal year.

Thus,  each  of  the  subsidiaries  prepares  a  detailed  and 
documented  presentation  of  its  sales  activity  for  the  past 
quarter and the year, and performs a comparative analysis 
of  its  financial  results  (revenues  and  costs)  in  comparison 
with the budget targets of the current year and compared 
to the same quarter for the previous year.

Budget  projections  are  reviewed,  analyzed  and  updated 
each  quarter  by  the  teams  of  the  Financial  department 
to  take  into  account  all  changes  in  the  market  and  the 
economic  environment,  particularly  as  regards  exchange 
rates, and to present realistic objectives to shareholders and 
financial markets;

 › improve  the  reliability  of 

its  consolidation  tools  and 
processes 
in  order  to  establish  and  publish  required 
financial information every quarter as soon as possible. The 
consolidation  procedure  as  defined  by  Dassault  Systèmes 
SE is based on:

1)  giving responsibility to the chief financial officers in the 
subsidiaries,  who  are  required  to  certify  the  quarterly 
statements transmitted to Dassault Systèmes SE and to 
provide detailed business reviews and analyses before 
the accounts are consolidated,

2)  the  use  of  consolidation  tools  that  make  data 
transmission  and  processing  secure  and  allow  the 
elimination of intra-group transactions,

3)  standardization of processes and information systems, 
particularly  with  respect  to  centralizing  and  recording 
most of the transactions at shared services centers,

4)  the implementation of an annual process to monitor off-
balance sheet commitments, related-party agreements 
(conventions réglementées),

5)  a  detailed  review  by  the  Group’s  financial  division  of 
the quarterly accounts of Dassault Systèmes SE and its 
subsidiaries,

6)  the  detailed  analysis  by  the  Company’s  Accounting 
department of all the material software license and/or 
services  transactions  in  order  to  validate  their  correct 
accounting recording;

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 › systematize  the  processes  by  which  the  Audit  Committee 
and the Board of Directors review financial information prior 
to publication;

 › structure 

its 

financial 

communications 

to  ensure 
simultaneous  and  equivalent  publication  of  information 
on  its  principal  markets  of  financial  results  or  any  other 
information  that  could  have  an  impact  on  the  price  of  its 
shares.

5.1.6.5 

Evaluation of Internal Control

Since its voluntary delisting from the NASDAQ in October 2008, 
Dassault Systèmes SE is no longer subject to the requirements 
of the U.S. Sarbanes-Oxley Act with regard to the assessment 
of  its  internal  control  procedures.  The  Company  therefore 
evaluates  the  internal  control  procedures  applicable  to  its 
principal  processes  and  subsidiaries 
in  accordance  with 
European Regulations.

As the Company management aims to maintain a high level 
of internal control within the Company, detailed assessment 

work was again performed in 2016, as part of the process of 
achieving  continuous  improvement  and  for  the  purpose  of 
preparing  targeted  action  plans  and  audits.  In  this  respect, 
the  scope  of  Group  entities  subjected  to  internal  control 
evaluations, in the form of self-evaluation questionnaires and 
internal control reviews conducted in the months immediately 
following acquisition continues to expand to entities that had 
previously been considered immaterial and to newly acquired 
companies. The results of the evaluation of the internal control 
are  presented  to  the  Audit  Committee.  In  addition,  Internal 
Control’s efficiency is assessed by the Statutory Auditors.

5.1.6.6 

Limitations on Internal Control

The  internal  control  system  cannot  provide  an  absolute 
guarantee that the Company’s objectives in this area will be 
achieved.  Inherent  limitations  apply  to  all  internal  control 
systems,  related  in  particular  to  the  exercise  of  individual 
judgments,  or  dysfunctions  which  may  occur  as  a  result  of 
human failure or simple error or in the external environment.

5.1.7  Other information required by Article L. 225-37 

of the French Commercial Code

5.1.7.1 

Specific Conditions Related 
to Shareholders’ Participation 
in the General Meeting

Shareholders  participate  in  the  General  Meetings  of  the 
Company  according  to  provisions  specified  by  law  and  by 
the  Company’s  by-laws  (Articles  24  to  33).  Thus,  every 
shareholder has the right to participate in General Meetings and 
deliberations either personally or via a proxy, regardless of the 
number of shares held, according to the conditions specified by 
Article 27 of the by-laws of Dassault Systèmes (see paragraph 
 6.1.2 “Memorandum and Specific By-Laws Provisions”) .

In the case of the separation of the ownership of the shares, 
the voting right belongs to the bare owner (nu-propriétaire), 
except for decisions relating to the allocation of profits, where 
it belongs to the beneficial owner (usufruitier).

5.1.7.2 

Financial risks linked to climate 
change and measures taken to reduce 
them through the implementation 
of a low-carbon strategy

The  Group  has  not  identified  any  financial  risks  linked  to 
the  impact  of  climate  change  on  its  business.  For  further 
information regarding risks facing the Company, see paragraph 
 1.6.1 “Risks Related to the Company’s Business” .

5.1.7.3 

Statement on the publication 
of information required by Article 
L. 225-100-3 of the French 
Commercial Code

The information required by Article L. 225-100-3 of the French 
Commercial Code is indicated in paragraphs  6.3 “Information 
about the Shareholders”   (concerning control of GIMD),  6.2.4 
“Delegations  and  Authorizations  Granted  to  the  Board  of 
Directors by the General Meeting”  (concerning share issues), 
 6.2.5  “Stock  Repurchase  Programs”   (concerning  acquisition 
by  Dassault  Systèmes  SE  of  its  treasury  shares),   6.1.2.2 
“General Meetings”  (concerning the conditions for exercising 
voting rights) and  5.1.4.3 “Indemnities Due in the Event of the 
Imposed Departure (départ contraint) of Mr. Bernard Charlès”  
in  this  2016  Annual  Report  (Document de référence)  which 
is also a part of the annual management report issued by the 
Board of Directors.

The  Annual  Report  (Document de référence)  is  available  on 
the AMF website (www.amf-france.org) and on the Dassault 
Systèmes website (www.3ds.com). A press release is issued to 
announce when the Annual Report (Document de référence) 
becomes available.

Charles Edelstenne

Chairman of the Board

182 ANNUAL REPORT 2016  DASSAULT SYSTÈMES

Corporate governance
Report of the Statutory Auditors on Corporate Governance and Internal Control

5

5.2  Report of the Statutory Auditors on Corporate 

Governance and Internal Control

This is a free translation into English of the Statutory Auditors’ report issued in the French language and is provided solely for 
the convenience of English speaking readers. This report should be read in conjunction with, and construed in accordance with, 
French law and professional auditing standards applicable in France.

To the Shareholders,

In our capacity as Statutory Auditors of Dassault Systèmes SE, and in accordance with Article L. 225-235 of the French Commercial 
Code (Code de commerce), we hereby report to you on the report prepared by the Chairman of your Company in accordance with 
Article L. 225-37 of the French Commercial Code for the year ended December 31, 2016.

It is the Chairman’s responsibility to prepare, and submit to the Board of Directors for approval, a report describing the internal 
control and risk management procedures implemented by the Company and providing the other information required by Article 
L. 225-37 of the French Commercial Code in particular relating to corporate governance.

It is our responsibility:

 › to  report  to  you  on  the  information  set  out  in  the  Chairman’s  report  on  internal  control  and  risk  management  procedures 

relating to the preparation and processing of financial and accounting information; and

5

 › to attest that the report sets out the other information required by Article L. 225-37 of the French Commercial Code, it being 

specified that it is not our responsibility to assess the fairness of this information.

We conducted our work in accordance with professional standards applicable in France.

Information concerning the internal control and risk management procedures relating 
to the preparation and processing of financial and accounting information

The professional standards require that we perform procedures to assess the fairness of the information on internal control and 
risk management procedures relating to the preparation and processing of financial and accounting information set out in the 
Chairman’s report. These procedures mainly consisted of:

 › obtaining an understanding of the internal control and risk management procedures relating to the preparation and processing 
of  financial  and  accounting  information  on  which  the  information  presented  in  the  Chairman’s  report  is  based,  and  of  the 
existing documentation;

 › obtaining  an  understanding  of  the  work  performed  to  support  the  information  given  in  the  report  and  of  the  existing 

documentation;

 › determining if any material weaknesses in the internal control procedures relating to the preparation and processing of financial 
and accounting information that we may have identified in the course of our work are properly described in the Chairman’s report.

On  the  basis  of  our  work,  we  have  no  matters  to  report  on  the  information  given  on  internal  control  and  risk  management 
procedures relating to the preparation and processing of financial and accounting information, set out in the Chairman of the 
Board’s report, prepared in accordance with Article L. 225-37 of the French Commercial Code.

Other information

We attest that the Chairman’s report sets out the other information required by Article L. 225-37 of the French Commercial Code.

Neuilly-sur-Seine and Paris-La Défense, on March 17, 2017

The Statutory Auditors

French original signed by:

PricewaterhouseCoopers Audit
Pierre Marty

ERNST & YOUNG et Autres
Pierre-Antoine Duffaud

DASSAULT SYSTÈMES  ANNUAL REPORT 2016

183

5 Corporate governance

Summary of the Compensation and Benefi ts Due to Corporate Offi cers (mandataires sociaux)

5.3  Summary of the Compensation and Benefits Due 
to Corporate Officers (mandataires sociaux)

5.3.1  Compensation of the Company’s Corporate Officers 

(mandataires sociaux)

The tables below provide a summary, in accordance with the recommendations of the AMF and the AFEP-MEDEF Code, of the 
compensation and benefits paid to the corporate officers of Dassault Systèmes SE, pursuant to Article L. 225-102-1 of the French 
Commercial Code (see also paragraphs  5.1.4 “Principles established by the Board of Directors pertaining to compensation of the 
Executive Officers and directors” ,  5.3.2.1. “Dassault Systèmes Share Subscription Options”  and  5.3.2.2. “Performance Shares” ).

TABLE 1: SUMMARY OF THE COMPENSATION, OPTIONS AND SHARES AWARDED TO EACH EXECUTIVE OFFICER

(in euros)

Charles Edelstenne, Chairman of the Board

Compensation due for the year (detailed in Table 2)

Value of the variable multi-year compensation granted during the year

Value of the stock options granted during the year (detailed in Table 4)

Value of the performance shares granted during the year
(detailed in Table 6)

Value of the other long-term compensation plans

Bernard Charlès, Vice-Chairman of the Board and Chief Executive Officer

Compensation due for the year (detailed in Table 2)

Value of the variable multi-year compensation granted during the year

Value of the stock options granted during the year (detailed in Table 4)

Value of the performance shares granted during the year
(detailed in Table 6)

Value of the other long-term compensation plans

2016

2015

1,027,100

1,025,000

N/A

N/A

N/A

N/A

N/A

N/A

N/A

N/A

2,740,626  (1)

2,887,684

N/A

N/A

N/A

N/A

N/A

N/A

See below

See below

VALUE OF THE SHARES GRANTED TO BERNARD CHARLÈS, VICE-CHAIRMAN OF THE BOARD AND CHIEF EXECUTIVE 
OFFICER, AS PART OF THE PLAN TO PROGRESSIVELY ASSOCIATE HIM WITH THE COMPANY’S CAPITAL
These shares are granted to Bernard Charlès, Vice-Chairman of the Board and Chief Executive Officer as part of the gradual process 
of associating him with the Company’s capital that began several years ago, with the aim of recognizing his entrepreneurial role 
during more than thirty years with the Company and providing him with an equity interest comparable to that of founders of 
companies in the same sector, and more generally, of his peers in technology companies around the world.

(in euros)

Bernard Charlès, Vice-Chairman of the Board and Chief Executive Officer

2016

2015

Value of the shares granted during the year (see Table 6) (1)

9,519,744 (2)

11,653,530 (3)

(1)  Value based on the method chosen for the consolidated financial statements before the spreading of the expense and taking into account the performance criteria.
(2)  i.e., 300,000 2016-B Shares granted in 2016.
(3)  i.e., 300,000 2015-B Shares granted in 2015.

184 ANNUAL REPORT 2016  DASSAULT SYSTÈMES

Corporate governance
Summary of the Compensation and Benefi ts Due to Corporate Offi cers (mandataires sociaux)

5

TABLE 2: SUMMARY OF THE COMPENSATION OF EACH EXECUTIVE OFFICER
Gross compensation before tax of the executive officers (dirigeants mandataires sociaux) is set forth in the table below.

(in euros)

Charles Edelstenne, Chairman of the Board

Fixed compensation (1)

Annual variable compensation

Multi-year variable compensation

Extraordinary compensation

Directors’ fees (2)

Benefits in kind (3)

TOTAL

Bernard Charlès, Vice-Chairman of the Board 
and Chief Executive Officer

Fixed compensation

Annual variable compensation (5)

Multi-year variable compensation

Extraordinary compensation

Directors’ fees

Benefits in kind (9)

TOTAL

2016

2015

Amounts due in 
respect of the year

Amounts paid 
in 2016

Amounts due in 
respect of the year

Amounts paid 
in 2015

982,000

982,000

982,000

982,000

N/A

N/A

N/A

45,100

N/A

N/A

N/A

N/A

43,000

N/A

N/A

N/A

N/A

43,000

N/A

N/A

N/A

N/A

42,000

N/A

1,027,100

1,025,000

1,025,000

1,024,000

1,325,000 (4)

1,378,000  (6)

1,325,000 (4)

1,523,750 (7)

1,325,000

1,325,000

1,523,750 (7)

1,269,600 (8)

N/A

N/A

27,500

10,126

N/A

N/A

28,000

10,126

N/A

N/A

28,000

10,934

N/A

N/A

27,000

10,934

2,740,626 

2,886,876

2,887,684

2,632,534

5

(1)  GIMD paid Mr. Charles Edelstenne, as GIMD’s Chief Executive Officer, gross fixed compensation of €802,404 in 2016 and €800,000 in 2015
(2)  GIMD paid Mr. Charles Edelstenne, for his term as a member of GIMD’s Supervisory Board, directors’ fees of €28,740 in 2016 and €27,222 in 2015
(3)  GIMD granted benefits in kind related to the use of a car for Mr. Charles Edelstenne equivalent to an amount of €10,440 in 2016 and in 2015.
(4)  With the excetion of director's fees, Dassault Systèmes has paid to Bernard Charlès each of the compensation elements referred to in the table above with respect to his office as 

Chief Executive Officer of Dassault Systèmes. On May 26, 2016, Mr. Charlès has been appointed Vice-Chairman of the Board but has not received any compensation in 
consideration of this office as Vice-Chairman.

(5)  The rules governing the determination of variable compensation of the Chief Executive Officer are described in paragraph  5.1.4 “Principles Established by the Board of Directors 

to Determine the Compensation of the Company’s Executive Officers and members of the Group’s Executive Committee” .

(6)  Variable portion of the compensation due for 2016 and paid in 2017.
(7)  Variable portion due for 2015 and paid in 2016.
(8)  Variable portion due for 2014 and paid in 2015.
(9)  These benefits in kind provided by Dassault Systèmes SE are related to the use of a car by Bernard Charlès.

DASSAULT SYSTÈMES  ANNUAL REPORT 2016

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5 Corporate governance

Summary of the Compensation and Benefi ts Due to Corporate Offi cers (mandataires sociaux)

TABLE 3: DIRECTORS’ FEES AND OTHER COMPENSATION RECEIVED BY THE NON-EXECUTIVE DIRECTORS
The directors do not receive any compensation other than the fees set forth in the table below, except for Charles Edelstenne and 
Bernard Charlès, whose compensation is set forth in Table 2 above, and Thibault de Tersant, Senior Executive Vice-President and 
Chief Financial Officer, and Tanneguy de Fromont de Bouaille (director representing the employees) whose compensations are set 
forth in Notes 1 and 4 to the table below.

(in euros)

NON-EXECUTIVE DIRECTORS (MANDATAIRES SOCIAUX NON-DIRIGEANTS)

Directors’ fees paid in 
2016 for fiscal year 2015

Directors’ fees paid in 
2015 for fiscal year 2014

Thibault de Tersant (1)

Jean-Pierre Chahid-Nouraï

Catherine Dassault (director since July 20, 2016)

Nicole Dassault (director until May 27, 2016) (2)

Serge Dassault (director until May 27, 2014) (3)

Arnoud De Meyer

Odile Desforges 

Tanneguy de Fromont de Bouaille 
(director representing the employees since June 24, 2016) (4)

Marie-Hélène Habert-Dassault (5)

Laurence Lescourret (director since May 26, 2016)

Toshiko Mori

TOTAL

(1)  The overall compensation received by Thibault de Tersant in 2016 and 2015 is set out below:

Thibault de Tersant, director, Senior Executive Vice-President and Chief Financial Officer

Fixed Compensation

Annual variable compensation

Multi-year variable compensation

Extraordinary compensation

Directors’ fees

Benefits (c)

28,000

53,000

–

22,000

N/A

38,000

44,000

–

28,000

–

30,000

243,000

27,000

53,000

–

22,000

10,000

38,000

42,000

–

9,657

–

28,000

229,657

Compensation 
paid in 2016

Compensation 
paid in 2015

480,000

480,000

240,000 (a)

250,000 (b)

–

3,147

28,000

9,867

–

1,056

27,000

9,865

761,014

767,921

TOTAL
(a) 
(b) 
(c) 

Variable portion due for 2015. In 2016, Thibault de Tersant also received €35,920.68 under the Company’s French profit sharing plans.
Variable portion due for 2014. In 2015, Thibault de Tersant also received €34,582.91 under the Company’s French profit sharing plans.
These benefits in kind are related to the use of a car provided by Dassault Systèmes SE.

(2)  GIMD paid to Nicole Dassault in 2016 and 2015 respectively €21,911 and €14,778 as director’s fees for his office as member of the Supervisory Board of GIMD.
(3)  In 2015, GIMD paid Serge Dassault directors’ fees of €27,222 for his role as a member of the Supervisory Board of GIMD and compensation of €630,000 in connection with his 

role as President of GIMD and granted him benefits in kind related to the use of a car equivalent to an amount to €14,448.

186 ANNUAL REPORT 2016  DASSAULT SYSTÈMES

 
 
 
 
Corporate governance
Summary of the Compensation and Benefi ts Due to Corporate Offi cers (mandataires sociaux)

5

(4)  The overall compensation received by Tanneguy de Fromont de Bouaille in 2016 is set out below:

Tanneguy de Fromont de Bouaille, director representing the employees (a)

Fixed Compensation

Annual variable compensation

Multi-year variable compensation

Extraordinary compensation

Directors’ fees

Benefits 

Compensation 
paid in 2016

Compensation 
paid in 2015

116,769 

24,690 (b)

N/A

1,135

N/A

N/A

N/A

N/A

N/A

N/A 

N/A

N/A

TOTAL
(a) 

N/A
Dassault Systèmes SE has paid to Tanneguy de Fromont de Bouaille each of the compensation elements referred to in the table above with respect to his employment 
contract  as  Consumer  Goods  and  Retail  Industry  Sales  Director  with  Dassault  Systèmes.  Mr.  Tanneguy  de  Fromont  de  Bouaille,  who  has  been  designated  as  director 
representing employees by the trade union organization that has obtained the highest number of votes in the first round of the elections for Works Council members, has 
not received director’s fees for his office as such director’s fees due for 2016 has been directly paid in 2017 by Dassault Systèmes SE to the CFE-CGC.
Variable portion due for 2015. In 2016, Tanneguy de Fromont de Bouaille also received €34,450.83 under the Company’s French profit sharing plans.

142,594

(b) 

(5)  In 2016 and 2015 respectively, GIMD paid Marie-Hélène Habert-Dassault directors’ fees of €25,325 and € 27,222 in connection with her role as a member of the Supervisory 
Board of GIMD, and compensation of €343,830.88 and €338,534 for her role as Director of Communication and Patronage, Dassault Group. GIMD also granted her a bonus in an 
amount of €5,000 (in 2016 and in 2015) and benefits in kind related to the use of a car in an amount of €3,323.82 in 2016 and €3,550 in 2015.

Other elements relating to the compensation of the directors are described in paragraph  5.1.4.4 “Directors’ Fees” .

5

TABLE 4: SUBSCRIPTION OR PURCHASE OPTIONS GRANTED IN 2016 TO EACH EXECUTIVE OFFICER BY THE ISSUER 
AND BY ANY OF THE GROUP COMPANIES

(in euros)

Charles Edelstenne

TOTAL

Bernard Charlès

TOTAL

No. and date 
of the plan

Type of options 
(purchase or 
subscription)

Value of 
the options

Number of options 
granted in 2016

Exercise price

Exercise period

–

–

–

–

–

–

–

–

–

–

–

–

–

–

–

–

–

–

–

–

–

–

–

–

TABLE 5: SUBSCRIPTION OR PURCHASE OPTIONS EXERCISED DURING 2016 BY EACH EXECUTIVE OFFICER

(in euros)

Charles Edelstenne

Bernard Charlès

TOTAL

Plan number 
and date 

Number of options 
exercised in 2016

Exercise price

–

–

–

–

–

–

–

–

–

DASSAULT SYSTÈMES  ANNUAL REPORT 2016

187

 
 
5 Corporate governance

Summary of the Compensation and Benefi ts Due to Corporate Offi cers (mandataires sociaux)

TABLE 6: SHARES GRANTED IN 2016 TO EACH EXECUTIVE OFFICER BY THE ISSUER AND BY ANY OF THE GROUP 
COMPANIES

Plan number 
and date 

Number of  performance 
shares granted in 2016

Value of 
the shares
(en euros) (1)

Date of 
acquisition

Date of 
availability

Performance 
conditions

Charles Edelstenne

Bernard Charlès

–

2016-B
05/26/2016

N/A

–

–

–

300,000 (2)

9,519,744

05/26/2018 
(Tranche 1) and 
05/26/2019 
(Tranche 2)

05/26/2018 
(Tranche 1) and 
05/26/2019 
(Tranche 2)

–

Yes

TOTAL

300,000

(1)  Value based on the method chosen for the consolidated financial statements before the spreading of the expense and taking into account the performance criteria.
(2)  Such shares are granted to Bernard Charlès, Vice-Chairman of the Board and Chief Executive Officer as part of the gradual process of associating him with the Company’s capital 
that began several years ago, with the aim of recognizing his entrepreneurial role during more than thirty years with the Company and providing him with an equity interest 
comparable to that of founders of companies in the same sector, and more generally, of his peers in technology companies around the world.

TABLE 7: SHARES THAT BECAME AVAILABLE DURING 2016 FOR EACH EXECUTIVE OFFICER

Bernard Charlès

TOTAL

Plan number and date 
of the plan

Number of rested shares 
 that became  available 
in 2016

Vesting conditions*

2010-05
09/07/2012
2010-02
09/29/2011

300,000

28,000

–

* 

Such shares have been granted to Bernard Charlès, Vice-Chairman of the Board and Chief Executive Officer as part of the gradual process of associating him with the Company’s 
capital that began several years ago, with the aim of recognizing his entrepreneurial role during more than thirty years with the Company and providing him with an equity interest 
comparable to that of founders of companies in the same sector, and more generally, of his peers in technology companies around the world. In accordance with law, a portion of 
such shares is subject to lock-up (see paragraph 5.1.4.2 “Performance Shares and Share Subscription Options”). The number of 28,000 shares reflects the two-for-one split in the 
 Dassault Systèmes’ share on July 17, 2014 and the correlative multiplication of the number of shares.

TABLE 8: GRANTS OF SHARE SUBSCRIPTION OR PURCHASE OPTIONS GRANTED
See paragraph  5.3.2.1 “Dassault Systèmes Subscription Options”  below.

TABLE 9: SHARE SUBSCRIPTION OPTIONS GRANTED TO THE TOP TEN EMPLOYEES WHO ARE NOT EXECUTIVE 
DIRECTORS AND WHO RECEIVED THE MOST SHARE SUBSCRIPTION OPTIONS, AND OPTIONS EXERCISED 
BY THESE EMPLOYEES
See paragraph  5.3.2.1 “Dassault Systèmes Subscription Options”  below.

TABLE 10: HISTORY OF PERFORMANCE SHARES GRANTED
See paragraphs  5.3.2.2 “Performance Shares”  below.

188 ANNUAL REPORT 2016  DASSAULT SYSTÈMES

Corporate governance
Summary of the Compensation and Benefi ts Due to Corporate Offi cers (mandataires sociaux)

5

TABLE 11: FOLLOW-UP OF THE AFEP-MEDEF’S RECOMMENDATIONS
As  indicated  in  the  table  below,  Dassault  Systèmes  SE  complies  with  the  main  recommendations  of  the  AFEP-MEDEF  Code 
regarding compensation and benefits granted to executive officers (dirigeants mandataires sociaux).

Employment 
agreement

Additional 
retirement plan

Indemnities or benefits 
due or which may become 
due in the event 
of termination of or change 
in present functions

Indemnities related to 
a non-competition 
clause

Executive officers

Charles Edelstenne

Chairman of the Board
Director since (1st appointment): 04/08/1993
Term: until the annual General Meeting to be 
held in 2018

Bernard Charlès

Vice-Chairman of the Board and Chief Executive 
Officer
1st appointment as CEO: 04/08/1993
Term: until the annual General Meeting 
to be held in 2018

Yes

No

X

X

Yes

No

X

Yes

Yes

No

X

X

X*

No

X

X

* 

The conditions for payment and the amount of the indemnities owed are described in paragraph  5.1.4.3 “Indemnities Due in the Event of the Imposed Departure (départ contraint) 
of Mr. Bernard Charlès” .

5

There  is  no  specific  additional  retirement  plan  (régime 
complémentaire  de  retraite)  for  the  executive  officers.  The 
companies controlled by Dassault Systèmes SE have not paid 
any compensation or granted any other benefits in kind to the 
executive officers (dirigeants mandataires sociaux) mentioned 
above.

The  new  Table  10  “Summary  of  variable  multi-annual 
compensations for each executive officer (dirigeant mandataire 
social)”  recommended  by  the  AFEP-MEDEF  Code  modified 
in November 2016 is not relevant as no such variable multi-
annual  compensations  has   been  granted  to  any  executive 
officer (dirigeant mandataire social) of Dassault Système SE.

5.3.2 

Interests of Executive Management and Employees 
in the Share Capital of Dassault Systèmes SE

5.3.2.1  Dassault Systèmes Share Subscription 

Options

As  of  December  31,  2016,  there  were  five  active  share 
subscription options plans for the benefit of certain Company 
managers  and  employees.  The  exercise  price  of  share 
subscription  options,  for  all  the  plans,  was  fixed  without  a 
discount.

The General Meeting of May 26, 2016 authorized the Board 
of  Directors  to  grant  options  to  subscribe  or  to  purchase 
Company shares for a period of 38 months, provided that the 
total of all outstanding stock options does not give a right to 
more than 5% of Dassault Systèmes SE’s share capital. At its 
meeting  on  the  same  day,  the  Board  of  Directors  used  this 
authorization  to  grant  to  720  beneficiaries  1,947,785  share 
subscription options (the “2016-01 Options”), the exercise of 
which  is  subject  to  them  remaining  with  the  Company  and 

performance  conditions  for  each  reference  year   2016,  2017 
and 2018 .

The  new  shares  created  by  the  exercise  of  options  between 
January  1  and  the  date  of  the  Annual  General  Meeting 
deciding on the allocation of profit related to the most recently 
completed  financial  year  are  entitled  to  receive  the  dividend 
distributed  with  respect  to  that  year.  As  a  result,  the  new 
shares are traded on the same line as the previously existing 
shares.

However,  the  new  shares  created  as  from  the  day  after  this 
Annual  General  Meeting  do  not  have  a  right  to  receive  this 
dividend.  Those  shares  are  temporarily  listed   on  a  second 
trading  line  until  the  date  the  shares  trade  ex-dividend  (i.e. 
without the right to receive the dividend to be distributed on 
Dassault Systèmes shares).

The following table provides certain information on the stock 
options plans in effect during 2016.

DASSAULT SYSTÈMES  ANNUAL REPORT 2016

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5 Corporate governance

Summary of the Compensation and Benefi ts Due to Corporate Offi cers (mandataires sociaux)

HISTORY OF SHARE SUBSCRIPTION AND PURCHASE OPTIONS GRANTED
(Corresponding to Table 8 of the AMF Position-Recommendation No. 2009-16)

For all the grants prior to July 17, 2014, the figures in this table (options, shares and exercise price) reflect the two-for-one split of the 
Dassault Systèmes share effective on July 17, 2014 and the correlative multiplication of the number of shares that may be exercised.

Stock option plan

General Meeting

Board of Directors

Total Number of shares 
to be subscribed pursuant 
to options exercise

 › by corporate officers 
(mandataires sociaux)

Bernard Charlès

Thibault de Tersant

Starting point for exercising 
the options

Expiry date

Exercise price (in euros)

Terms of exercise

Total number of shares subscribed 
pursuant to options exercised 
as of 12/31/2016

Cumulative number of options 
canceled or null and void 
as of 12/31/2016

Number of options outstanding 
as of 12/31/2016

Number of shares subscribed 
pursuant to options exercised 
between 01/01/2017 
and 02/28/2017

Number of options canceled or null 
and void between 01/01/2017 
and 02/28/2017

Number of options outstanding 
as of 02/28/2017

Total number of shares subscribed 
pursuant to options exercised 
as of 02/28/2017

2008-02

2010-01

2014-01

2015-01

2016-01

Total

05/22/2008

05/27/2010

05/30/2013

05/30/2013

05/26/2016

11/27/2009

05/27/2010

05/26/2014

09/04/2015

05/26/2016

3,703,000

2,480,000

624,450

1,965,555

1,947,785

10,720,790

340,000

220,000

100,000 (1)

100,000 (1)

240,000

120,000

–

N/A

–

–

N/A

N/A

N/A

N/A

N/A

560,000

200,000

360,000

11/27/2013

05/27/2014

02/21/2016

09/04/2016

05/26/2017

11/26/2017

05/26/2018

05/25/2022

09/03/2025

05/25/2026

19.50 

23.50

45.50

62.00

69.00

See note (2)

See note (3)

See note (4)

2,470,384

1,122,677

47,964

120,117

-

3,761,142

310,000

206,700

250,160

176,521

55,114

998,495

922,616

1,150,623

326,326

1,668,917

1,892,671

5,961,153

63,244

75,200

19,093

22,817

-

180,354

-

-

42,424

8,144

6,825

57,393

859,372

1,075,423

264,809

1,637,956

1,885,846

5,723,406

2,533,628

1,197,877

67,057

142,934

-

3,941,496

(1)  The options granted to the Chief Executive Officer are subject to performance conditions related to his variable compensation actually paid out over three years, the amount of 

which is itself dependant upon the satisfaction of the performance criteria defined by the Board of Directors of Dassault Systèmes SE.

(2)  The 2014-01 options are exercisable by one-third tranches as from February 21, 2016, February 21, 2017 and February 21, 2018, respectively, provided that the beneficiary 

remains with the Company and fulfills the performance conditions related to the target for his or her respective brand.

(3)  The 2015-01 options are exercisable by one-third tranches as from September 4, 2016, September 2017 and September 2018, respectively, provided that the beneficiary remains 
with the Company and fulfils the performance condition relating to the diluted net profit per share on a non-IFRS consolidated basis (hereinafter referred to as the “EPS”), and/or 
the achievement of the target for his or her respective brand.

(4)  The 2016-01 options are exercisable by one-third tranches as from May 26, 2017, 2018 and 2019 respectively, provided that the beneficiary remains with the Company and fulfils 

the performance condition relating to the EPS (neutralized from currency effects), and/or the achievement of the target for his or her respective brand.

For information regarding the dilutive effect on share capital 
by  the  exercise  of  options,  see  also  paragraph   6.2.1  “Share 
Capital at February 28, 2017” .

At  December  31,  2016,  the  only  corporate  officers 
(mandataires sociaux) owning such share subscription options 
were Bernard Charlès and Thibault de Tersant.

For  information  regarding  the  equity  interests  in  Dassault 
Systèmes SE of the corporate officers (mandataires sociaux), 
see paragraphs  5.1.1 “Composition and Practices of the Board 
of Directors”  and  6.3 “Information about the Shareholders”  in 
this Annual Report (Document de référence).

190 ANNUAL REPORT 2016  DASSAULT SYSTÈMES

Corporate governance
Summary of the Compensation and Benefi ts Due to Corporate Offi cers (mandataires sociaux)

5

SUBSCRIPTION AND PURCHASE OPTIONS OF THE TOP TEN EMPLOYEES WHO ARE NOT EXECUTIVE OFFICERS 
AND THE OPTIONS THEY EXERCISED DURING 2016
(Corresponding to Table 9 of the AMF Position-Recommendation No. 2009-16)

The following table sets forth, on a global basis, the total number and weighted average exercise price of shares subscribed by the 
ten Company employees who exercised the largest number of Dassault Systèmes SE stock options during 2016 and who are not 
corporate officers (mandataires sociaux) of the Dassault Systèmes SE.

Total number 
of options

Average 
weighted 
price 
per option

Plan 
no. 2008-02

Plan 
no. 2010-01

Plan 
no. 2014-01

Plan 
no. 2015-01

Plan 
no. 2016-01

Stock options granted in 2016 to the ten 
employees who received the largest number 
of stock options

Stock options exercised in 2016 by the ten 
employees who exercised the largest 
number of stock options*

320,250

€69.00

396,617

€41.38

–

–

–

–

–

320,250

293,452

80,500

13,332

–

* 

For all the grants prior to July 17, 2014, the figures in this table (options and exercise price) reflect the two-for-one split of the Dassault Systèmes share effective on July 17, 2014 
and the correlative multiplication of the number of shares that may be exercised.

5.3.2.2 

Performance Shares

The  General  Meeting  of  September  4,  2015  authorized  the 
Board of Directors to grant Dassault Systèmes shares, up to a 
maximum of 2% of Dassault Systèmes SE’s capital at the date 
of  granting  by  the  Board  of  Directors  (i.e.  5,143,080  shares 
as at May 26, 2016), this authorization being valid during a 
38-month period.

The Board meeting of May 26, 2016 used this authorization 
to  grant  782,950  “2016-A”  performance  shares  to  604 
beneficiaries,  and  300,000  “2016-B”  shares  to  Bernard 
Charlès,  Vice-Chairman  of  the  Board  and  Chief  Executive 
Officer (see paragraph  5.1.4.2 “Performance Shares and Share 
Subscription  Options” ).  This  second  grant  is  compliant  with 
the  resolution  of  the  General  Meeting,  which  limited  the 
portion of shares that could be granted to Bernard Charlès to 
35% of the overall amount of shares as of the date of the grant 
(i.e. 1,800,078 shares as at May 26, 2016).

5

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191

5 Corporate governance

Summary of the Compensation and Benefi ts Due to Corporate Offi cers (mandataires sociaux)

HISTORY OF PERFORMANCE SHARES GRANTED
(Corresponding to Table 10 of the AMF Position-Recommendation No. 2009-16)

For all the grants prior to July 17, 2014, the figures in this table reflect the two-for-one split of the Dassault Systèmes share 
effective on July 17, 2014 and the correlative multiplication of the number of shares.

Plan Number

General Meeting

2010-02
France Plan

2010-04 
– France Plan

2010-04 
– International 
Plan

2014-A

2015-A

2016-A

Total

05/27/2010

05/27/2010

05/27/2010

05/30/2013

09/04/2015

09/04/2015

Date of the Board meeting

09/29/2011

09/07/2012

09/07/2012

02/21/2014

09/04/2015

05/26/2016

Total number of shares 
granted, including the 
number granted to:

 › to corporate officers 
(mandataires sociaux)

Bernard Charlès

Thibault de Tersant

621,000

661,600 (1)

416,860 (1)

1,059,880

734,600

782,950

4,276,890

62,000

62,000

28,000 (2)

28,000 (2)

34,000

34,000

–

–

–

40,000

40,000

40,000

–

–

–

40,000

40,000

40,000

244,000

56,000 (2)

188,000

Vesting date of shares

09/29/2014

09/07/2015

09/07/2016

02/21/2018

09/04/2017

Date of end of holding period

09/29/2016

09/07/2017

Yes (3)

Yes (4)

N/A

Yes (4)

588,000

622,000

336,310

05/26/2018 
(Tranche 1) 
and 
05/26/2019 
(Tranche 2)

N/A

Yes (7)

–

1,546,310

N/A

Yes (5)

–

N/A

Yes (6)

–

Performance conditions

Number of shares vested 
as at 02/28/2017

Total number of shares 
cancelled or lapsed 
as at 12/31/2016

Performance shares 
remaining at the end 
of financial year

33,000

39,600

80,550

84,810

11,450

2,950

252,360

-

-

-

975,070

723,150

780,000

2,478,220

(1)  In the event of international mobility, the beneficiaries of the France Plan may be transferred under certain conditions to the International Plan and vice versa during the vesting 

period. Therefore, the total number of vested shares under the France or International Plans may differ from the number of shares originally granted under these plans.

(2)  The shares granted to the Chief Executive Officer are subject to an additional performance condition in relation to his variable compensation actually paid with respect to three 
financial years set forth in the regulations of the plan in question, the amount of which is itself dependent on achieving performance criteria previously established by the Board 
of Directors of Dassault Systèmes SE.

(3)  The  2010-02  Shares  will  be  fully  vested  at  the  end  of  the  vesting  period  applicable  to  the  beneficiary,  provided  the  beneficiary  remains  with  the  Company  and  satisfies  a 
performance condition, which is measured according to the EPS actually realized compared to the high end of the range EPS as published for each of the 2011, 2012 and 2013 
financial years.

(4)  The  2010-04  Shares  will  be  fully  vested  at  the  end  of  the  vesting  period  applicable  to  the  beneficiary,  provided  the  beneficiary  remains  with  the  Company  and  satisfies  a 
performance condition, which is measured according to the EPS actually realized compared to the high end of the range EPS as published for each of the 2012, 2013 and 2014 
financial years.

(5)  The 2014-A Shares will be fully vested at the end of the vesting period, provided the beneficiary remains with the Company and fulfils each year over a three-year period at least 
one of the following performance conditions: growth in the EPS compared to 2014, and such growth must be at least equal to a threshold (expressed as a percentage) established 
at the Board meeting at which the shares were granted, or outperformance of the Dassault Systèmes share compared to the performance of the CAC 40 index; and this difference 
must be at least equal to a threshold (expressed as a percentage) established at the same Board meeting.

(6)  The  2015-A  Shares  will  be  fully  vested  at  the  end  of  the  vesting  period,  provided  that  the  beneficiary  remains  with  the  Company  and  fulfils  at  least  one  of  the  following 
performance conditions whose achievement will be measured in 2017: growth in the EPS compared to 2014, and such growth must be at least equal to a threshold (expressed as 
a percentage) established at the Board meeting at which the shares were granted, or outperformance of the Dassault Systèmes share compared to the performance of the CAC 40 
index; and this difference must be at least equal to a threshold (expressed as a percentage) established at the same Board meeting.

(7)  The  2016-A  Shares  will  be  fully  vested  at  the  end  of  the  vesting  period,  provided  that  the  beneficiary  remains  with  the  Company  and  fulfils  at  least  one  of  the  following 
performance condition (based on alternative criteria in consideration of each tranche) whose achievement will be measured in 2018 and 2019: growth in the EPS compared to 
2015, and such growth must be at least equal to a threshold (expressed as a percentage) established at the Board meeting at which the shares were granted, or outperformance 
of the Dassault Systèmes share compared to the performance of the CAC 40 index; and this difference must be at least equal to a threshold (expressed as a percentage) established 
at the same Board meeting.

192 ANNUAL REPORT 2016  DASSAULT SYSTÈMES

Corporate governance
Summary of the Compensation and Benefi ts Due to Corporate Offi cers (mandataires sociaux)

5

HISTORY OF THE SHARE GRANTS TO BERNARD CHARLÈS, VICE-CHAIRMAN OF THE BOARD AND CHIEF EXECUTIVE 
OFFICER, IN RESPECT OF THE GRADUAL PROCESS OF ASSOCIATING BERNARD CHARLÈS WITH THE COMPANY’S 
SHARE CAPITAL.
(See also paragraph 5.1.4.2 “Performance Shares and Share Subscription Options”)

For all the grants prior to July 17, 2014, the figures in this table reflect the two-for-one split of the Dassault Systèmes share 
effective on July 17, 2014 and the correlative multiplication of the number of shares.

Plan Details

General Meeting

Board of Directors

Total number of shares granted 
to Bernard Charlès

2009

2010

2010-03

2010-05

2014-B

2015-B

2016-B

06/06/2007 05/27/2010 05/27/2010 05/27/2010 05/30/2013 09/04/2015

09/04/2015

11/27/2009 05/27/2010 09/29/2011 09/07/2012 02/21/2014 09/04/2015

05/26/2016

300,000

300,000

300,000

300,000

300,000

300,000

300,000

Vesting date of shares

11/27/2011 05/27/2012 09/29/2013 09/07/2014 02/21/2018 09/04/2017

05/26/2018 
(Tranche 1) and 
05/26/2019 
(Tranche 2)

Date of end of holding period (1)

11/27/2013 05/27/2014 09/29/2015 09/07/2016

N/A

N/A

N/A

Performance conditions

See note (2)

See note (3)

See note (4)

See note (5)

See note (6)

See note (7)

See note (8)

Number of shares vested 
as at 02/28/2017

300,000

300,000

300,000

300,000

–

–

–

(1)  Non applicable to the shares subject to the legal lock-up commitment set by the Board of Directors (see paragraph 5.1.4.2 “Performance Shares and Share Subscription Options”).
(2)  Performance condition related to variable compensation actually paid to the Chief Executive Officer with respect to the 2009 and 2010 financial years, the amount of which is itself 

dependent on achieving performance criteria previously established by the Board.

(3)  Performance condition related to variable compensation actually paid to the Chief Executive Officer with respect to the 2010 and 2011 financial years, the amount of which is itself 

dependent on achieving performance criteria previously established by the Board.

(4)  Performance condition related to variable compensation actually paid to the Chief Executive Officer with respect to the 2011 and 2012 financial years, the amount of which is itself 

dependent on achieving performance criteria previously established by the Board.

(5)  Performance condition related to variable compensation actually paid to the Chief Executive Officer with respect to the 2012 and 2013 financial years, the amount of which is itself 

dependent on achieving performance criteria previously established by the Board.

(6)  The same performance condition as that stipulated for the 2014-A performance shares granted by the Board on the same day to certain employees of the Group.
(7)  Performance condition (i) identical to the one stipulated for the 2015-A performance shares and (ii) an additional condition tied to the variable compensation actually paid to the 
Chief Executive Officer with respect to financial years 2015 and 2016, the amount of which is itself dependent on the achievement of performance criteria previously established 
by the Board meeting that set his compensation.

(8)  Performance condition (i) identical to the one stipulated for the 2016-A performance shares and (ii) an additional condition tied to the variable compensation actually paid to the 
Chief Executive Officer with respect to financial years 2016, 2017 and 2018, the amount of which is itself dependent on the achievement of performance criteria previously 
established by the Board meeting that set his compensation (see paragraph  5.1.4.2 “Performance Shares and Share Subscription Options” ).

5

DASSAULT SYSTÈMES  ANNUAL REPORT 2016

193

5 Corporate governance

Transactions in the Company’s Shares by the Management of the Company

5.4  Transactions in the Company’s Shares 
by the Management of the Company

Pursuant  to  Article  223-26  of  the  AMF   General  Regulations,  the  table  below  shows  transactions  involving  securities  issued 
by Dassault Systèmes SE carried out in 2016 by directors or executive officers of the Company, or by persons related to them 
(according  to  Article  L.  621-18-2  of  the  French  Monetary  and  Financial  Code)  on  the  basis  of  the  declarations  made  by  the 
relevant parties to the AMF, available on www.amf-france.org.

Date
And place

Directors and Executive Officers

Nature of the transaction

Unit price
(in euros)

Gross amount 
(in euros)

01/12/16
Euronext Paris Dominique Florack

02/15/16
Euronext Paris Thibault de Tersant

02/15/16
Euronext Paris Thibault de Tersant

04/25/16
Euronext Paris Thibault de Tersant

04/25/16
Euronext Paris Thibault de Tersant

04/27/16
Euronext Paris Thibault de Tersant

04/27/16
Euronext Paris Thibault de Tersant

05/02/16
Euronext Paris Pascal Daloz

06/24/16
Euronext Paris Laurence Barthès

06/24/16
Euronext Paris Jean-Pierre Chahid-Nouraï

06/24/16
Euronext Paris Pascal Daloz

Exercise of share subscription options

19.50

195,000.00

Exercise of share subscription options

23.50

940,000.00

Sale of shares

67.2117 2,688,470.59

Exercise of share subscription options

23.50

122,200.00

Exercise of share subscription options

19.50

27,300.00

Sale of shares

70.3827 2,815,308.60

Exercise of share subscription options

23.50

940,000.00

Exercise of share subscription options

19.50 1,950,000.00

Reinvestment of dividends in shares 

68.40

8,960.40

Reinvestment of dividends in shares 

68.40

547.20

Reinvestment of dividends in shares 

68.40

21,272.40

06/24/16
Euronext

06/24/16
Euronext

06/24/16
Euronext

Individual related to Bernard Charlès

Reinvestment of dividends in shares

68.40

68,058.00

Individual related to Bernard Charlès

Reinvestment of dividends in shares

68.40

205.20

Individual related to Bernard Charlès

Reinvestment of dividends in shares

68.40

342.00

194 ANNUAL REPORT 2016  DASSAULT SYSTÈMES

Corporate governance
Transactions in the Company’s Shares by the Management of the Company

5

Date
And place

06/24/16
Euronext

06/24/16
Euronext

06/24/16
Euronext

06/24/16
Euronext

06/24/16
Euronext

Directors and Executive Officers

Nature of the transaction

Unit price
(in euros)

Gross amount 
(in euros)

Charles Edelstenne

Reinvestment of dividends in shares

68.40

136.80

Charles Edelstenne

Reinvestment of dividends in shares

68.40 1,500,148.80

Individual related to Charles Edelstenne

Reinvestment of dividends in shares

68.40 2,740,788.00

Legal person related to Charles Edelstenne

Reinvestment of dividends in shares

68.40

820.80

Legal person related to Edelstenne

Reinvestment of dividends in shares

68.40

820.80

07/28/16
Euronext Paris Philippe Forestier

07/28/16
Euronext Paris Philippe Forestier

07/28/16
Euronext Paris Thibault de Tersant

07/28/16
Euronext Paris Thibault de Tersant

08/02/16
Euronext Paris Bruno Latchague

08/02/16
Euronext Paris Bruno Latchague

09/09/16
Euronext Paris Bruno Latchague

10/31/16
Euronext Paris Thibault de Tersant

Exercise of share subscription options

19.50

390,000.00

Sale of shares

74.0375 1,480,751.71

Exercise of share subscription options

23.50

817,800.00

Sale of shares

74.0514 2,576,989.02

Exercise of share subscription options

23.50

35,367.00

5

Sale of shares

Sale of shares

Sale of shares

73.6396

110,827.63

76.5805 2,603,737.00

72.0825

720,825.00

TRANSACTIONS MADE BY GIMD, A LEGAL ENTITY RELATED TO CHARLES EDELSTENNE, CHAIRMAN OF THE BOARD, 
AND MARIE-HÉLÈNE HABERT-DASSAULT, DIRECTOR

Date
and place

06/15/2016
Euronext Paris

10/27/16
Over the counter market

10/28/16
Over the counter market

11/15/16
Over the counter market

Nature of the transaction

Acquisition of shares

Sale of other types of financial instruments

Sale of other types of financial instruments

Sale of other types of financial instruments

Unit price
(in euros)

Gross amount
(in euros)

66.2085 15,956,248.50

1.56

23,400.00

1.4126

21,189.00

1.7159

25,738.50

DASSAULT SYSTÈMES  ANNUAL REPORT 2016

195

5 Corporate governance

Statutory Auditors

5.5  Statutory Auditors

Principal Statutory Auditors
PricewaterhouseCoopers  Audit,  member  of  the  Compagnie 
Régionale des Commissaires aux Comptes de Versailles,  63, 
rue  de  Villiers  –  92200  Neuilly-sur-Seine,  represented  by 
Pierre  Marty,  whose  first  mandate  began  on  June  8,  2005 
and was renewed on May 26, 2011 for a period of six fiscal 
years  expiring  at  the  General  Meeting  of  Shareholders 
approving the financial statements for the fiscal year ending 
on December 31, 2016.

Ernst & Young et Autres, member of the Compagnie Régionale 
des Commissaires aux Comptes de Versailles,  1/2,  place  des 
Saisons – 92400 Courbevoie – Paris-La Défense 1, represented 
by  Pierre-Antoine  Duffaud,  whose  first  mandate  began  on 
May 27, 2010 was renewed on May 26, 2016 for a period of 
six fiscal years expiring at the General Meeting of Shareholders 
approving the financial statements for the fiscal year ending 
on December 31, 2021.

It will be proposed to the General Meeting of May 23, 2017 to 
renew PricewaterhouseCoopers Audit mandate, for a six fiscal 

year period. This mandate will expire at the General Meeting 
approving  the  financial  statements  for  the  year  ending  on 
December 31, 2022.

Deputy Statutory Auditors
Yves  Nicolas,  63,  rue  de  Villiers  –  92200  Neuilly-sur-Seine, 
whose  mandate  began  on  May  26,  2011  for  a  period  of  six 
fiscal  years  expiring  at  the  General  Meeting  of  Shareholders 
approving the financial statements for the fiscal year ending 
on December 31, 2016.

The  company  Auditex,  1/2,  place  des  Saisons  – 
92400  Courbevoie  –  Paris-La  Défense  1,  whose  mandate 
was renewed on May 26, 2016 and will expire at the General 
Meeting  of  Shareholders  approving  the  financial  statements 
for the fiscal year ending on December 31, 2021.

Principal Auditors’ fees and services
See Note 27 to the consolidated financial statement.

196 ANNUAL REPORT 2016  DASSAULT SYSTÈMES

6

INFORMATION ABOUT 
DASSAULT SYSTÈMES SE, 
THE SHARE CAPITAL AND 
THE OWNERSHIP STRUCTURE

6.1  Information about 

Dassault Systèmes SE 

6.1.1  General Information 

6.1.2  Memorandum and Specific By-Laws Provisions 

SOMMAIRE

6.3  Information about the Shareholders 207

198

198

199

6.3.1  Shareholder Base and Double Voting Rights 

6.3.2  Controlling Shareholder 

6.3.3  Shareholder Agreements 

207

209

210

212

6.2  Information about the Share Capital 202

6.4  Stock Market Information 

6.2.1  Share Capital at February 28, 2017 

6.2.2  Potential Share Capital 

6.2.3  Changes in Dassault Systèmes SE Share Capital 

over the Past Three Years 

6.2.4  Delegations and Authorizations Granted 

to the Board of Directors by the General Meeting 

6.2.5  Stock Repurchase Programs 

202

202

203

204

206

DASSAULT SYSTÈMES  ANNUAL REPORT 2016

197

6 Information about Dassault Systèmes SE, the share capital and the ownership structure

Information about Dassault Systèmes SE

6.1 

Information about Dassault Systèmes SE

6.1.1  General Information

6.1.1.1 

Commercial Name and Registered 
Office

Dassault Systèmes

10, rue Marcel Dassault – 78140 Vélizy-Villacoublay, France

Telephone: +33 (0)1 61 62 61 62

6.1.1.2 

Legal form – Applicable Law – 
Place of Registration and Registration 
Number – APE code

Dassault  Systèmes  SE  is  a  European  company  (Societas 
Europaea)  incorporated  and  registered  under  French  law, 
governed  by  the  provisions  of  Council  Regulation  (EC) 
no.  2157/2001  as  well  as  by  French  provisions  in  force  at 
any time (hereinafter the “Law”). The Company is registered 
with  the  Versailles  trade  and  companies  registry  under 
number 322 306 440. The Company’s APE code is 5829 C.

Dassault Systèmes SE is governed by a Board of Directors.

6.1.1.3  Date of Incorporation and Term

Dassault  Systèmes  SE  was  incorporated  as  a  limited  liability 
company (société à responsabilité limitée) on June 9, 1981 for 
a  99-year  term  starting  on  the  date  of  its  registration  (until 
August 4, 2080). The Company was transformed into a public 
limited liability company (société anonyme) on April 8, 1993 
and  then  into  a  European  company  (Societas Europaea)  on 
June 15, 2015.

 › the supply and providing of services to users notably in the 
area of training, demonstration, methodology, display and 
utilization; and

 › the  supply  and  sale  of  computer  resources,  together  or 
separate  from  the  supply  or  sale  of  software  or  services, 
notably  in  the  areas  of  3D  design,  solutions,  modeling, 
planning, 
simulation,  manufacturing, 
collaboration, lifecycle management, business intelligence, 
marketing  or  3D  for  public  at  large  in  the  domains  of 
products, nature and life.

operations 

The purpose of the Company shall also be:

 › the  creation,  acquisition, 

rental  and  management-
lease  of  any  on-going  business,  signing  leases,  and  the 
establishment and operation of any facilities;

 › the  acquisition,  operation  or  sale  of  any  industrial  or 
intellectual property rights as well as any knowhow in the 
field of computers; and

 › more  generally,  taking  an  interest  in  any  business  or 
company  created  or  to  be  created  as  well  as  in  any  legal, 
economic, financial, industrial, civil commercial, personal or 
real property enterprise connected directly or indirectly, in 
whole or in part, with the purposes above or any similar or 
related purposes.

6.1.1.5 

Fiscal Year

The 12-month fiscal year covers the period from January 1st to 
December 31st of each year.

6.1.1.4 

Corporate Purpose

6.1.1.6 

Branches

to  Article  2  of 

Pursuant 
the  Company’s  by-laws, 
Dassault  Systèmes  SE’s  corporate  purpose,  in  France  and 
abroad, is:

 › the  conception,  development,  production,  marketing, 
purchase,  sale,  brokerage,  rental,  maintenance  and  the 
provision  of  after-sale  services  of  software,  digital  content 
and/or computer hardware;

 › the  supply  and  providing  of  services  of  data  centers, 
including  the  supply  of  online  software  services  as  a 
service and the operation and supply of the corresponding 
infrastructures;

Dassault  Systèmes  SE  has  11  branches  as  of  February  28, 
2017, located at the following addresses:

 › 5 rue de l’Halbrane, Technocampus Océan, ZAC Croix Rouge 

– 44340 Bouguenais

 › 15 rue Claude Chappe, bâtiment B – Zac des Champs blancs 

– 35510 Cesson-Sevigné

 › Rue Evariste Galois, ZAC St-Philippe II, lot 24, Quartier des 

Lucioles – 06410 Biot

 › 10 Place de la Madeleine – 75008 Paris

 › 20  Boulevard  Eugène  Deruelle,  bâtiment  A,  Immeuble  Le 

Britannia – 69003 Lyon

198 ANNUAL REPORT 2016  DASSAULT SYSTÈMES

Information about Dassault Systèmes SE, the share capital and the ownership structure
Information about Dassault Systèmes SE

6

 › 35  rue  Haroun  Tazieff,  Immeuble  Ecoparc  Océnais  1  B  – 

54320 Maxeville

 › 53 avenue de l’Europe – 13090 Aix-en-Provence

 › 1-3 rue Jeanne Braconnier, Immeuble Terre Europa – 92360 

Meudon

 › 120 rue René Descartes – 29280 Plouzané

 › 37  Chemin  des  Ramassiers,  ZAC  des  Ramassiers  –  31770 

Colomiers

 › 1 Allée Lavoisier – 59650 Villeneuve d’Ascq

6.1.1.7  Documents on Display

Dassault  Systèmes  SE’s  by-laws,  minutes  of  the  General 
Meetings  and  Board  of  Directors’  reports  to  the  General 
Meetings,  reports  of  the  Statutory  Auditors,  financial 
statements  for  the  last  three  years  and,  more  generally, 
all  documents  provided  or  made  available  to  shareholders 
pursuant to the Law may be viewed at Dassault Systèmes SE’s 
registered office.

Some  of  these  documents  are  also  available  on  the  Group’s 
website (www.3ds.com/investors/regulated-information).

6.1.2  Memorandum and Specific By-Laws Provisions

Dassault  Systèmes  SE’s  by-laws  were  modified  during  the 
General Shareholders’ Meeting of May 26, 2016 to take into 
account the new provisions relating to the director representing 
employees, extend the maximum age of the Chairman of the 
Board, and enable the Board to appoint a Vice-Chairman.

6.1.2.1  Allocation of Profits 

(Article 36 of the Company’s By-Laws)

The  profits  for  each  year,  less  any  losses  from  prior  periods, 
where appropriate, are first allocated to the reserves as required 
by  Law.  A  sum  of  5%  is  deducted  to  form  the  legal  reserve 
fund. This deduction ceases to be compulsory when said fund 
reaches  one-tenth  of  share  capital;  it  becomes  compulsory 
once again when the legal reserve falls below this amount.

The  distributable  profit  is  composed  of  the  profit  from  the 
year less any losses from prior periods as well as the amounts 
allocated to reserves as required by Law or the Company’s by-
laws, and increased by retained profits.

The  General  Meeting  then  deducts  from  this  distributable 
profit  the  amounts  deemed  appropriate  to  allocate  to  any 
optional,  ordinary  or  special  reserves  or  to  the  retained 
earnings account.

As  appropriate,  any  remaining  balance  is  distributed  to  all 
shares proportionately to the unredeemed paid-up value.

However, except in the event of a share capital reduction, no 
distribution  can  be  made  to  shareholders  if  the  equity  is,  or 
would be as a result of the distribution, less than the amount 
of the share capital plus the reserves that cannot be distributed 
under the law or the by-laws.

The General Meeting may decide to distribute amounts taken 
from  available  reserves,  either  to  pay  or  increase  a  dividend, 
or  distribute  a  special  dividend.  In  this  case,  the  resolution 
explicitly  identifies  from  which  reserves  these  amounts  are 
to be withdrawn. Nevertheless, the dividends are distributed 
in  order  of  priority  starting  with  the  distributable  profit  of 
the year.

After the approval of the financial statements by the General 
Meeting,  any  losses  are  recorded  in  a  special  account  and 
carried forward against the profits of future years, until they 
have been eliminated.

In case of stripping of the ownership of the shares, Article 11 
of  the  by-laws  reserves  for  beneficial  owners  the  right  to 
vote  on  decisions  relating  to  the  allocation  of  profits  (see 
paragraph 6.1.2.3 “Shares and Voting Rights”).

6.1.2.2  General Meetings

Notice and agenda of meeting 
(Articles 25 and 26 of the Company’s by-laws)
General Meetings are convened by the Board of Directors or, 
if the Board of Directors fails to convene a General Meeting, 
by  the  Statutory  Auditor(s).  One  or  more  shareholders  who 
together hold at least 10% of the subscribed capital may also 
 request  the  Board  of  Directors  to  call  and   set  the  agenda  of 
such General Meetings. The request to convene the meeting 
shall set out the items to be put on the agenda.

Notice  of  the  meeting  is  made  through  an  announcement 
placed  in  a  journal  of  legal  notices  in  the  department  of  the 
registered office, and in the French Bulletin of required legal 

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notices (Bulletin des Annonces Légales Obligatoires – BALO). 
Shareholders holding registered shares for at least one month 
from  the  date  of  the  announcement  are  also  notified  of  all 
General Meetings by letter sent by standard mail or, at their 
request and expense, by registered letter. The General Meeting 
cannot be held less than 15 days after the announcement is 
published or the letter is sent to registered holders.

One or more shareholders, representing at least the required 
percentage  of  capital,  also  have  the  possibility  of  requesting 
that items and proposed resolutions be added to the agenda in 
accordance with the Law.

Conditions for admission (Article 27 of the Company’s 
by-laws)
Every  shareholder  has  the  right  to  participate  in  General 
Meetings either in person or by proxy, provided his/her shares 
are fully paid-up and:

 › for  holders  of  registered  shares,  that  they  are  held  in 
a  registered  account  (directly  or  through  a  financial 
intermediary)  at  0:00  a.m.  (Paris  time)  on  the  second 
business day preceding the meeting;

 › for holders of shares in bearer form, that they are recorded 
in a bearer securities account maintained by the accredited 
intermediary  at  0:00  a.m.  (Paris  time)  on  the  second 
business day preceding the meeting.

The  registration  of  shares  in  a  bearer  securities  account 
maintained by the accredited intermediary shall be validated 
by  a  shareholding  certificate  (attestation  de  participation) 
issued  by  the  accredited  intermediary  to  the  holder  of  the 
shares.  This  certificate  must  be  attached  to  the  voting  or 
proxy form or to the request for an admission card issued in 
the  shareholder’s  name.  A  certificate  can  also  be  issued  to 
a  shareholder  who  wishes  to  attend  in  person  the  General 
Meeting and who has not received an admission card by the 
second business day preceding the meeting.

Shareholders may vote by mail using a form that will be sent to 
them under the conditions indicated by the notice of meeting. 
The form, duly completed and accompanied, as the case may 
be, by a shareholding certificate (attestation de participation), 
must be received by Dassault Systèmes SE at least three days 
before the date of the General Meeting, or it will not be taken 
into consideration.

A  shareholder  may  be  represented  by  his/her  spouse  or  by 
any other natural or legal person who has been appointed as 
proxy, under conditions provided by the Law. The shareholders 
who are legal entities are represented by the natural persons 
duly authorized to represent them with respect to third parties 
or  by  any  person  to  whom  the  power  of  proxy  has  been 
transferred.

A  shareholder,  who  is  a  non-French  resident  as  defined  in 
Article  102  of  the  French  Civil  Code,  may  be  represented  at 
General  Meetings  by  an  accredited  intermediary  registered 
according  to  the  provisions  of  the  Law.  Such  shareholder 

will be considered present in calculating the quorum and the 
results of voting.

If the Board of Directors so decides when convening the General 
Meeting,  any  shareholder  may  also  participate  and  vote  at 
the  meeting  by  video-conference  or  by  any  other  means  of 
telecommunications permitting him/her to be identified and 
to participate effectively. Such participation must comply with 
the  conditions  and  means  set  forth  in  the  provisions  of  the 
Law. Such shareholder will be accounted for in calculating the 
quorum and the results of voting.

Actions needed to amend shareholders’ rights 
(Articles 13, 31 and 32 of the Company’s by-laws)
Only  an  Extraordinary  General  Meeting  can  amend 
shareholders’ rights in compliance with the provisions of the 
Law.

Except as may be otherwise provided for under the provisions 
of the Law and with the exception of reverse share splits carried 
out in accordance with the Law, no majority may impose on 
shareholders an increase in their commitments. If new classes 
of shares are created, only an Extraordinary General Meeting 
and a Special Meeting of Shareholders of the specific class of 
shares  may  approve  any  amendment  to  the  rights  of  these 
classes of shares.

6.1.2.3 

Shares and Voting Rights

Rights, privileges and restrictions attached 
to each class of shares 
(Articles 13 and 39 of the Company’s by-laws)
All the shares are of the same class and are entitled to, under 
the Company’s by-laws, the same rights to the allocation of 
profits and any amounts distributed in the event of liquidation 
(see  also  paragraph  6.1.2.1  “Allocation  of  Profits  (Article  36 
of the Company’s By-Laws)”). However, a double voting right 
is attributed to any fully paid-up share held in registered form 
for  at  least  two  consecutive  years  in  the  name  of  the  same 
holder (see paragraph “Double voting rights (Article 29 of the 
Company’s by-laws)” below).

Conditions for exercising voting rights 
(Articles 11 and 29 of the Company’s by-laws)
The right to vote attached to shares or dividend-right shares is 
proportional to the portion of capital they represent.

Voting  is  carried  out  by  show  of  hands,  by  roll  call  or  secret 
ballot,  as  decided  by  the  secretariat  of  the  meeting  or  the 
shareholders. Shareholders may also vote by mail, by video-
conference  or  by  any  other  means  of  communication,  as 
indicated  in  the  preceding  paragraph.  For  the  calculation  of 
the majority, the votes cast shall not include votes attaching 
to  shares  in  respect  of  which  the  shareholder  has  not  taken 
part in the vote or has returned a blank or spoilt ballot paper.

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In case of stripping of the ownership of the shares, the voting 
right  attached  to  the  share  belongs  to  the  bare  owner  (nu-
propriétaire), except for the decisions relating to the allocation 
of  profits  for  which  it  belongs  to  the  beneficial  owner 
(usufruitier).

Double voting rights (Article 29 of the Company’s by-
laws)
Each  share  gives  the  right  to  one  vote.  Nevertheless,  since 
2002,  a  double  vote  has  been  awarded  to  all  fully  paid-up 
shares  held  in  registered  form  for  at  least  two  consecutive 
years in the name of the same holder. In the case of a capital 
increase  by  incorporation  of  reserves,  profits  or  premiums, 
this double voting right will be attached on the date of their 
issuance to free registered new shares allotted to a shareholder 
in  consideration  for  his  or  her  old  shares  giving  rise  to  such 
right.

Under  the  Law,  any  share  converted  into  a  bearer  share  or 
changing hands shall lose the right to the double voting right 
except  in  the  case  of  a  transfer  from  a  registered  account  to 
another registered account at inheritance or a gift inter vivos to 
a spouse or a relative entitled to succeed to the donor’s estate. 
The double voting right may also be cancelled by a resolution 
of  the  shareholders  at  an  Extraordinary  General  Meeting, 
provided the approval of the Special Meeting of Shareholders 
having a double voting right.

Limitations on voting rights
The  by-laws  contain  no  restrictions  on  the  exercise  of 
voting  rights  attached  to  Dassault  Systèmes  shares  except 
in the event of stripping of the ownership of the shares (see 
paragraph “Conditions for exercising voting rights (Articles 11 
and 29 of the Company’s by-laws)” above).

6.1.2.4  Declarations Concerning Crossing 

of the Ownership Thresholds 
(Article 13 of the Company’s By-Laws)

In addition to the legal obligation to inform Dassault Systèmes SE 
and  the  Financial  Markets  Authority  (AMF)  in  the  event 
a  shareholder’s  interest  passes  the  thresholds  set  out  in 
Article L. 233-7 of the French Commercial Code, any natural 
or  legal  person,  acting  alone  or  in  concert  with  others,  who 
acquires  directly  or  indirectly  shares  representing  at  least 
2.5% of Dassault Systèmes SE’s share capital or voting rights, 
or  a  multiple  thereof,  must  inform  Dassault  Systèmes  SE  of 
the  total  number  of  shares  or  voting  rights  which  it  holds. 
This  information  must  be  sent  to  Dassault  Systèmes  SE  by 
registered  letter  with  return  receipt  requested,  within  four 
trading days following the date of acquisition or disposal.

This  declaration  must  be  made  each  time  the  number  of 
shares  held  exceeds  this  threshold  of  2.5%  (or  one  of  its 
multiples),  up  to  50%  (inclusive)  of  the  total  number  of 
Dassault Systèmes shares or voting rights, or falls below it. The 
shareholder  must  certify  in  each  declaration  that  it  includes 
all shares or voting rights held or owned, in accordance with 
Article L. 233-7 et seq. of the French Commercial Code. The 
declaration must also indicate the date or dates on which the 
acquisitions or divestitures occurred.

In  the  event  of  non-compliance  of  this  requirement,  the 
shares  exceeding  the  fraction  of  2.5%  which  should  have 
been  declared  will  lose  their  voting  rights,  upon  the  request 
recorded in the minutes of the General Meeting of one or more 
shareholders holding a portion of Dassault Systèmes SE share 
capital  or  voting  rights  equal  to  at  least  2.5%  of  the  capital 
or voting rights. The voting rights will be lost for all General 
Meetings held until the expiration of two years following the 
date on which the required declaration is made.

6.1.2.5 

Terms in the Company’s By-Laws, 
Charter or Regulation Which Could 
Delay, Postpone or Prevent a Change 
in Control

Other  than  the  aforementioned  double  voting  right  (see 
paragraph  6.1.2.3  “Shares  and  Voting  Rights”)  and  the 
reporting  obligation  when  holdings  exceed  2.5% 
(see 
paragraph  6.1.2.4  “Declarations  Concerning  Crossing  of  the 
Ownership Thresholds (Article 13 of the By-Laws)”), Article 10 
of  the  by-laws  provides  that  Dassault  Systèmes  SE  may,  at 
any  time  and  in  compliance  with  the  provisions  of  the  Law, 
request that a central depositary maintaining the Company’s 
share register, communicate to it the name (or corporate name 
for legal entities), the nationality, the year of birth or the year 
of incorporation and the postal and, where applicable, e-mail 
address of holders of Dassault Systèmes shares in bearer form 
which  grant,  immediately  or  over  time,  the  right  to  vote  at 
General  Meetings,  as  well  as  the  number  of  shares  held  by 
each  of  these  shareholders  and,  where  appropriate,  any 
restrictions applicable to such shares.

6.1.2.6 

Terms in the Company’s By-Laws 
Concerning Modifications in Share 
Capital Which Are More Restrictive 
than the Law

The  by-laws  of  Dassault  Systèmes  SE  do  not  contain  any 
provisions concerning modifications of share capital which are 
more restrictive than those provided under the Law.

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6.2 

Information about the Share Capital

6.2.1  Share Capital at February 28, 2017

At February 28, 2017, the Company’s share capital was comprised of 258,176,957 fully paid-up shares with a nominal value of 
€0.50 per share. At December 31, 2016, the Company’s share capital was €128,998,301.50, divided into 257,996,603 shares.

6.2.2  Potential Share Capital

At February 28, 2017, outstanding share subscription options 
(whether or not exercisable) would, if all were exercised, result 
in the issuance of 5,723,406 new shares, representing 2.22% 
of the Company’s share capital at that date (on a diluted basis).

SW  Securities  LLC  held  503,614  shares,  or  approximately 
0.20% on these dates, of the Company’s share capital. Similar 
to treasury stock, the shares held by SW Securities LLC do not 
have voting rights and are not eligible for dividends.

On  the  basis  of  the  closing  price  of  the  Company’s  shares 
on  February  28,  2017  (€76.23  per  share),  the  exercise  of 
all  exercisable  issued  options,  whose  exercise  price  was  less 
than that closing price, would have resulted in the issuance of 
2,500,392 new shares, representing 0.97% of the Company’s 
share capital at that date (on a diluted basis). The dilutive effect 
per share at December 31, 2016 is also set forth in Note 11 to 
the consolidated financial statements.

In connection with the acquisition of the SolidW  orks company 
in 1997, Dassault Systèmes SE issued shares to the holders of 
shares subscription options and warrants issued by SolidW  orks 
prior  to  this  acquisition.  These  Dassault  Systèmes  shares 
have  historically  been  held  by  the  Group’s  wholly-owned 
U.S.  subsidiary,  SW  Securities  LLC.  No  other  SolidW  orks 
share subscription options or warrants remain outstanding at 
this  time.  At  December  31,  2016,  as  at  February  28,  2017, 

Other  than  the  share  subscription  options  granted 
in 
connection  with  stock  option  plans  and  performance  share 
grants as described in paragraph 5.3.1 “Compensation of the 
Company’s corporate officers” and paragraph 5.3.2 “Interests 
of Executive Management and Employees in the Share Capital 
of Dassault Systèmes SE”, there are no other securities giving 
a  right  to  subscribe  shares  of  Dassault  Systèmes  SE,  and 
there is no agreement which could result in a capital increase. 
Dassault Systèmes SE has not issued any securities which do 
not represent an interest in its share capital.

Pledges of shares

To  the  Company’s  knowledge,  there  was  no  pledge  of 
Dassault Systèmes shares in registered form and representing 
a  significant  portion  of  its  share  capital  as  of  February  28, 
2017.

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6.2.3  Changes in Dassault Systèmes SE Share Capital 

over the Past Three Years

Date

Operation

February 28,
2014

Capital increase resulting from the exercise 
of share subscription options

March 21,
2014

Share capital reduction through cancellation 
of treasury stock

Nominal amount of 
changes in share capital
(in euros)

Amount in 
share capital
(in euros)

Number of 
shares created 
or canceled

Total number 
of shares

940,826

127,071,267

940,826

127,071,267

(741,175)

126,330,092

(741,175)

126,330,092

June 20,
2014

July 9,
2014

July 17,
2014

Capital increase by a dividend payment in shares

802,310

127,132,402

802,310

127,132,402

Capital increase resulting from the exercise 
of share subscription options

729,347

127,861,749

729,347

127,861,749

Split of the share nominal value by two

-*

127,861,749 127,861,749*

255,723,498

February 28,
2015

Capital increase resulting from the exercise 
of share subscription options

Share capital reduction through cancellation 
of treasury stock

March 20,
2015

June 22,
2015

555,900

128,417,649

1,111,800

256,835,298

(802,310)

127,615,339

(1,604,620)

255,230,678

Capital increase by a dividend payment in shares

92,854.50 127,708,193.50

185,709

255,416,387

February 29,
2016

Capital increase resulting from the exercise 
of share subscription options

716,980.50

128,425,174

1,433,961

256,850,348

June 22,
2016

Capital increase by a dividend payment in shares

140,367

128,565,541

280,734

257,131,082

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February 28,
2017

Capital increase resulting from the exercise 
of share subscription options

* 

The nominal value of the share was reduced from €1 to €0.50 on July 17, 2014.

522,937.50 129,088,478.50

1,045,875

258,176,957

The changes in equity resulting from the operations through December 31, 2016 set forth above are included in the “Consolidated 
Statements of Shareholders’ Equity” in the consolidated financial statements.

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6.2.4  Delegations and Authorizations Granted to the Board 

of Directors by the General Meeting

The following table summarizes the delegations and authorizations granted by the General Meeting to the Board of Directors 
and with effect during the 2016 financial year and as of the date of this Annual Report (Document de référence). It includes 
authorizations to increase share capital and to repurchase and cancel the Company’s own shares.

Resolutions 
and General 
Meetings 
(“GM”)

Description of the delegation of authority granted to the Board of Directors

Utilization in 2015

SHARES BUYBACK AND CANCELLATION OF SHARES

13th 
resolution
GM of 
05/26/2016

14th 
resolution
GM of 
05/26/2016

Authorization:  purchase Dassault Systèmes shares.
Duration: approximately 12 months (expiring at the GM approving the financial statements for the fiscal 
year ended on 12/31/2016).
Cap: 10% of share capital within the limit of €500 million and a maximum price per share not exceeding €100.

See paragraph 6.2.5 
“Stock repurchase 
programs”

Authorization: cancel shares purchased under the buyback program.
Duration: approximately 12 months (expiring at the GM approving the financial statements for the fiscal 
year ended on 12/31/2016).
Cap: 10% of share capital in a 24-month period.

See paragraph 6.2.5 
“Stock repurchase 
programs”

ISSUANCE OF SECURITIES

16th 
resolution
GM of 
05/28/2015

17th 
resolution
GM of 
05/28/2015

18th 
resolution
GM of 
05/28/2015

19th 
resolution
GM of 
05/28/2015

20th 
resolution
GM of 
05/28/2015

Authorization: increase the share capital by issuance of shares or securities giving right to shares 
of Dassault Systèmes SE and issue securities giving right to debt securities, with preemptive right 
of shareholders.
Duration: 26 months, i.e. until 07/28/2017.
Cap: For a maximum nominal amount of €12 million for shares or securities – For a maximum nominal 
amount of €750 million for debt securities.

Authorization: increase the share capital by issuance of shares or securities giving right to shares 
of Dassault Systèmes SE or giving right to receive debt securities and to issue securities giving right 
to equity securities to be issued, with waiver of preemptive right of shareholders, by public offering.
Duration: 26 months, i.e. until 07/28/2017.
Cap: For a maximum nominal amount of €12 million for shares or securities – For a maximum nominal 
amount of €750 million for debt securities (to be deducted from the aforementioned overall nominal limits).

Authorization: increase the share capital and issue securities giving right to debt securities, without 
preemptive rights of shareholders, under the delegation referred to in the previous line, by a private 
placement, under section II of the Article L. 411-2 of the French Monetary and Financial Code.
Duration: 26 months, i.e. until 07/28/2017.
Cap: To be deducted from the aforementioned overall nominal limit of €12 million (16th resolution).

Authorization: increase the share capital by incorporation of reserves, profits or premiums.
Duration: 26 months, i.e. until 07/28/2017.
Cap: Up to the aforementioned overall nominal limit of €12 million (16th resolution).

Authorization: increase the share capital to remunerate contributions in kind of shares 
or equity-linked securities.
Duration: 26 months, i.e. until 07/28/2017.
Cap: 10% of share capital.

None

None

None

None

None

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Resolutions 
and General 
Meetings 
(“GM”)

Description of the delegation of authority granted to the Board of Directors

Utilization in 2015

ISSUANCE FOR THE BENEFIT OF EMPLOYEES AND EXECUTIVE OFFICERS

1st resolution
EGM of 
09/04/2015

15th 
resolution
GM of 
05/26/2016

16th 
resolution
EGM of 
05/26/2016

Authorization: grant free shares, existing or to be issued, for the benefit of certain employees 
and/or corporate officers of the Company and its affiliated entities as defined in Article L. 225-197-2 
of the French Commercial Code.
Duration: 38 months, i.e. until 11/04/2018.
Cap: 2% of share capital.

Described in 
paragraph 5.3.2.2 
“Performance 
shares”

Authorization: grant stock options giving right to subscribe to new shares or purchase existing shares 
for the benefit of certain employees and/or corporate officers of Dassault Systèmes SE and its affiliated 
entities as defined in Article L. 225-180 of the French Commercial Code.
Duration: 38 months, i.e. until 07/26/2019.
Cap: 5% of share capital.

See 
paragraph 5.3.2.1 
“Dassault 
Systèmes SE Share 
Subscription Options”

Authorization: increase the share capital for the benefit of members of a corporate 
savings plan of Dassault Systèmes SE and its affiliated entities.
Duration: 26 months, i.e. until 07/26/2018.
Cap: For a maximum nominal amount of €5 million to be deducted from the limit set forth 
by the 16th resolution of the General Meeting on May 28, 2015.

None

The authorizations to purchase the Company’s shares and to 
cancel these purchased shares expire at the end of the General 
Meeting to be held on May 23, 2017. It is thus proposed to 
this  General  Meeting  to  renew  these  authorizations  (see 
paragraph   6.2.5.2  “Description  of  the  Share  Repurchase 
Program Proposed to the General Meeting on May 23, 2017” ). 

It  will  also  be  proposed  to  renew  all  the  above-mentioned 
authorizations  which  expire  in  2017  (see  paragraph   7.1. 
“Presentation  of  the  resolutions  proposed  by  the  Board  of 
Directors to the General Meeting on May 23, 2017” ).

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6.2.5  Stock Repurchase Programs

6.2.5.1 

Transactions carried out 
by Dassault Systèmes SE in 2016 
and early 2017

During  2016,  1,753,042  shares  have  been  purchased  and 
1,746,506 shares have been sold within the framework of this 
liquidity agreement. As at December 31, 2016, the following 
resources appeared on the liquidity account:

Transactions carried out by Dassault Systèmes SE 
in 2016
During 2016 financial year, Dassault Systèmes SE purchased, 
under the authorizations granted to the Board of Directors by 
the  General  Meetings  of  May  28,  2015  and  May  26,  2016, 
1,822,786  of  its  own  shares  (excluding  shares  acquired 
through the liquidity agreement a report of which is presented 
below).

These  shares  were  purchased  at  an  average  price  of  €69.02 
per share, giving a total cost of €125,801,110.29 (excluding 
tax),  given  that  563,957  shares  were  purchased  by  way  of 
acquisitions  of  blocks  of  shares  over-the-counter  market 
at  an  average  price  of  €69.63  per  share,  giving  a  total  cost 
of  €39,267,463.70 (1).  The  transaction  costs  paid  by  the 
Company 
in  connection  with  these  shares  repurchased 
amounted to €45,231.86, all taxes included (plus the tax on 
financial transactions for an amount of €251,602.22).

These 1,822,786 shares were entirely allocated for purposes 
of  coverage  of  the  Company’s  obligations  resulting  from 
performance  share  grants.  O ut  of  these  1,822,786  shares, 
280,734 have been re-allocated to the cancellation objective.

The shares repurchased before 2016 are entirely allocated to 
cover the Company’s obligations resulting from performance 
share  grants  decided  prior  to  2016  (see  paragraph  5.3.1 
“Compensation of the Company’s corporate officers”).

The Company directly held, on December 31, 2016, 3,852,903 
(including 57,524 shares through the liquidity agreement) of 
its own shares of a nominal value of €0.50 each, which had 
been repurchased at an average price of €48.14, representing 
approximately  2.99%  of  share  capital  at  that  date.  Out  of 
these 3,852,903 shares, 3,795,379 shares are at the disposal 
of  Dassault  Systèmes  SE  and  are  allocated  to  cover  the 
Company’s  obligations  resulting  from  performance  shares 
grants (for 3,514,645 shares) and to the cancellation objective 
(for 280,734 shares).

Pursuant to the authorization granted in 2014, on January 5, 
2015,  Dassault  Systèmes  SE  signed  a  liquidity  agreement 
in  accordance  with  the  Code  of  Ethics  of  the  AFEI  (French 
association  of  investment  firms)  recognized  by  the  Financial 
Markets  Authority  (AMF),  with  Oddo  et  Cie  for  an  annual 
amount  of  €50,000  implemented  from  January  7,  2015  for 
an  initial  period  until  December  31,  2015,  automatically 
renewable for subsequent 12-month terms.

 › 57,524 Dassault Systèmes shares; and

 › €7,425,035.35 in cash.

Transactions carried out by Dassault Systèmes SE 
between early 2017 and February 28, 2017
Since  the  beginning  of  2017  and  until  Febraury  28,  2017, 
Dassault Systèmes SE has acquired 383,664 and sold 370,164 
of  its  own  shares.  All  of  these  acquisitions  and  disposals 
has  been  completed  within  the  framework  of  the  liquidity 
agreement

During  fiscal  year  2016  and  since  the  start  of  2017,  the 
Company  has  not  performed  any  transactions  on  derivative 
securities  linked  to  its  shares  and  has  not  purchased  or  sold 
any of its shares by exercising them or through the maturity 
of such derivative securities.

6.2.5.2  Description of the Stock Repurchase 

Program Proposed to the General 
Meeting on May 23, 2017

Pursuant to Articles 241-2 et seq. of the General Regulations 
of the Financial Markets Authority (AMF) and L. 451-3 of the 
French Monetary and Financial Code, and in accordance with 
European  Regulations,  this  description  relates  to  the  terms 
and  objectives  of  the  Company’s  share  repurchase  program 
that will be submitted for approval at the General Meeting of 
May 23, 2017.

Breakdown of treasury stock by purpose as of the date 
of this document
On  February  28,  2017,  Dassault  Systèmes  SE  held 
3,866,403of its own shares directly and 503,614 indirectly. 
These  3,866,403  shares  were  allocated  to  the  following 
objectives:

 › coverage of the Company’s obligations resulting from share 
grants decided in 2012, 2014, 2015 and 2016: 3,514,645  
shares;

 › cancellation: 280,734

 › liquidity  agreement  signed  with  Oddo  et  Cie (1)  on 
January 5, 2015 and renewed for the financial year 2017: 
71,024 shares.

(1)  These are transactions concluded on a bilateral basis between Dassault Systèmes SE and a vendor. The said transactions were then « disclosed » to a 
trading platform. In accordance with AMF position-recommendation (position-recommandation) no. 2017-04, as these transactions were “disclosed”, 
they benefit from the exemption provided for Article 5 of the European Regulation no. 596/2014 on market abuse.

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Purposes of the new repurchase program
1)  Cancel shares in order to increase the return on equity and 

net income per share.

2)  Meet  obligations  related  to  shares  options  granted  or 
other allocation of shares to the benefit of the employees 
or  corporate  officers  of  Dassault  Systèmes  SE  or  of  an 
affiliated company.

3)  Provide shares upon exercise of rights attached to equities 

giving right to shares of Dassault Systèmes SE.

4)  Stimulate the market or provide liquidity for the Company’s 
shares through the intermediary of an investment services 
provider by means of a liquidity contract complying with a 
Code of Ethics accepted by the Financial Markets Authority 
(AMF).

5)  Carry out any market practice which may be authorized by 

the law or by the Financial Markets Authority (AMF).

The purposes 1 to 3 above comply with the terms of paragraph 2, 
Article  5  of  the  European  Regulation  no.  596/2014  dated 
April 16, 2014, and the purpose 4 complies with the market 
practice  accepted  by  the  Financial  Markets  Authority  (AMF) 
no. 2011-07.

The  General  Meeting  of  May  23,  2017  will  also  be  asked  to 
authorize the Board of Directors to cancel, as the case may be, 
all or part of the shares which it may repurchase in connection 
with  the  share  repurchase  program  and  to  carry  out  the 
corresponding reduction in share capital.

Maximum proportion of share capital, maximum 
number, characteristics of the securities that 
the Company proposes to acquire, and maximum 
purchase price
The  Board  of  Directors  may  repurchase  Dassault  Systèmes 
shares  representing  up  to  25,000,000  shares.  The  purchase 
price  of  the  shares  would  be  capped  at  €100  per  share  and 
subject to the limits stipulated by the applicable regulations. 
The  maximum  amount  of  the  funds  used  for  the  purpose  of 
buying back shares would be €500 million.

Duration of the stock repurchase program
The  program  would  last  about  12  months,  starting  on 
the  General  Meeting  of  May  23,  2017.  This  authorization 
should be valid until the Ordinary General Meeting approving 
the  financial  statements  for  the  financial  year  ending 
December 31, 2017.

6.3 

Information about the Shareholders

6.3.1  Shareholder Base and Double Voting Rights

The  table  below  sets  forth  certain  information  concerning 
Dassault  Systèmes  SE’s  shareholder  base  over  the  last  three 
fiscal  years.  Pursuant  to  the  Financial  Markets  Authority 
(AMF) recommendation no. 2009-16, it specifies:

 › the theoretical or “gross” voting rights, taking into account 
the  voting  rights  attached  to  the  shares  without  voting 
rights,  in  accordance  with  Article  223-11  of  the  General 
Regulations of the Financial Markets Authority (AMF) and 
used  as  a  denominator  by  shareholders  to  calculate  their 
percentage of shares held and voting rights for the purposes 
of  regulatory  declarations  (in  particular  the  declarations 
with regards to exceeding the threshold); and

 › the  voting  rights  that  can  be  exercised  at  the  General 
Meeting (“GM” in the table below) or “nets”, not taking into 
account shares without voting rights.

Double voting rights are attributed to all fully paid-up shares 
held  in  registered  form  for  at  least  two  consecutive  years  in 
the name of the same holder.

The major shareholders of Dassault Systèmes SE do not hold 
voting  rights  which  are  different  from  voting  rights  of  other 
shareholders (such as double voting rights).

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Shareholders

AT DECEMBER 31, 2016

Shares

% of capital

Theoretical 
voting rights

% of theoretical 
voting rights

Voting rights 
exercisable in the 
General Meeting

% of voting 
rights 
exercisable in 
the General 
Meeting

Groupe Industriel Marcel Dassault

105,957,646

41.07%

211,344,292

54.95%

211,344,292

55.58%

Charles Edelstenne (1) 
and beneficiaries (2)

Bernard Charlès

Treasury stock (3)

Indirect treasury stock (4)

Directors and senior management (5) 

Public

TOTAL

AT DECEMBER 31, 2015

15,680,534

2,890,441

3,852,903 (3) 

503,614

942,166 

 128,169,299 

257,996,603

6.08%

31,243,478

8.12%

31,243,478

1.12% (6)

5,642,265

1.47% (6)

5,642,265

1.49 %

0.20%

0.37 %

3,852,903 

503,614

 1,214,470 

1.00 %

0.13%

 0.32 %

–

–

 1,214,470  

 49.67 %

 130,838,680 

 34.01 %

130,838,680 

100%

 384,639,702 

100%

 380,283,185 

8.21%

1.48% (6)

–

–

 0.32 %

 34.41 %

100%

Groupe Industriel Marcel Dassault

105,716,646

41.18%

210,104,554

55.12%

210,104,554

55.53%

Charles Edelstenne (1) 
and beneficiaries (2)

Bernard Charlès

Treasury stock (3)

Indirect treasury stock (4)

Directors and senior management (5)

Public

TOTAL

AT DECEMBER 31, 2014

15,618,506

2,890,441

2,359,891 (3)

503,614

867,821

128,757,267

256,714,186

6.08%

31,033,732

8.14%

31,033,732

1.13% (6)

0.92%

0.20%

0.34%

5,239,723

2,359,891

503,614

914,765

1.37% (6)

5,239,723

0.62%

0.13%

0.24%

–

–

914,765

50.15%

131,042,738

34.38%

131,042,738

100%

381,199,017

100%

378,335,512

8.20%

1.38% (6)

–

–

0.24%

34.65%

100%

Groupe Industriel Marcel Dassault

105,386,646

41.11%

208,709,314

55.04%

208,709,314

55.74%

Charles Edelstenne (1) 
and beneficiaries (2)

Bernard Charlès

Treasury stock (3)

Indirect treasury stock (4)

Directors and senior management (5)

Public

TOTAL

15,562,944

2,751,624

4,267,010

503,614

348,474

127,543,765

256,364,077

6.07%

30,978,146

8.17%

30,978,146

1.07% (6)

1.66%

0.20%

0.14%

4,719,926

4,267,010

503,614

390,168

1.24% (6)

4,719,926

1.13%

0.13%

0.10%

–

–

390,618

49.75%

129,610,747

34.19%

129,610,747

100%

379,178,925

100%

374,408,301

8.27%

1.26% (6)

–

–

0.11%

34.62%

100%

(1)  Including shares held in trust for the benefit of his family and managed by Mr. Edelstenne.
(2)  At December 31, 2016, Mr. Edelstenne held 4,063,810 shares with all ownership rights and 3,342 shares through two family companies which he manages, representing a total 
of  1.58%  of  the  capital  and  2,11 %  of  the  exercisable  voting  rights,  as  well  as  11,613,382   shares  with  “usage”  rights  (usufruit).  For  the  usage  rights  with  respect  to  these 
11,613,382   shares, representing 6.11 % of the exercisable voting rights, Mr. Edelstenne can only exercise the right to vote on decisions of the General Meeting concerning the 
allocation of profits; the holders of the bare property rights (nue-propriété) exercise the right to vote for other resolutions in compliance with Article 11 of the by-laws.
For details related to Mr. Edelstenne’s shareholding as of December 31, 2014 and December 31, 2015, see paragraph 6.3.1. of Annual Reports for 2014 and 2015 respectively.

(3)  Including 57,524 shares through the liquidity agreement as of December 31, 2016. As of December 31, 2015, such number was 50,988 shares.
(4)  Shares held by SW Securities LLC. This company is a subsidiary of Dassault Systèmes SE, Dassault Systèmes’ shares held by it do not have voting rights.
(5)  Excluding Mr. Edelstenne and Mr. Charlès, “management” includes the officers listed in paragraph 5.1.2 “The Executive Committee”.
(6)  For further information, see Table 5 of paragraph 5.3.1 “Compensation of the Company’s Corporate Officers (mandataires sociaux)”.

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The overall number of voting rights amounted to 384,639,702 
as  at  December  31,  2016  (the  number  of  exercisable  voting 
rights  was  380,283,185)  and,  as  at  February  28,  2017, 
384,719,747  (with  the  number  of  exercisable  voting  rights 
amounting  to  380,349,730).  The  difference  between  the 
number of theoretical and exercisable voting rights is explained 
by the treasury stock and shares controlled by the Company.

Investment 

MFS 
notified 
management 
Dassault  Systèmes  SE  that  as  of  September  17,  2015  the 
funds  managed  by  companies  within  its  group  (i)  held  more 
than 2.5% of the share capital of Dassault Systèmes SE and 
(ii) crossed downward the 2.5% threshold of the voting rights 
of Dassault Systèmes SE.

(MFS) 

Based on shareholders’ obligations to declare if they exceed the 
threshold, there are no other shareholders (except as indicated 
above) who held 2.5% (threshold set forth in the Company’s 
by-laws),  directly  or  indirectly,  alone  or  in  agreement  with 
other shareholders or more than 5% of the Company’s share 
capital or voting rights at December 31, 2016.

Although Dassault Systèmes SE voluntarily delisted its shares 
from  NASDAQ  in  October  2008,  it  continues  to  maintain  its 
ADR  (“American  Depositary  Receipts”)  program,  which  are 
still traded on the over-the-counter market (see paragraph 6.4 
“Stock Market Information”). On February 28, 2017 there were 
7,470,255 American Depositary Shares (“ADS”) outstanding 
and the number of recorded ADS holders, holding them either 
for themselves or for third parties amounted to 51.

6.3.2  Controlling Shareholder

In  January  2017,  Dassault  Systèmes  SE  commissioned  a 
survey on the Company’s shares from an external specialized 
services  provider.  According  to  this  survey,  institutional 
investors holding more than 2,000 shares each numbered 456 
and held 42.50% of the Dassault Systèmes SE share capital as 
at December 31, 2016.

As at February 28, 2017, Dassault Systèmes SE held 71,024 
shares  within  the  framework  of  the  liquidity  agreement 
entered into with Oddo et Cie, and 3,795,379 treasury shares. 
Out  of  these  3,795,379  treasury  shares,  1,320,349  shares 
have  been  bought  during  the  buyback  program  adopted  by 
the  General  Meeting  of  May  26,  2016  and  the  remaining, 
i.e. 2,475,030 shares within the framework of a program of 
earlier buybacks, which represents approximately 1.5% of the 
share capital as at February 28, 2017, with no voting rights or 
dividend rights being attached to these shares.

At  December  31,  2016,  133,348,834  Dassault  Systèmes 
shares  (i.e.  approximately  51.69%  of  the  capital)  are  held  in 
registered  form;  they  provide  entitlement  to  255,693,740 
exercisable  voting  rights  (i.e.  approximately  66.47%  of  the 
gross voting rights).

In  accordance  with  Article  L.  225-102  of  the  French 
Commercial  Code,  the  number  of  Dassault  Systèmes  shares 
held  by  employees  through  the  corporate  savings  plan  (plan 
d'épargne entreprise)  was  404,077  shares  at  December  31, 
2016, or approximately 0.15% of the total number of shares 
at that date.

6

GIMD  (Groupe  Industriel  Marcel  Dassault)  is  the  principal 
shareholder of Dassault Systèmes SE with, as of December 31, 
2016, 41.07% of the share capital and 55.58% of the exercisable 
voting  rights  (i.e.  54.95%  of  theoretical  voting  rights).  With 
more than 50% of the voting rights of Dassault Systèmes SE, 
GIMD controls Dassault Systèmes. GIMD is wholly-owned by 
the members of the Dassault family.

In  order  to  ensure  that  the  control  of  GIMD  is  not  exercised 
in  an  “improper”  manner  under  the  meaning  of  the  General 
Regulations  of  the  Financial  Markets  Authority  (AMF),  the 
Board  of  Directors  of  Dassault  Systèmes  SE  is  made  up  of 
50%  of  independent  directors (1)  i.e.  a  proportion  exceeding 
the  requirement  stipulated  in  the  AFEP-MEDEF  Code  for 
controlled  companies,  and  that  all  of  the  committees  under 

the Board (Audit Committee, Compensation and Nomination 
Committee,  Scientific  Committee)  are  only  made  up  of 
independent directors.

As  GIMD  possesses  more  than  one  third  but  less  than  half 
of  the  shares  and  more  than  half  of  the  voting  rights  in  the 
Company, GIMD may not increase its stake by more than 1% 
of the total number of shares of the Company in a period of 
12  consecutive  months,  unless  it  launches  a  public  tender 
offer on all the equity securities issued by Dassault Systèmes, 
except for an exemption from the obligation to make an offer 
based on Article 234-9 (6°) of the General Regulations of the 
Financial Markets Authority (AMF), which the latter can grant 
at its discretion.

(1)  In accordance with Article 8.3 of the AFEP-MEDEF Code, the director representing employees is not taken into account for the purposes of the calculation 

of the number of independent directors.

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Information about the Shareholders

6.3.3  Shareholder Agreements

In  2011,  2013,  2014  and  2015,  Dassault  Systèmes  was  informed  about  collective  undertakings  concluded  concerning  the 
holding of shares whose characteristics are summarized in the tables hereafter in accordance with Financial Markets Authority 
(AMF) recommendation no. 2009-16.

In 2016, Dassault Systèmes has not been informed about collective undertakings concluded concerning the holding of shares.

Collective undertakings concluded in 2015

System

Date of signing

Duration of collective undertakings

At least two years

December 17, 2015

December 17, 2015

At least two years

Article 787 B of the General Taxation Code

Article 787 B of the General Taxation Code

Contractual duration of the agreement

Permanent with cases of termination

Permanent with cases of termination

Conditions for renewal

No specific conditions stipulated

No specific conditions stipulated

Capital and voting rights % concerned by 
the agreement (at the date of its execution)

24.85%  of  the  share  capital  and  33.33% 
of the voting rights

24.66% of the share capital and 33.20% 
of the voting rights

Names of the signatories having the capacity 
of executives (1)

Mr. Charles Edelstenne
Mr. Bernard Charlès

Mr. Charles Edelstenne
Mr. Bernard Charlès

Name(s) of the signatorie(s) having close 
links with executives

Names of the signatories holding at least 
5% of the capital and/or voting rights 
of Dassault Systèmes SE

Groupe Industriel Marcel Dassault

Groupe Industriel Marcel Dassault

Groupe Industriel Marcel Dassault
Mr. Charles Edelstenne and beneficiaries (2)

Groupe Industriel Marcel Dassault
Mr. Charles Edelstenne and beneficiaries (2)

(1)  Pursuant to Article 885 O bis of the General Taxation Code.
(2)  See Note 2 under the table of paragraph  6.3.1 “Shareholder Base and Double Voting Rights” .

Collective undertakings concluded in 2014

System

Date of signing

Duration of collective undertakings

At least two years

February 27, 2014

Article 787 B of the General Taxation Code

Article 787 B of the General Taxation Code

December 16 and 17, 2014

At least two years

Contractual duration of the agreement

Permanent with cases of termination

Permanent with cases of termination

Conditions for renewal

No specific conditions stipulated

No specific conditions stipulated

Capital and voting rights % concerned by 
the agreement (at the date of its execution)

25.0% of the share capital and 33.8% 
of the voting rights

24.7% of the share capital and 33.4% 
of the voting rights

Names of the signatories having the capacity 
of executives (1)

Mr. Charles Edelstenne
Mr. Bernard Charlès

Mr. Charles Edelstenne
Mr. Bernard Charlès

Name(s) of the signatorie(s) having close 
links with executives

Names of the signatories holding at least 
5% of the capital and/or voting rights 
of Dassault Systèmes SE

Groupe Industriel Marcel Dassault

Groupe Industriel Marcel Dassault

Groupe Industriel Marcel Dassault
Mr. Charles Edelstenne and beneficiaries (2)

Groupe Industriel Marcel Dassault
Mr. Charles Edelstenne and beneficiaries (2)

(1)  Pursuant to Article 885 O bis of the General Taxation Code.
(2)  See Note 2 under the table of paragraph  6.3.1 “Shareholder Base and Double Voting Rights” .

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Collective undertakings concluded 
in 2011 still in force

Collective undertaking concluded in 2013

Article 787 B of the French Tax Code

Article 787 B of the French Tax Code

System

Date of signing

Duration of collective undertakings

At least two years

July 11, 2011

October 29, 2013

At least two years

Contractual duration of the agreement

Permanent with cases of termination

Permanent with cases of termination

Conditions for renewal

No specific conditions stipulated

No specific conditions stipulated

Capital and voting rights % concerned 
by the agreement (at its date of execution)

29.6% of the share capital and 41.8% 
of the voting rights

28.2% of the share capital and 41.7% 
of the voting rights

Names of the signatories having the capacity 
of executives (1)

Mr. Charles Edelstenne
Mr. Bernard Charlès

Mr. Charles Edelstenne
Mr. Bernard Charlès

Name(s) of the signatorie(s) having close 
links with executives

Names of the signatories holding at least 
5% of the capital and/or voting rights 
of Dassault Systèmes SE

Groupe Industriel Marcel Dassault

Groupe Industriel Marcel Dassault

Groupe Industriel Marcel Dassault
Mr. Charles Edelstenne and beneficiaries (2)

Groupe Industriel Marcel Dassault
Mr. Charles Edelstenne and beneficiaries (2)

(1)  Pursuant to Article 885 O bis of the French Tax Code.
(2)  See Note 2 under the table of paragraph  6.3.1 “Shareholder Base and Double Voting Rights” .

The same shares can be subject to several joint lock-up agreements.

6

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Stock Market Information

6.4  Stock Market Information

Stock Exchange
Shares  of  Dassault  Systèmes  have  been 
listed  on 
Compartiment A of Euronext Paris (ISIN code FR0000130650) 
since June 28, 1996. Its shares were also listed on the NASDAQ 
in  the  form  of  ADS  (American  Depositary  Shares)  under  the 
symbol  DASTY  until  October  16,  2008.  The  ADS  are  still 
traded under this symbol on the U.S. over-the-counter market. 

One ADS represents one ordinary share (see paragraph 6.3.1 
“Shareholding and Double Voting Rights”).

For  dividend  policy,  see  the  paragraph   7.1  “Presentation  of 
the  Resolutions  Proposed  by  the  Board  of  Directors  to  the 
General Meeting on May 23, 2017” .

Share price history and trading volumes of Dassault Systèmes shares from January 1, 2016

(in euros except for Volume of shares traded)

January 2016

February 2016

March 2016

April 2016

May 2016

June 2016

July 2016

August 2016

September 2016

October 2016

November 2016

December 2016

January 2017

February 2017

Volume of 
shares traded

Share price 
on last day 
of the month

Highest share 
price during 
the month

Lowest share 
price during 
the month

6,224,855

7,085,498

5,991,974

5,595,350

4,057,007

6,744,433

5,659,795

3,642,282

5,203,306

5,755,488

5,589,680

5,379,888

4,886,391

6,066,326

€ 71.19

€ 69.89

€ 69.73

€ 68.30

€ 71.56

€ 68.28

€ 73.87

€ 75.52

€ 77.23

€ 72.14

€ 72.02

€ 72.39

€ 71.68

€ 76.23

€ 73.42

€ 71.90

€ 72.45

€ 73.00

€ 71.69

€71.98

€ 74.36

€ 76.34

€ 79.50

€ 77.73

€ 72.98

€ 72.78

€ 73.96

€ 78.02

€ 64.11

€ 63.50

€ 67.03

€ 68.30

€ 67.59

€ 64.45

€ 65.84

€ 72.66

€ 74.46

€ 70.49

€ 68.50

€ 67.76

€ 70.80

€ 71.67

Person Responsible for Financial Communications
François-José Bordonado

Vice-President, Investor Relations

Indicative Timetable for the Publication of Financial 
Information for 2017
 › First quarter of 2017: April 26, 2017

To  obtain  all  financial  information  and  documents  published 
by the Company, please contact:

Investor Relations Service
10, rue Marcel Dassault – CS 40501

78946 Vélizy-Villacoublay Cedex – France

Telephone: +33 (0)1 61 62 69 24

e-mail: investors@3ds.com

 › Second quarter of 2017: July 25, 2017

 › Third quarter of 2017: October 25, 2017

 › Fourth quarter of 2017: February 1st, 2018

212 ANNUAL REPORT 2016  DASSAULT SYSTÈMES

7

GENERAL MEETING

CONTENTS

7.1  Presentation of the resolutions 
proposed by the Board of 
Directors to the General Meeting 
on May 23, 2017 

7.1.1  Annual financial statements and allocation 

of the results 

7.1.2  Sumptuary expenses and general charges set 

forth in Article 223 of the French Tax Code 

7.1.3  Option to receive payment of dividends 

in the form of shares 

7.1.4  Consolidated financial statements 

7.1.5  Related-party agreements 

(conventions réglementées) 

7.1.6  Compensation elements due or granted with 

respect to 2016 to Mr. Charles Edelstenne, 
Chairman of the Board, and to Mr. Bernard 
Charlès, Vice-Chairman of the Board and Chief 
Executive Officer 

214

214

215

215

216

216

217

7.1.7  Policies and criteria used to determine, distribute 

and allocate the fixed, variable and exceptional 
components of the total compensation and 
benefits of all kinds granted to the Chairman 
of the Board and to the Vice-Chairman 
and Chief Executive Officer 

219

7.1.8  Re-appointment of a director and ratification 

of the appointment by cooptation of a new director  219

7.1.9  Appointment of one new director 

7.1.10  Determination of the amount of directors’ fees 

7.1.11  Re-appointment of a Statutory Auditor, 
PricewaterhouseCoopers Audit 

220

220

221

7.1.12  Authorization to repurchase shares of the Company  221

7.1.13  Delegations and authorizations for the purpose 

of increasing the share capital 

222

7.2  Draft resolutions proposed by the 
Board of Directors to the General 
Meeting on May 23, 2017 

223

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Presentation of the resolutions proposed by the Board of Directors to the General Meeting on May 23, 2017

7.1  Presentation of the resolutions proposed 

by the Board of Directors to the General Meeting 
on May 23, 2017

7.1.1  Annual financial statements and allocation of the results

We  invite  you  to  approve  the  annual  financial  statements  of 
Dassault  Systèmes  SE  (or  the  “Company”  for  the  purposes 
of  the  present  Chapter  7  “General  Meeting”)  for  the  year 
ended  December  31,  2016,  prepared  on  the  basis  of  French 
accounting  principles,  as  they  have  been  presented 
in 
paragraph  4.2 “Parent company financial statements” .

Dassault  Systèmes  SE  has  paid  dividends  every  year  since 
1986. The decision to distribute dividends and their amount 
depends on the profits and the financial position of Dassault 
Systèmes SE as well as other factors. Dividends, which have 
been distributed but are not collected by a shareholder, revert 
to the French State at the end of the five-year period following 
the date of their payment.

Based on the financial statements and the management report of the Board of Directors included in this Annual Report (Document 
de référence), a profit of €269,585,829.57  (1) has been realized for the year ended December 31, 2016, which we propose that 
you allocate as follows:

 › to the legal reserve

 › for distribution to the 258,176,957 shares forming the capital as of 02/28/2017 

of a dividend of (€0.53 × 258,176,957  shares) (2)

 › to retained earnings

which, increased by the retained earnings from prior years of €1, 965, 014, 111. 26 , brings the amount of 
retained earnings to

€64,120.85  

€136,833,787.21  

€132,687,921.51  

€2,097,702,032.77  

(1)  After allocation to the legal reserve, this profit increased by the retained earnings from prior years of €1 965 014 111,26  results in a distributable profit of €2,234,535,819.98 .
(2)  The aggregate amount of the dividend will be increased, based on the number of new shares created between March 1, 2017 and the date of the General Meeting of May 23, 

2017, consecutively to the exercise of share subscription options, it being specified that the maximum number of shares which could be issued upon the exercise of subscription 
options is 2,500,392 , i.e. a maximum amount of a supplementary dividend of €1,325,207.76 .

Further  new  shares  created  by  exercise  of  options  until  the 
date of the Annual General Meeting deciding on the allocation 
of profit related to the preceding year will receive the dividend 
distributed with respect to that year (see paragraphs 5.3.2.1 
“Dassault  Systèmes  Share  Subscription  Options”  and  6.4 
“Stock Market Information”).

Therefore, we propose to the General Meeting of May 23, 2017 
to approve for the year 2016 the distribution of (i) a dividend 
of €0.53  per share comprising the capital as of the date of this 
General  Meeting,  resulting  –  on  the  basis  of  the  number  of 
shares comprising the share capital as of February 28, 2017 
– in an aggregate amount of €136,833,787.21  and (ii) where 
applicable,  an  additional  aggregate  maximum  amount  of 
€1,325,207.76 , which corresponds to the maximum number 
of new shares which could be issued between March 1, 2017 
and the date of the General Meeting (i.e. 2,500,392  shares).

Shares  will  be  traded  ex-dividend  as  of  May  30,  2017  and 
dividends made payable as from June 26, 2017.

On  the  date  of  payment,  the  amount  of  the  dividend 
corresponding to (i) the treasury shares of Dassault Systèmes 
SE and (ii) the treasury shares of Dassault Systèmes SE held 
by  SW  Securities  LLC,  a  company  which  is  controlled  by 
the  Dassault  Systèmes  Group,  will  be  allocated  to  “retained 
earnings”, in accordance with the provisions of Article L. 225-
210  of  the  French  Commercial  Code  and  the  contractual 
provisions  in  force  between  SW  Securities  LLC  and  Dassault 
Systèmes SE.

In addition, prior to distribution of the dividend, the Board of 
Directors,  or  if  so  delegated,  the  Chief  Executive  Officer,  will 
determine the number of additional shares issued as a result 
of the exercise of share subscription options between March 1 

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7

and the date of the General Meeting on May 23, 2017. The 
amount  required  for  payment  of  dividends  for  shares  issued 
during this period will be taken from “retained earnings”.

The  amount  thus  distributed  will  be  taken  into  account 
for  determining  shareholders’  total  revenue  subject  to  the 

progressive  rate  of  income  tax  for  the  year  during  which  it 
was  received  after  application  of  an  uncapped  deduction  of 
40% (as provided by Article 158-3-2 of the French Tax Code). 
The  dividend  may  be  subject  to  a  non-discharging  income 
tax withholding at a rate of 21% (as provided by Article 117 
quater of the French Tax Code).

Pursuant to Article 243 bis of the French Tax Code, it is noted that dividends per share paid over the last three years have been 
as follows:

Dividend (in euros)

Number of shares eligible for dividends 

2015

0.47

2014

0.43

2013

0.83

257,154,032

255,644,058 126,746,027*

* 

The number of shares was given before the two-for-one stock split of the Dassault Systèmes SE share on July 17, 2014.

7.1.2  Sumptuary expenses and general charges set forth 

in Article 223 of the French Tax Code

In accordance with the provisions of Article 223 quater of the 
French  Tax  Code,  we  inform  you  that  no  non-deductible  tax 
expenses and charges have been borne by the Company and 

consequently no taxation has been borne by the Company in 
this respect. 

7.1.3  Option to receive payment of dividends in the form of shares

It is proposed that each shareholder be granted the option to 
choose, in whole or in part, to receive payment of the dividend  
noted  above,  in  cash  or  in  the  form  of  new  shares  of  the 
Company. If the option to receive payment in the form of new 
shares is chosen, the new shares will be issued at a price equal 
to the average of the closing prices quoted on Euronext Paris 
during  the  20  stock  exchange  sessions  preceding  the  date 
of the General Meeting less the amount of the dividend and 
rounded up to the next one hundredth of a euro.

Générale, Securities department, 32 rue du Champ-de-Tir, CS 
30812, 44308 Nantes Cedex 3). Accordingly, the shareholders 
who have not chosen to receive payment of dividend  in shares 
before the end of this period or who have chosen only partial 
payment, will receive the dividend in cash for the portion for 
which  payment  in  shares  was  not  chosen  as  from  June  26, 
2017. For shareholders who have chosen to receive payment 
of the dividend in shares, the new shares will be delivered as 
of the same day.

Shareholders  may  choose,  in  whole  or  in  part,  to  receive 
payment  of  the  dividend  in  new  shares  between  May  30 
and June 15, 2017, inclusive, by sending their request to the 
financial intermediaries that are authorized to pay the dividend 
or, for shareholders listed in the direct registered share accounts 
held by the Company, to its authorized representative (Société 

If the option selected does not correspond to a whole number 
of  shares,  the  shareholder  may  choose  between  receiving  a 
number of shares rounded up to the next whole number, by 
paying the difference in cash on the day the option is selected, 
or  receiving  a  number  of  shares  rounded  down  to  the  next 
whole number, and the balance in cash.

7

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7.1.4  Consolidated financial statements

In  addition  to  the  2016  parent  company  annual  financial 
statements,  it  is  also  proposed  to  approve  the  Company’s 
consolidated  financial  statements  for  the  year  ended 

December  31,  2016,  prepared  in  accordance  with  IFRS 
standards  as  described  in  paragraph  4.1.1  “Consolidated 
Financial Statements” of this Annual Report.

7.1.5  Related-party agreements (conventions réglementées)

The following agreements, which were approved in accordance 
with Articles L. 225-38 et seq. of the French Commercial Code, 
were in effect during the year ended December 31, 2016:

 › the  following  undertakings  made  by  the  Company  in 
connection with its “Directors & Officers” liability insurance 
policy entered into with Allianz (ACS):

 › to  reimburse,  under  certain  conditions,  the  cost  of 
legal  defense  of  directors  in  the  event  of  their  personal 
liability  being  sought,  and  indemnify  the  directors  for 
the  financial  implications  of  such  liability  payment  of 
the costs in relation with legal defense related thereto, to 
the  extent  they  would  not  be  covered  by  that  insurance 
policy (approved by the Board of Directors’ meeting held 
on July 24, 1996),

 › to  assume,  under  certain  conditions,  the  cost  of  legal 
defense  of  directors  of  the  Dassault  Systeme  SE   should 
they have to prepare their personal defense before a civil, 
criminal  or  administrative  court  in  the  United  States  in 
connection  with  an  inquiry  or  investigation  conducted 

against the Company (approved by the Board of Directors’ 
meeting held on September 23, 2003);

 › the  agreement 

regarding  Dassault  Systèmes  SE’s 
undertakings to the benefit of Bernard Charlès, relating to 
indemnities  which  would  be  due  upon  the  termination  of 
his  functions  as  Chief  Executive  Officer  (approved  by  the 
Board of Directors’ meeting held on May 27, 2010).

These  agreements  were  reviewed  by  the  Board  of  Directors 
at  its  meeting  on  March  16,  2017,  in  accordance  with  the 
provisions  of  Article  L.  225-40-1  of  the  French  Commercial 
Code.

The  Statutory  Auditors  have  prepared  a  special  report 
pursuant  to  Articles  L.  225-40  and  L.  225-40-1  of  the 
French  Commercial  Code,  as  set  forth  in  paragraph  4.2.4 
“Special  Report  of  the  Statutory  Auditors  on  Related-party 
Agreements  and  Commitments”.  The  General  Meeting  has 
been requested to acknowledge this report which refers to no 
new agreements.

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7

7.1.6  Compensation elements due or granted with respect to 2016 

to Mr. Charles Edelstenne, Chairman of the Board, and to 
Mr. Bernard Charlès, Vice-Chairman of the Board and Chief 
Executive Officer

In accordance with the recommendation of the AFEP-MEDEF 
Code,  it  is  proposed  that  the  General  Meeting  votes  on  the 
compensation elements due or granted with respect to 2016 
to  each  executive  officer  as  defined  by  this  Code,  namely 
Mr. Charles Edelstenne, Chairman of the Board, and Mr. Bernard 
Charlès,  Vice-Chairman  of  the  Board  and  Chief  Executive 

Officer,  whose  compensation  elements  are  summarized  in 
the  tables  below  (see  also  paragraphs   5.1  “Report  of  the 
Chairman on Corporate Governance and Internal Control ” and 
5.3.1  “Compensation  of  the  Company’s  Corporate  Officers 
(mandataires sociaux)”).

7.1.6.1 

Compensation elements due or granted with respect to 2016 to Mr. Charles Edelstenne, 
Chairman of the Board

Compensation elements

Fixed compensation (1)

Amount

(in euros) Observations

982,000 Gross fixed compensation for 2016 set by the Board of Directors on March 17, 2016, 

upon the proposal of the Compensation and Nomination Committee.

Annual variable compensation

N/A Mr. Charles Edelstenne receives no annual variable compensation.

Deferred annual variable 
compensation

Multi-year variable 
compensation

Directors’ fees (2)

N/A Mr. Charles Edelstenne receives no deferred annual variable compensation.

N/A Mr. Charles Edelstenne receives no multi-year variable compensation.

45,100 Gross amount of directors’ fees due for 2016.

Extraordinary compensation

N/A Mr. Charles Edelstenne receives no extraordinary variable compensation.

Granting of share subscription 
options and/or performance 
shares

Indemnity upon start or 
termination of function

Non-compete  indemnity

N/A Mr. Charles Edelstenne does not hold any share subscription options 

and was not granted any performance shares.

7

N/A Mr. Charles Edelstenne receives no indemnity upon start or termination of function.

N/A Mr. Charles Edelstenne receives no non-compete  indemnity.

Additional retirement plan

N/A No additional retirement plan was implemented by Dassault Systèmes SE.

Benefits in kind (3)

N/A Mr. Charles Edelstenne receives no benefits in kind.

(1)  See also paragraph 5.1.4.1 “Fix, variable and exceptional compensation and in-kind benefits”. In 2016, GIMD paid Mr. Charles Edelstenne, as GIMD’s Chief Executive Officer, gross 

fixed compensation of €802,404 .

(2)  In 2016, GIMD paid Mr. Charles Edelstenne €28,740 in directors’ fees for his mandate as a member of the Supervisory Board of GIMD. See also paragraph 5.1.4.4 “Directors’ Fees” on 

the conditions for distributing the directors’ fees at Dassault Systèmes SE.

(3)  In 2016, GIMD granted benefits in kind related to the use of a car in an amount of €10,440 to Mr. Charles Edelstenne.

DASSAULT SYSTÈMES  ANNUAL REPORT 2016

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7.1.6.2 

Compensation elements due or granted with respect to 2016 to Mr. Bernard Charlès, 
Vice-Chairman of the Board and Chief Executive Officer

Compensation elements

Fixed Compensation

Amount 

(in euros) Observations

1,325,000 Fixed gross compensation with respect to 2016 set by the Board of Directors 

on March 17, 2016 (1).

Annual variable compensation

1,378,000  Variable gross compensation with respect to 2016 actually earned 

Deferred annual variable 
compensation

Multi-year variable 
compensation

Directors’ fees (2)

and decided by the Board of Directors on March 16, 2017 (1).

N/A Mr. Bernard Charlès receives no deferred annual variable compensation.

N/A Mr. Bernard Charlès receives no multi-year annual variable compensation.

27,500 Gross amount of directors’ fees due for 2016.

Extraordinary compensation

N/A Mr. Bernard Charlès receives no extraordinary compensation.

Granting of share subscription 
options and/or performance 
shares

Indemnity upon start or 
termination of function

9,519,744 (3) Mr. Bernard Charlès was granted 300,000 2016-B shares by the Board of Directors 

on May 26, 2016. (4)(5)

N/A Mr. Bernard Charlès receives under certain conditions an indemnity upon the termination 
of his functions, the amount of which would not exceed two years of the Chief Executive 
Officer’s compensation and would depend on the satisfaction of the performance 
conditions for the payment of his variable compensation.
In accordance with Articles L. 225-40-1 and L. 225-42-1 of the French Commercial Code, 
this commitment on the part of Dassault Systèmes SE was authorized by the Board of 
Directors on May 26, 2014 and approved by the General Meeting on May 28, 2015. The 
Board of Directors reviewed this commitment on March 16, 2017 as it remained in effect 
during 2016 (6).

Non-compete  indemnity

Additional retirement plan

N/A Mr. Bernard Charlès receives no non-compete  indemnity.

N/A No additional retirement plan was implemented.

Benefits in kind

 10,126  These benefits in kind provided by Dassault Systèmes SE are related to the use of a car by 

Bernard Charlès.

(1)  See also paragraph 5.1.4.1 “Fix, variable and exceptional compensation and in-kind benefits”, and 5.3.1 Table 2 “Summary of the compensation of each Executive Officer”.
(2)  See also paragraph 5.1.4.4 “Directors’ Fees”.
(3)  Value based on the method chosen for the consolidated financial statements before the spreading of the expense and taking into account the performance criteria.
(4)  Such shares are granted to Mr. Bernard Charlès  as part of the gradual process of associating him with the Company’s capital that began several years ago, with the aim of 

recognizing his entrepreneurial role during more than thirty years with the Company and providing him with an equity interest comparable to that of founders of companies in 
the same sector, and more generally, of his peers in technology companies around the world.

(5)  See also paragraph 5.1.4.2 “Performance Shares and Share Subscription Options”.
(6)  See also paragraph 5.1.4.3 “Indemnities Due in the Event of the Imposed Departure (départ contraint) of Mr. Bernard Charlès”.

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7

7.1.7  Policies and criteria used to determine, distribute and 

allocate the fixed, variable and exceptional components of 
the total compensation and benefits of all kinds granted 
to the Chairman of the Board and to the Vice-Chairman 
 and  Chief  Executive  Officer

In  accordance  with  the  provisions  of  Article  L.  225- 37- 2  of 
the  French  Commercial  Code,  paragraph   5.1.4  “Principles 
established  by  the  Board  of  Directors  pertaining  to 
compensation  of  the  Executive  Officers  and  directors”  
describes the policies and criteria used to determine, distribute 

and  allocate  the  fixed,  variable  and  exceptional  components 
of the total compensation and benefits of all kinds granted to 
the  Chairman  and  to  the  Vice-Chairman  and  Chief  Executive 
Officer.

7.1.8  Re-appointment of a director and ratification 

of the appointment by cooptation of a new director

The term of office as director of Ms. Odile Desforges ends at 
the General Meeting of May 23, 2017. You are invited to re-
appoint her as a director for a four-year term.

approving  the  financial  statements  for  the  year  ending 
December 31, 2018. (For a presentation of these directors, see 
paragraph  5.1.1.1 “Composition of the Board of Directors” .)

You are also invited to ratify the appointment of Ms. Catherine 
Dassault, made on a provisional basis by the Board of Directors 
on July 20, 2016, in replacement of Ms. Nicole Dassault, for 
her  remaining  term  of  office,  i.e.  until  the  General  Meeting 

If  these  proposals  are  approved,  the  proportions  of  women 
and  independant  directors  will  comply  with   law  and  the 
AFEP- MEDEF Code respectively (1).

7

(1)  It is noted that the director representing the employees is not included in the calculation of the number of female and independent members of the 

Board, in accordance with the provisions of Article 8.3 of the AFEP-MEDEF Code and Article L. 225-27-1 of the French Commercial Code respectively.

DASSAULT SYSTÈMES  ANNUAL REPORT 2016

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Presentation of the resolutions proposed by the Board of Directors to the General Meeting on May 23, 2017

7.1.9  Appointment of one new director

On the basis of the recommendation of the Compensation and Nomination Committee, it is proposed to appoint one new director, 
Mr . Soumitra Dutta .

In compliance with Article R. 225-83 of the French Commercial Code, information regarding the director proposed for appointment  
by the General Meeting of Shareholders is set forth below.

SOUMITRA DUTTA  – DIRECTOR CANDIDATE

Biography: Soumitra Dutta began his career in 1985 as a research 
assistant  at  University  of  California,  Berkeley,  USA.  Between 
1988 and 1990, he gained further research experience at General 
Electric.  He  then  joined  Insead,  the  international  management 
school based in Fontainebleau (France), where he served as lecturer 
then dean of technology and e-learning. In 1999, he set up eLab@
Insead,  the  school’s  research  and  analytics  center  focused  on 
big  data  analytics  for  businesses,  which  he  headed  until  2012. 
In  2002,  he  was  named  dean  of  Executive  Education  at  Insead. 
During  his  tenure  at  Insead,  Soumitra  Dutta  also  participated  in 
setting up and managing three strategy consultancies specialized 
in new technologies and innovation, which he developed before 
selling them. In 2012, he was appointed Dean of the Samuel Curtis 
Johnson  Graduate  School  of  Management  at  Cornell  University 
in  New  York,  and  in  2016  became  the  founding  dean  of  the 
Cornell College of Business, comprising Cornell’s three accredited 
business  programs:  the  School  of  Hotel  Administration,  the 
Charles H.  Dyson School of Applied Economics and Management, 
and the Samuel Curtis Johnson Graduate School of Management. 

End  of  current  term:  General  Meeting  called  to  approve  the 
financial statements for the year ended December 31, 2020.

Dassault Systèmes shares owned at December 31, 2016: 0 

Age: 53 

Nationality: Indian 

Professional  address:   College  of  Business   -   Cornell  University  - 
 Ithaca, New York (USA)

Main position: Founding Dean and professor of Management at 
Cornell College of Business at Cornell University, Ithaca, New York 

Other current positions and directorships:

Director  of  Sodexo  (listed  company)  and  of  The  Association  to 
Advance Collegiate Schools of Business (AACSB), USA. 

Other positions held during the past five years:

Chairman  of  the  Board  of  Directors  of  Fisheye  Analytics  Ltd, 
Singapore. 

Upon recommendation of the Compensation and Nomination 
Committee,  the  Board  has  concluded  that  Soumitra  Dutta   is 
independent.

If  this  proposal  is  approved,  the   proportions  of  women  and 
independant directors will comply with  law and  AFEP-MEDEF 
Code respectively  .

7.1.10 Determination of the amount of directors’ fees

T he General Meeting is invited to increase to €500,000  for the 
current and subsequent years, the maximum annual amount 
of directors’ fees allocated to directors, which is currently set 

at €420,000, notably to take into account the appointment of 
Mr. Soumita Duta 

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7

7.1.11 Re-appointment of a Statutory Auditor, 
PricewaterhouseCoopers Audit

PricewaterhouseCoopers  Audit  was  appointed  as  Statutory 
Auditor on June 8, 2005. Since its term of office expires during 
the General Meeting called to approve the financial statements 
for  the  year  ended  December  31,  2016,  you  are  invited  to 
re-appoint  it  for  a  six-year  term,  until  the  General  Meeting 
called to approve the financial statements for the year ended 
December 31, 2022.

It  is  not  contemplated  to  appoint  a  deputy  Auditor  in 
replacement  of  Mr.  Yves  Nicolas  the  term  of  office  of  whom 
expires this year.

In accordance with the law, (i) the Chief Executive Officer did 
not  participate  in  the  vote  of  the  Board  of  Directors  on  this 
re-appointment proposal and (ii) the Audit Committee issued 
a positive recommendation on the re-appointment proposal.

The amount of the fees received by PricewaterhouseCoopers 
Audit  is  given  in  note   27   to  the  consolidated  financial 
statements .

7.1.12 Authorization to repurchase shares of the Company

The  authorization  to  repurchase  shares  of  the  Company 
granted to the Board of Directors at the General Meeting on 
May 26, 2016 will expire at the General Meeting of May 23, 
2017.  Within  the  framework  of  this  authorization,  share 
repurchases  were  carried  out  in  2016  and  in  early  2017 
(these  operations  are  described  in  paragraph   6.2.5  “Share 
repurchase  programs” )  in  order  to  cover  the  Company’s 
obligations  resulting  from  share  grants  and  to  animate  the 
market and provide liquidity of the Dassault Systèmes share 
through  the  intermediary  of  an  investment  services  provider 
by means of a liquidity agreement complying with a Code of 
Ethics accepted by the Financial Markets Authority (AMF) and 
concluded  between  Dassault  Systèmes  SE  and  Oddo  et  Cie. 
This agreement has been automatically renewed for 2017.

Additional share repurchases may be made until the date of the 
General Meeting, and will be described in the Annual Report 
(Document de référence)  for  the  year  ending  December  31, 
2017.

You  are  invited  to  reauthorize  the  Board  of  Directors  to 
repurchase  Dassault  Systèmes’  shares,  in  accordance  with 
Articles  L.  225-209 et seq.  of  the  French  Commercial  Code, 
within  a  limit  of  25  million  shares,  at  a  maximum  purchase 
price  of  €100  per  share  and  within  the  limits  set  by  the 
applicable  regulations.  The  maximum  amount  of  funds 
dedicated  to  repurchase  shares  of  the  Company  may  not 
exceed €500 million.

Should  you  approve  this  proposal,  the  authorization  will  be 
valid until the Annual General Meeting approving the financial 
statements for the year ending December 31, 2017.

This authorization to repurchase shares may be used for the 
following purposes:

1)  cancel shares for the purpose of increasing the profitability 
of  shareholders’  equity  and  earnings  per  share,  subject 
to adoption by the Extraordinary General Meeting of the 
resolution permitting shares to be canceled;

2)  meet  obligations  related  to  stock  option  grants  or  other 
allocations of shares to employees or corporate officers of 
Dassault Systèmes SE or of an affiliated company;

3)  provide  shares  upon  exercise  of  rights  attached  to 
securities giving right to shares of Dassault Systèmes SE;

4)  stimulate  the  market  or  provide 
liquidity  for  the 
Company’s  shares  through  the 
intermediary  of  an 
investment  services  provider  by  means  of  a  liquidity 
contract complying with a Code of Ethics accepted by the 
Financial Markets Authority (AMF);

5) 

implement  any  stock-exchange  market  practice  which 
may  be  authorized  by  law  or  by  the  Financial  Markets 
Authority (AMF).

The share repurchase program is described in paragraph  6.2.5 
“Share repurchase programs”  of this Annual Report (Document 
de référence), where all relevant information is presented.

In light of the possible cancellation of the repurchased shares, 
we  propose  that  you  also  authorize  the  Board  of  Directors 
to  cancel,  as  the  case  may  be,  for  the  same  period,  all  or  a 
portion of the shares which it has repurchased and to reduce 
in a corresponding amount the share capital, within a limit of 
10% of its amount.

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7.1.13 Delegations and authorizations for the purpose of increasing 

the share capital

7.1.13.1  General financial authorizations

The  delegations  and  authorizations  for  the  purpose  of 
increasing the share capital granted to the Board of Directors 
by  the  General  Meeting  of  May  28,  2015,  will  expire  in 
July  2017.  Consequently,  you  are  invited  to  reauthorize  the 
Board  of  Directors  to  increase  the  share  capital  for  a  period 
of  26  months,  in  order  to  enable  it,  in  particular,  to  choose, 
at any time, from a wide range of securities giving access to 
the  Company’s  share  capital  or  to  its  debt  securities,  with 
or  without  pre-emptive  right,  by  public  offering  or  private 
placement,  the  most  appropriate  financing  solution  for  the 
Group’s  development,  considering  the  characteristics  of  the 
market at the time in question.

You  are  also  invited  to  reauthorize  the  Board  of  Directors  to 
increase the share capital by incorporation of reserves, profits 
or premiums, as well as to increase the capital as consideration 
for in-kind contribution of equity or other securities.

The  resolutions  proposed  in  this  regard  will  replace  the 
resolutions adopted by the General Shareholders’ Meeting of 
May 28, 2015. The use made of these resolutions is presented 
in paragraph  6.2.4 “Delegations and authorizations granted by 
the General Meeting to the Board of Directors” . The Board of 
Directors made no other use of these resolutions in 2016, nor 
between the start of 2017 and the date this Annual Report.

If you adopt these resolutions, the Board of Directors will be 
free to:

 › carry  out  share  capital  increases  with  or  without  pre-
emptive right (by using in particular the option provided by 
law to resort to a private placement with portfolio managers 
or  qualified  investors)  within  the  limit  of  the  maximum 
nominal  amount  of  €12  million  and,  concerning  the  debt 
securities  giving  access  to  the  share  capital,  within  the 
limit  of  the  nominal  amount  of  €750  million.  This  cap  of 
€12 million also represents the overall cap of the maximum 
nominal amount of all the share capital increases that may 
be  carried  out  under  the  seventeenth,  to  twentieth  and 
twenty-second resolutions;

 › carry  out  share  capital  increases  by  incorporation  of 
reserves, profits or premiums, within the same limit of the 
maximum nominal amount of €12 million;

 › increase  the  share  capital  as  consideration  for  in-kind 
contribution of equity or other securities within the limit of 
10% of the share capital.

7.1.13.2  Financial authorizations to employees 
and to corporate officers (mandataires 
sociaux)

In  accordance  with  the  law,  you  are  invited  to  authorize  the 
Board of Directors to carry out share capital increases reserved 
for the employees of Dassault Systèmes SE and/or affiliated 
companies  and  members  of  Company  savings  plan.  The 
maximum nominal amount of the capital increases that may be 
carried out through the issue of new shares or securities giving 
access to capital would be €5 million. This new authorization 
will cancel and replace the one given by the General Meeting 
of May 26, 2016.

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7.2  Draft resolutions proposed by the Board of Directors 

to the General Meeting on May 23, 2017

Ordinary General Meeting

 ❘ First resolution

 ❘ Second resolution

Approval of the parent company annual financial statements

Approval of the consolidated financial statements

The  General  Meeting,  after  the  reading  of  the  management 
report of the Board of Directors and the report of the Statutory 
Auditors, in addition to the explanations made orally, hereby 
approves  the  report  of  the  Board  and  the  parent  company 
annual financial statements for the year ended December 31, 
2016, as they have been presented.

 The General Meeting consequently approves any transactions 
disclosed in these financial statements or summarized in these 
reports and in particular, in accordance with the provisions of 
Article 223 quater of the French Tax Code, the fact that there 
are  no  non-deductible  tax  expenses  and  charges  referred 
to  in  Article  39.4  of  said  Code,  and  that  consequently  such 
transactions did not give rise to corporate income tax.  

The  General  Meeting,  after  the  reading  of  the  report  of  the 
Board of Directors with respect to management of the Group 
included in the management report and the report related to the 
consolidated  financial  statements  of  the  Statutory  Auditors, 
in addition to the explanations made orally, hereby approves 
in  all  respects  the  report  of  the  Board  and  the  consolidated 
financial statements for the year ended December 31, 2016, 
as they have been presented.

The General Meeting consequently approves any transactions 
disclosed  by  such  consolidated  financial  statements  or 
summarized in such reports.

 ❘ Third resolution

Allocation of the results

The General Meeting, upon the proposal of the Board of Directors, hereby resolves to allocate the profit of the year amounting to 
€269,585,829.57  (1) as follows:

 › to the legal reserve

 › for distribution to the 258,176,957 shares forming the capital as of 02/28/2017 

of a dividend of (€ 0.53 × 258,176,957  shares) (2)

to retained earnings

which, increased by the retained earnings from prior years of €1,965,014,111.26 , brings the amount of 
retained earnings to

€64,120.85  

€136,833,787.21  

€132,687,921.51  

€2,097,702,032.77  

(1)  After allocation to the legal reserve, this profit increased by the retained earnings from prior years of €1,965,014,111.26  results in a distributable profit of €2,234,535,819.98 .
(2)  The aggregate amount of the dividend will be increased, based on the number of new shares created between March 1, 2017 and the date of the General Meeting of May 23, 

2017, consecutively to the exercise of share subscription options, it being specified that the maximum number of shares which could be issued upon the exercise of subscription 
options is 2,500,392 , i.e. a maximum amount of a supplementary dividend of €1,325,207.76 .

Shares  will  be  traded  ex-dividend  as  of  May  30,  2017  and 
dividends made payable as from June 26, 2017.

On  the  date  of  payment,  the  amount  of  the  dividend 
corresponding to (i) the treasury shares of Dassault Systèmes 
SE  and  (ii)  Dassault  Systèmes’  shares  held  by  SW  Securities 

LLC, a company which is controlled by the Dassault Systèmes 
Group, will be allocated to “retained earnings”, in accordance 
with  the  provisions  of  Article  L.  225-210  of  the  French 
Commercial  Code  and  the  contractual  provisions  in  force 
between SW Securities LLC and Dassault Systèmes SE.

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In addition, prior to distribution of the dividend, the Board of 
Directors,  or  if  so  delegated,  the  Chief  Executive  Officer  will 
determine the number of additional shares issued as a result of 
the exercise of share subscription options between March 1, 
2017  and  the  date  of  this  General  Meeting;  the  amount 
required for payment of dividends for shares issued during this 
period will be taken from “retained earnings”.

The  amount  thus  distributed  will  be  taken  into  account 
for  determining  shareholders’  total  revenue  subject  to  the 
progressive  rate  of  income  tax  for  the  year  during  which  it 
was  received  after  application  of  an  uncapped  deduction  of 
40% (as provided by Article 158-3-2 of the French Tax Code). 
The  dividend  may  be  subject  to  a  non-discharging  income 
tax withholding at a rate of 21% (as provided by Article 117 
quater of the French Tax Code).

Pursuant to Article 243 bis of the French Tax Code, it is noted that dividends per share paid over the last three years have been 
as follows:

Dividend (in euros)

Number of shares eligible for dividends 

* The number of shares was given before the two-for-one stock split of the Dassault Systèmes share on July 17, 2014.

2015

0.47

2014

0.43

2013

0.83

257,154,032

255,644,058 126,746,027*

 ❘ Fourth resolution

Option to receive payment of dividends in the form of shares

The  General  Meeting,  after  the  reading  of  the  Board  of 
Directors’  report,  and  finding  that  the  capital  is  fully  paid 
up,  has  decided  to  offer  each  shareholder  the  possibility 
of  choosing,  in  whole  or  in  part,  to  receive  payment  of  the 
dividend  decided  in  the  third  resolution,  and  to  which  he  is 
entitled, in the form of new shares in the Company.

Each shareholder may choose, in whole or in part, to receive 
payment of the dividend in cash or in shares.

If the shareholder chooses to receive payment of the dividend 
in the form of shares, the new shares will be issued without 
a discount at a price equal to the average of the closing prices 
quoted on the regulated market of Euronext Paris during the 
20 stock exchange sessions preceding the date of the General 
Meeting  less  the  net  amount  of  the  dividend  decided  in  the 
third  resolution  rounded  up  to  the  next  one  hundredth  of  a 
euro.  Such  new  shares  will  be  eligible  for  dividends  as  from 
January 1, 2017, and will have all the rights and privileges as 
the other shares issued by Dassault Systèmes SE.

Shareholders  may  choose,  in  whole  or  in  part,  to  receive 
payment  of  the  dividend  in  cash  or  new  shares  between 
May 30 and June 15, 2017, inclusive, by sending their request 
to the financial intermediaries that are authorized to pay the 
dividend or, for shareholders listed in the direct registered share 
accounts held by the Company, to its authorized representative 
(Société  Générale,  Securities  department,  32  rue  du  Champ-
de-Tir, CS 30812, 44308 Nantes Cedex 3). Failing exercise of 
such option as at June 15, 2017 at the latest, the dividend will 
only be paid out in cash.

Shareholders  who  have  not  chosen  payment  of  dividends 
in  shares  before  the  end  of  this  period  or  who  have  chosen 
only partial payment, will receive the dividend in cash for the 
portion for which payment in shares was not chosen as from 
June 26, 2017. For shareholders who have chosen to receive 
payment  of  the  dividend  in  shares,  the  new  shares  will  be 
delivered as of the same day.

If  the  amount  of  dividend  for  which  payment  in  the  form 
of  shares  has  been  chosen  does  not  correspond  to  a  whole 
number  of  shares,  the  number  of  shares  to  be  received  by 
the shareholder will be rounded up to the next whole number 
with  the  shareholder  paying  the  difference  in  cash  on  the 
day  he/she  chose  to  receive  payment  in  the  form  of  shares, 
or  alternatively  the  number  of  shares  to  be  received  by  the 
shareholder  will  be  rounded  down  to  the  previous  whole 
number and the shareholder will receive the balance in cash.

The  General  Meeting  gives  full  powers  to  the  Board  of 
Directors, with the right of sub delegation to the Chairman of 
the Board under the conditions provided by law, to carry out 
the payment of dividends in new shares, to stipulate the terms 
of  application  and  implementation,  to  record  the  number 
of  new  shares  issued  under  this  resolution,  to  make  any 
necessary changes in the Company’s by-laws relating to the 
share capital and the number of shares it contains, and, more 
generally, to do whatever may be appropriate or necessary.

 ❘ Fifth resolution

Related-party agreements (conventions réglementées)

The  General  Meeting,  having  reviewed  the  special  report 
of  the  Statutory  Auditors  on  the  agreements  governed  by 
Articles  L.  225-38  et seq.  of  the  French  Commercial  Code, 
acknowledges  the  report,  which  does  not  include  any  new 
agreements.

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 ❘ Sixth resolution

 ❘ Ninth resolution

Policies and criteria used to determine, distribute and allocate 
the fixed, variable and exceptional components of the total 
compensation and benefits of all kinds granted to the 
Chairman of the Board

The  General  Meeting  approves  the  policies  and  criteria  used 
to  determine,  distribute  and  allocate  the  fixed,  variable  and 
exceptional  components  of  the  total  compensation  and 
benefits  of  all  kinds  granted  to  the  Chairman,  as  indicated 
in  the  2016  Annual  Report,  under  chapter  5  “Corporate 
Governance”,  paragraph   5.1.4  “Principles  established  by  the 
Board of Directors pertaining to compensation of the Executive 
Officers and directors” .

 ❘ Seventh resolution

Policies and criteria used to determine, distribute and allocate 
the fixed, variable and exceptional components of the total 
compensation and benefits of all kinds granted to the 
Vice-Chairman  and Chief Executive Officer

The  General  Meeting  approves  the  policies  and  criteria  used 
to  determine,  distribute  and  allocate  the  fixed,  variable  and 
exceptional  components  of  the  total  compensation  and 
benefits  of  all  kinds  granted  to  the  Vice-Chairman  and  Chief 
Executive  Officer,  as  indicated  in  the  2016  Annual  Report, 
under  Chapter  5  “Corporate  Governance”,  paragraph   5.1.4 
“Principles established by the Board of Directors pertaining to 
compensation of the Executive Officers and directors” .

 ❘ Eighth resolution

Compensation elements due or granted with respect to 2016 
to Mr. Charles Edelstenne, Chairman of the Board

The  General  Meeting  approves  the  compensation  elements 
due or granted with respect to 2016 to Mr. Charles Edelstenne, 
Chairman  of  the  Board,  as  indicated  in  the  2016  Annual 
Report (Document de référence), under Chapter 5 “Corporate 
Governance”,  paragraph 
the 
Company’s Corporate Officers (mandataires sociaux)” .

 5.3.1  “Compensation  of 

Compensation elements due or granted with respect to 2016 
to Mr. Bernard Charlès, Vice-Chairman of the Board and Chief 
Executive Officer

The  General  Meeting  approves  the  compensation  elements 
due or granted with respect to 2016 to Mr. Bernard Charlès, 
Vice-Chairman and Chief Executive Officer, as indicated in the 
2016 Annual Report (Document de référence), under Chapter 5 
“Corporate  Governance”,  paragraph   5.3.1  “Compensation  of 
the Company’s Corporate Officers (mandataires sociaux)” .

 ❘ Tenth resolution

Re-appointment of Ms. Odile Desforges

The General Meeting notes that Ms. Odile Desforges’s term as 
director  expires  at  this  General  Meeting  and  re-appoints  her 
for  a  four-year  period.  This  term  of  office  will  expire  at  the 
General  Meeting  approving  the  financial  statements  for  the 
year ending December 31, 2020.

 ❘ Eleventh resolution

Ratification of the cooptation of Ms. Catherine Dassault 
as director

The General Meeting ratifies the appointment by cooptation 
of Ms. Catherine Dassault as director, decided by the Board of 
Directors  on  July  20,  2016,  for  the  remaining  term  of  office 
of her predecessor Ms. Nicole Dassault, who has resigned, i.e. 
until the General Meeting approving the financial statements 
for the year ending December 31, 2018.

 ❘ Twelfth resolution

Appointment of a new director

The  General  Meeting  decides  to  appoint  Mr .  Soumitra  Dutta 
 as  director  of  the  Company  for  a  four-year  term.  This  term 
of  office  will  expire  at  the  General  Meeting  approving  the 
financial statements for the year ending December 31, 2020.

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 ❘ Thirteenth resolution

Determination of the amount of directors’ fees

The General Meeting sets forth the amount of the directors’ 
fees  to  be  distributed  among  the  directors  at  €500,000   for 
the  current  and  subsequent  years,  until  otherwise  decided 
by  the  General  Meeting.  It  gives  all  powers  to  the  Board  of 
Directors to allocate the directors’ fees, in whole or part, under 
conditions that it shall determine.

 ❘ Fourteenth resolution

Re-appointment of a Principal Statutory Auditor

The General Meeting, after the reading of the report of the Board 
of  Directors,  decides  to  re-appoint  PricewaterhouseCoopers 
Audit, whose registered office is located at 63 rue de Villiers 
–  92200  Neuilly-sur-Seine,  as  Principal  Statutory  Auditor 
for  a  term  of  six  years,  i.e.  until  the  General  Meeting  called 
to  approve  the  financial  statements  for  the  year  ending 
December 31, 2022.

PricewaterhouseCoopers  Audit  has  already  indicated  that  it 
accepted its re-appointment.

 ❘ Fifteenth resolution

Authorization to repurchase Dassault Systèmes’s shares

The General Meeting, having reviewed the report of the Board 
of  Directors,  authorizes  the  Board  of  Directors  to  purchase  a 
maximum amount of 25,000,000 Dassault Systèmes shares, 
in  accordance  with  the  terms  and  conditions  stipulated  in 
Articles L. 225-209 et seq. of the French Commercial Code.

This authorization may be used by the Board of Directors for 
the following purposes:

1)  cancel shares for the purpose of increasing the profitability 
of  shareholders’  equity  and  earnings  per  share,  subject 
to adoption by the Extraordinary General Meeting of the 
resolution permitting shares to be canceled;

2)  meet  obligations  related  to  stock  option  grants  or  other 
allocations of shares to employees or corporate officers of 
Dassault Systèmes SE or of an affiliated company;

3)  provide  shares  upon  exercise  of  rights  attached  to 
securities giving right to shares of Dassault Systèmes SE;

5) 

implement  any  stock-exchange  market  practice  which 
may  be  authorized  by  law  or  by  the  Financial  Markets 
Authority (AMF).

The acquisition, sale, transfer or exchange of such shares may 
be  effected  by  any  means  allowed  on  the  market  (whether 
or  not  the  market  is  regulated),  multilateral  trade  facilities 
(MTF) or through a systematic internalizer or over the counter, 
in  particular  acquisition  of  blocks,  and  at  the  times  deemed 
appropriate  by  the  Board  of  Directors  or  any  person  acting 
pursuant to a sub delegation and according to the law.

The  maximum  amount  of  funds  dedicated  to  repurchase  of 
Company shares may not exceed €500 million, this condition 
being  cumulative  with  the  cap  of  25,000,000  Dassault 
Systèmes shares.

Dassault Systèmes SE may not purchase shares at a price per 
share which exceeds €100 (excluding acquisition costs), and in 
any case the price per share will not exceed the maximum price 
provided by the applicable legal rules, subject to adjustments in 
connection with transactions on its share capital, in particular 
by capitalization of reserves and free allocation of shares and/
or regrouping or split of shares.

This authorization can be used by the Board of Directors for all 
the treasury shares held by Dassault Systèmes.

This authorization will be valid commencing on the date of this 
General  Meeting  until  the  annual  Ordinary  General  Meeting 
approving  the  financial  statements  for  the  year  ending 
December  31,  2017.  The  General  Meeting  hereby  grants 
any  and  all  powers  to  the  Board  of  Directors  with  option  of 
delegation when legally authorized, to place any stock orders 
or  orders  outside  the  market,  enter  into  any  agreements, 
prepare  any  documents  including  information  documents, 
determine terms and conditions of Company transactions on 
the market, as well as terms and conditions for purchase and 
sale of shares, file any declarations, including those required 
by  the  Financial  Markets  Authority  (AMF),  accomplish  any 
formalities,  and  more  generally,  carry  out  any  necessary 
measures to complete such transactions.

The  General  Meeting  also  grants  any  and  all  powers  to  the 
Board  of  Directors,  in  case  that  the  law  or  the  Financial 
Markets  Authority  (AMF)  appear  to  extend  or  to  complete 
the  authorized  objectives  concerning  the  share  repurchase 
program, in order to inform the public, pursuant to applicable 
regulations  and  laws,  about  the  potential  changes  of  the 
program concerning the modified objectives.

4)  stimulate  the  market  or  provide 
liquidity  for  the 
Company’s  shares  through  the 
intermediary  of  an 
investment  services  provider  by  means  of  a  liquidity 
contract complying with a Code of Ethics accepted by the 
Financial Markets Authority (AMF);

In accordance with the provisions of Articles L. 225-211 and 
R.  225-160  of  the  French  Commercial  Code,  the  Company 
or the intermediary in charge of securities administration for 
the Company shall keep registers which record purchases and 
sales of shares pursuant to this program.

This authorization replaces and supersedes the previous share 
repurchase  program  authorized  by  the  Combined  General 
Shareholders’  Meeting  of  May  26,  2016,  in  its  thirteenth 
resolution.

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Extraordinary General Meeting

 ❘ Sixteenth resolution

Authorization granted to the Board of Directors to reduce the 
share capital by cancellation of previously repurchased shares 
in the framework of the share repurchase program

The  General  Meeting,  after  the  reading  of  the  report  of  the 
Board  of  Directors  and  the  special  report  of  the  Statutory 
Auditors, hereby authorizes the Board of Directors, pursuant to 
the provisions of Article L. 225-209 of the French Commercial 
Code, to:

 › reduce  the  share  capital  by  cancellation,  in  one  or  several 
transactions, of all or part of the shares repurchased by the 
Company pursuant to its share repurchase program, up to a 
limit of 10% of the share capital over periods of 24 months;

 › deduct  the  difference  between  the  repurchase  value  of 
the canceled shares and their nominal value from available 
premiums and reserves.

The  General  Meeting  hereby  gives,  more  generally,  any 
and  all  powers  to  the  Board  of  Directors  to  set  the  terms 
and  conditions  of  such  share  capital  reduction(s),  record  the 
completion  of  the  share  capital  reduction(s)  made  pursuant 
to the cancellation transactions authorized by this resolution, 
amend the by-laws of the Company as may be necessary, file 
any  declaration  with  the  Financial  Markets  Authority  (AMF) 
or  other  institutions,  accomplish  any  formalities  and  more 
generally  take  any  necessary  measures  for  the  purposes  of 
completing this transaction.

both in France and abroad, ordinary shares and/or equity 
securities  giving  access  to  other  equity  securities  or 
giving right to debt securities and/or any other securities 
giving  access  to  equity  securities  of  the  Company  to  be 
issued, it being specified that the Board of Directors may 
delegate to the Chief Executive Officer, or with the latter’s 
agreement,  to  one  or  more  Deputy  CEOs,  in  accordance 
with  the  conditions  permitted  by  law,  all  the  necessary 
powers to decide to increase the share capital;

2)  decides  that  any  issue  of  preferred  shares  or  securities 
giving access to preferred shares is expressly excluded;

3)  decides that the maximum nominal amount of the share 
capital  increases  that  may  be  carried  out  immediately 
and/or  subsequently  under  this  authorization  may  not 
exceed €12 million, it being specified that this overall cap 
is set exclusive of the nominal amount of the shares to be 
issued to protect the rights of the holders of securities or 
other rights giving access to the Company’s share capital, 
in  accordance  with  the  applicable  legal  and  regulatory 
provisions  and,  if  relevant,  the  contractual  provisions 
stipulating other adjustment cases;

4)  decides  moreover  that  the  nominal  amount  of  the  debt 
securities  of  the  Company  that  may  be  issued  under 
this  authorization  will  be  at  most  €750  million  or  the 
equivalent  of  this  amount  in  foreign  currency  or  in 
accounting  units  calculated  by  reference  to  multiple 
currencies;

This  authorization  is  granted  to  the  Board  of  Directors  for 
a  period  ending  at  the  end  of  the  General  Meeting  called 
to  approve  the  financial  statements  for  the  year  ending 
December 31, 2017.

5)  decides  that  the  shareholders  may  exercise,  under  the 
conditions  laid  down  in  law,  their  pre-emptive  right  to 
shares, equity securities and other securities issued under 
this resolution;

 ❘ Seventeenth resolution

Authorization granted to the Board of Directors for the 
purpose of increasing the share capital by issuing shares or 
equity securities giving access to other equity securities of 
the Company or giving right to debt securities, and of issuing 
securities giving access to equity securities of the Company to 
be issued, with pre-emptive right

The General Meeting, after review of the report of the Board 
of Directors and the special report of the Statutory Auditors:

1)  delegates  to  the  Board  of  Directors,  pursuant  to  the 
provisions  of  Articles  L.  225-129  to  L.  225-129-6, 
L. 228-91 and L. 228-92 of the French Commercial Code, 
its authority to decide to issue, on one or more occasions, 
at the time or times and in the proportions it deems fit, 

6)  decides  that 

if  applications  for  subscription  on  an 
irreductible  basis  and  if  applicable,  a  reductible  basis  do 
not absorb all of issue of shares, equity securities or other 
securities, the Board of Directors may offer all or some of 
the unsubscribed securities to the public;

7)  notes  that  this  authorization  automatically  entails  that 
the shareholders waive, for the benefit of the holders of 
securities  giving  access  to  the  Company’s  share  capital 
that may be issued, their pre-emptive right to the equity 
securities to which these securities give right;

8)  decides that the sum due or to fall due to the Company 
for each share issued under this authorization must be at 
least equal to the par value of the shares on the issue date;

9)  decides  that  the  Board  of  Directors  may,  if  it  deems  it 
appropriate, deduct the costs and expenses of carrying out 
the  issues  from  the  issue  premium(s),  and  if  applicable, 

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deduct the sums needed to increase the legal reserve to 
one-tenth of the new share capital after each issue from 
this amount;

10)  decides  that  this  authorization  supersedes  the  similar 
authorization granted by the sixteenth resolution of the 
Combined General Meeting of May 28, 2015.

The  authorization  thus  granted  to  the  Board  of  Directors  is 
valid for 26 months from the date of this General Meeting.

 ❘ Eighteenth resolution

Authorization granted to the Board of Directors for the 
purpose of increasing the share capital by issuing shares or 
equity securities giving access to other equity securities of 
the Company or giving right to debt securities, and of issuing 
securities giving access to equity securities to be issued, 
without pre-emptive rights and within the framework 
of a public offering

The General Meeting, after review of the report of the Board 
of Directors and the special report of the Statutory Auditors:

1)  delegates  to  the  Board  of  Directors,  pursuant  to  the 
provisions  of  Articles  L.  225-129  to  L.  225-129-6, 
L.  225-135,  L.  225-136,  L.  225-148  and  L.  228-91  to 
L. 228-94 of the French Commercial Code, its authority 
to  decide  to  carry  out,  through  a  public  offering  or,  if 
relevant  and  subject  to  the  approval  by  the  General 
Meeting of a specific resolution to this effect, through an 
offer as referred to in II of Article L. 411-2 of the French 
Monetary and Financial Code, on one or more occasions, 
at the time or times and in the proportions it deems fit, 
both in France and abroad:

d)  issuance  by  the  Company  of  securities  giving  access 
to  existing  equity  securities  or  giving  right  to  debt 
securities of another company in which the Company 
does not, directly or indirectly, hold over half of the 
share capital.

The  Board  of  Directors  may  delegate  to  the  Chief 
Executive  Officer,  or  with  the  latter’s  agreement,  to  one 
or more Deputy CEOs, in accordance with the conditions 
permitted  by  law,  all  the  necessary  powers  to  decide  to 
increase the share capital.

the 
This  authorization  automatically  entails 
shareholders  waive,  for  the  benefit  of  the  holders  of 
securities  that  may  be  issued  by  the  subsidiaries,  their 
pre-emptive right to the equity securities to which these 
securities give right;

that 

2)  decides that the maximum nominal amount of the share 
capital  increases  that  may  be  carried  out  immediately 
and/or  subsequently  under  this  authorization  may  not 
exceed  €12  million,  it  being  specified  that  this  cap  is 
set exclusive of the nominal amount of the shares to be 
issued to protect the rights of the holders of securities or 
other rights giving access to the Company’s share capital, 
in  accordance  with  the  applicable  legal  and  regulatory 
provisions  and,  if  relevant,  the  contractual  provisions 
stipulating other adjustment cases;

3)  decides that the nominal amount that may be issued under 
this resolution will be included in the maximum nominal 
amount for share capital increases of €12 million set under 
the seventeenth resolution of this General Meeting;

4)  decides  that  any  issue  of  preferred  shares  or  securities 
giving access to preferred shares is expressly excluded;

a) 

issuance  of  shares  and/or  equity  securities  giving 
access to other equity securities or giving right to debt 
securities of the Company and/or any other securities 
giving access to equity securities of the Company to 
be issued,

5)  decides  that  this  share  capital  increase  may  be  the 
result of the exercise of a right resulting from any of the 
securities issued by any company in which the Company 
directly  or  indirectly  holds  over  half  of  the  share  capital 
and with the agreement of the latter;

b)  issuance  of  shares  and/or  equity  securities  giving 
access to other equity securities or giving right to debt 
securities of the Company and/or any other securities 
giving access to equity securities of the Company to 
be issued following issuance by companies, in which 
the Company directly or indirectly holds over half of 
the share capital, of any equity securities or securities 
giving access to equity securities of the Company to 
be issued,

c) 

issuance  of  shares  and/or  equity  securities  and/or 
securities  by  the  Company  giving  access  to  equity 
securities  of  a  company,  in  which  the  Company 
directly  or  indirectly  holds  over  half  of  the  share 
capital, to be issued,

228 ANNUAL REPORT 2016  DASSAULT SYSTÈMES

6)  decides  moreover  that  the  nominal  amount  of  debt 
securities that may be issued under this authorization will 
be at most €750 million or the equivalent of this amount 
in  foreign  currency  or  in  accounting  units  calculated  by 
reference  to  multiple  currencies,  and  will  be  included 
in  the  cap  of  €750  million  set  under  the  seventeenth 
resolution of this General Meeting;

7)  decides 

to  eliminate 

the  pre-emptive 

rights  of 
shareholders to subscribe for shares, equity securities and 
other securities to be issued, it being understood that the 
Board of Directors may grant the shareholders a priority 
subscription period in respect of to all or part of the issue, 
subject to the time limit and conditions set by the Board, 
in  accordance  with  the  provisions  of  Article  L.  225-135 
of the French Commercial Code; this priority subscription 
period will not give rise to negotiable rights;

General Meeting
Draft resolutions proposed by the Board of Directors to the General Meeting on May 23, 2017

7

8)  acknowledges  that  this  authorization  automatically 
entails that the shareholders waive, for the benefit of the 
holders of securities giving access to the Company’s share 
capital that may be issued, their pre-emptive right to the 
equity securities to which these securities give right;

9)  decides that the sum due or to fall due to the Company for 
each share issued or to be issued under this authorization 
must be at least equal to the minimum value set by the 
regulations  in  force  when  this  authorization  is  used,  i.e. 
at  present  the  Company’s  average  weighted  share  price 
on  the  regulated  market  of  Euronext  Paris  over  the  last 
three trading days prior to the date the issue price is set, 
less  a  possible  discount  of  up  to  5%,  and  after,  where 
appropriate, correction of this amount to take into account 
the differences in dividend eligibility dates;

10)  decides  that  the  Board  of  Directors  may  use  this 
authorization,  in  whole  or  in  part,  for  the  purpose  of 
remunerating  securities  tendered  in  a  public  exchange 
offer  initiated  by  the  Company,  within  the  limits  and 
under the conditions stipulated in Article L. 225-148 of 
the French Commercial Code;

11)  decides  that  the  Board  of  Directors  may,  if  it  deems  it 
appropriate, deduct the costs and expenses of carrying out 
the  issues  from  the  issue  premium(s),  and  if  applicable, 
deduct the sums needed to increase the legal reserve to 
one-tenth of the new share capital after each issue from 
this amount;

12)  decides  that  this  authorization  supersedes  the  similar 
authorization  granted  by  the  seventeenth  resolution  of 
the Combined General Meeting of May 28, 2015.

The  authorization  thus  granted  to  the  Board  of  Directors  is 
valid for 26 months from the date of this General Meeting.

 ❘ Nineteenth resolution

Authorization granted to the Board of Directors for the 
purpose of increasing the share capital by issuing shares 
or equity securities giving access to other equity securities 
or giving right to debt securities, and of issuing securities 
giving access to equity securities to be issued, without 
pre-emptive right, within the framework of a private 
placement as referred to in II of Article L. 411-2 
of the French Monetary and Financial Code

The General Meeting, after review of the report of the Board 
of Directors and the special report of the Statutory Auditors:

1)  delegates  to  the  Board  of  Directors,  pursuant  to 
the  provisions  of  Article  L.  225-136  of  the  French 
Commercial Code, its authority to decide to issue, within 
the  framework  and  under  the  terms  of  the  eighteenth 
resolution  of  this  General  Meeting  and  within  the  limit 

of the maximum nominal amount of €12 million, equity 
securities or debt securities, through an offer as referred 
to  in  II  of  Article  L.  411-2  of  the  French  Monetary  and 
Financial Code;

2)  decides that the maximum nominal amount of the share 
capital increases that may be carried out immediately and/
or subsequently under this authorization will be included 
in the maximum nominal amount for capital increases of 
€12 million set under the seventeenth resolution of this 
General Meeting;

3)  decides  that  this  authorization  supersedes  the  similar 
authorization granted by the eighteenth resolution of the 
Combined General Meeting of May 28, 2015.

The  authorization  thus  granted  to  the  Board  of  Directors  is 
valid for 26 months from the date of this General Meeting.

 ❘ Twentieth resolution

Authorization granted to the Board of Directors for the 
purpose of increasing the share capital by incorporation of 
reserves, profits or premiums

The  General  Meeting,  deliberating  under  the  quorum  and 
majority  conditions  required  for  Ordinary  General  Meetings, 
pursuant to the provisions of Article  L. 225-130 of the French 
Commercial  Code,  and  after  considering  the  report  of  the 
Board of Directors:

1)  delegates  to  the  Board  of  Directors  its  authority  to 
increase  the  share  capital,  on  one  or  more  occasions,  at 
the  time  or  times  and  in  the  proportions  it  deems  fit, 
by  incorporation  of  reserves,  profits,  premiums  or  other 
amounts that may be capitalized, or by combining such 
a  share  capital  increase  with  a  share  capital  increase  in 
cash  carried  out  under  the  seventeenth,  eighteenth 
or  nineteenth  resolutions  of  this  General  Meeting,  by 
issuing  and  granting  free  shares  or  raising  the  nominal 
value  of  the  existing  shares,  or,  finally,  by  combining 
the two transactions, it being specified that the Board of 
Directors may delegate to the Chief Executive Officer, or 
with the latter’s agreement, to one or more Deputy CEOs, 
in  accordance  with  the  conditions  permitted  by  law,  all 
the necessary powers to decide the share capital increase;

2)  decides that the maximum nominal amount of the share 
capital  increases  that  may  be  carried  out  under  this 
authorization may not exceed €12 million, it being specified 
that this cap is set exclusive of the nominal amount of the 
shares to be issued to protect the rights of the holders of 
securities  or  other  rights  giving  access  to  the  Company’s 
share capital, in accordance with the applicable legal and 
regulatory  provisions  and,  if  relevant,  the  contractual 
provisions stipulating other adjustment cases;

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3)  decides  that  this  maximum  nominal  amount  will  be 
included in the maximum nominal amount set for share 
capital  increases  that  may  be  carried  out  under  the 
seventeenth resolution of this General Meeting;

4)  decides that the rights giving rise to fractional shares will 
not be negotiable and that the corresponding shares will 
be sold. The proceeds of the sale will be allocated to the 
holders of the rights within 30 days after the date of entry 
in their account of the full number of shares granted;

5)  decides  that  the  Board  of  Directors  may,  if  it  deems  it 
appropriate,  proceed  with  any  charge  against  the  issue 
premium or premiums, in particular for expenses, duties 
and  fees  incurred  due  to  the  implementation  of  the 
issues, and, if appropriate, deduct from this amount the 
necessary amounts to bring the legal reserve to one-tenth 
of the new share capital after each issue;

6)  decides  that  this  authorization  supersedes  the  similar 
authorization granted by the nineteenth resolution of the 
Combined General Meeting of May 28, 2015.

The  authorization  thus  granted  to  the  Board  of  Directors  is 
valid for 26 months from the date of this General Meeting.

advantages, to set the number of securities to be issued 
as consideration for contributions, as well as the effective 
date  of  the  securities  to  be  issued,  to  proceed  with  any 
charge  against  the  issue  premium  or  premiums,  in 
particular  for  expenses,  duties  and  fees  incurred  due  to 
the implementation of the issues, to formally record the 
share capital increase and amend the by-laws accordingly, 
and to more generally take all necessary measures, enter 
into any agreements and carry out any and all formalities 
required  in  particular  for  the  admission  of  the  shares  to 
trading;

3)  notes,  where  necessary, 

this  authorization 
automatically  entails  that  the  shareholders  waive  their 
pre-emptive right to the equity securities of the Company 
to  which  the  securities  that  may  be  issued  under  this 
authorization may give entitlement;

that 

4)  decides  that  this  authorization  supersedes  the  similar 
authorization granted by the twentieth resolution of the 
Combined General Meeting of May 28, 2015.

The  authorization  thus  granted  to  the  Board  of  Directors  is 
valid for 26 months from the date of this General Meeting.

 ❘ Twenty-first resolution

 ❘ Twenty-second resolution

Authorization of the Board of Directors to increase the share 
capital for the benefit of members of a corporate savings plan, 
without pre-emptive rights

The General Meeting, having reviewed the report of the Board 
of Directors and the special report of the Statutory Auditors, 
pursuant to the provisions of Articles L. 3332-1 et seq. of the 
French  Labor  Code  and  Articles  L.  225-138-1  and  L.  225-
129-6, first and second paragraphs, of the French Commercial 
Code:

1)  delegates  to  the  Board  of  Directors  its  authority  to 
increase  the  share  capital  of  the  Company,  in  one  or 
several transactions, at its sole discretion, by a maximum 
nominal amount of €5 million through the issue of new 
shares or other securities giving access to the Company’s 
share  capital  under  the  conditions  prescribed  by  law, 
reserved  for  members  of  corporate  savings  plans  of  the 
Company and/or its affiliated entities within the meaning 
of Article L. 225-180 of the French Commercial Code and 
Article L. 3344-1 of the French Labor Code;

2)  decides 

to  eliminate 

the  pre-emptive 

rights  of 
shareholders  to  subscribe  for  the  new  shares  to  be 
issued  or  other  securities  giving  access  to  share  capital 
and securities to which these securities give entitlement 
under  this  resolution  for  the  benefit  of  the  members  of 
the plans referred to in the previous paragraph and waives 
the rights to the shares or other securities that would be 
allocated through the application of this resolution;

Authorization granted to the Board of Directors for 
the purpose of increasing the share capital by issuing shares 
or equity securities giving access to other equity securities 
or giving right to debt securities as well as securities giving 
access to equity securities to be issued, within the limit 
of 10%, as consideration for in-kind contributions of equity 
or other securities

The General Meeting, after review of the report of the Board 
of Directors and the special report of the Statutory Auditors:

1)  delegates  to  the  Board  of  Directors,  pursuant  to  the 
provisions of Article L. 225-147 of the French Commercial 
Code, the necessary powers to increase the share capital 
by  issuing  shares  and/or  equity  securities  giving  access 
to other equity securities or giving right to debt securities 
of the Company and/or securities giving access to equity 
securities to be issued by the Company, within the limit 
of  10%  of  the  share  capital,  based  on  the  report  of  the 
Capital  Contributions  Auditor(s),  as  consideration  for  in-
kind contributions of equity or securities giving access to 
the share capital, when the provisions of Article L. 225-
148 of the French Commercial Code do not apply;

2)  decides  that  the  Board  of  Directors  will  have  all  the 
necessary  powers  to  implement  this  authorization,  in 
particular  to  determine  all  the  terms  and  conditions  of 
the authorized transactions and in particular to evaluate 
the contributions and grants, where applicable, of special 

230 ANNUAL REPORT 2016  DASSAULT SYSTÈMES

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Draft resolutions proposed by the Board of Directors to the General Meeting on May 23, 2017

7

3)  decides  that  the  maximum  nominal  amount  that  may 
be issued under this authorization will be included in the 
maximum nominal amount for share capital increases of 
€12 million set under the seventeenth resolution;

7)  decides  that  the  characteristics  of  the  other  securities 
giving  access  to  the  Company’s  share  capital  will  be 
determined  by  the  Board  of  Directors  according  to  the 
conditions laid down by the regulations;

4)  decides  that  the  subscription  price  for  the  new  shares 
will  be  at  least  80%  of  the  average  listed  price  of  the 
Company’s  shares  on  Euronext  Paris  in  the  20  trading 
days  preceding  the  day  on  which  subscriptions  open, 
where the lock-up period set by the savings plan pursuant 
to Article L. 3332-25 of the French Labor Code is shorter 
than ten years, and 70% of this average where the lock-
up  period  is  ten  years  or  more.  However,  the  General 
Meeting  of  Shareholders  expressly  authorizes  the  Board 
of Directors, if it deems it appropriate, to reduce or cancel 
the  above-mentioned  discounts,  within  the  legal  and 
regulatory limits, in order to take account of, inter alia, the 
legal, accounting, tax and social security rules applicable 
locally;

5)  decides  that  the  Board  of  Directors  may  also  replace  all 
or part of the discount with the free allocation of shares 
or other securities giving access to the Company’s share 
capital, whether existing or to be issued, it being specified 
that  the  total  benefit  resulting  from  this  allocation  and, 
if applicable, from the discount mentioned above, cannot 
exceed the total benefit that members of the savings plan 
would  have  received  if  this  difference  had  been  20%  or 
30%, depending on whether the lock-up period set by the 
plan is greater than or equal to ten years;

6)  decides  that  the  Board  of  Directors  may  provide  for, 
pursuant to Article L. 3332-21 of the French Labor Code, 
the  free  allocation  of  shares  or  other  securities  giving 
access  to  the  Company’s  share  capital  to  be  issued  or 
already  issued  under  a  bonus  scheme,  provided  that 
the  inclusion  of  their  monetary  value,  valued  at  the 
subscription price, does not result in the legal or regulatory 
limits being exceeded;

8)  decides  that  the  Board  of  Directors  will  have  all  the 
necessary powers, with the option for delegation or sub-
delegation,  in  accordance  with  the  legal  and  regulatory 
provisions,  within  the  limits  and  under  the  conditions 
specified above, to determine all the terms and conditions 
of transactions and, in particular, to decide on the amount 
to be issued, the issue price and the terms of each issue, 
and to define the terms for the free allocation of shares 
or  other  securities  giving  access  to  the  share  capital, 
under  the  authorization  given  above,  to  determine  the 
opening and closing dates for subscriptions, to set, within 
the maximum limit of three years, the period granted to 
subscribers to pay for their shares, to determine the date, 
which may be retroactive, from which the new shares will 
be  eligible  for  dividends,  to  apply  for  their  admission  to 
listing on the stock market wherever they are advised to 
do so, to record the share capital increase in the amount 
of shares effectively subscribed for, to make all necessary 
arrangements  to  carry  out  the  share  capital  increases, 
carry  out  all  formalities  arising  therefrom  and  amend 
the  by-laws  accordingly,  and  at  its  sole  discretion,  and 
if  it  deems  it  appropriate,  to  deduct  the  fees  involved 
in  carrying  out  the  share  capital  increases  from  the 
premiums relating to these increases as well as the sums 
necessary to increase the legal reserve to one-tenth of the 
new share capital after each increase;

9)  decides  that  this  authorization  supersedes  all  previous 
authorizations relating to share capital increases reserved 
for members of corporate savings plans, and in particular, 
that  granted  by  the  General  Shareholders’  Meeting  of 
May 26, 2016 in the sixteenth resolution;

10)  the authorization thus granted to the Board of Directors is 
valid for 26 months from the date of this General Meeting.

Ordinary and Extraordinary General Meeting

 ❘ Twenty-third resolution

Powers for formalities

The General Meeting hereby grants any and all powers to the bearer of an original, a copy or an excerpt of the minutes of these 
deliberations for the purpose of carrying out any legal formalities for publication.

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231

T Cross-reference tables

Annual fi nancial report

CROSS-REFERENCE TABLES

Annual financial report

The  cross-reference  table  below  allows  to  identify  the  information  included  in  the  annual  financial  report  provided  by  the 
Article L. 451-1-2 of the Monetary and Financial French Code and by the Article 222-3 of the General Regulation of the Autorité 
des marchés financiers.

Annual financial report

1.  Parent Company Financial Statements

2.  Consolidated Financial Statements of the Group

3.  Management Report

4.  Certification of the Person Responsible for the Reference Document

5.  Statutory Auditors Report on the Parent Company Financial Statements

6.  Statutory Auditors Report on the Consolidated Financial Statements

7.  Principal Accountants Fees and Services

Reference Document

Paragraphs

4.2

4.1

Pages

133 

92 

See Annual management report 
cross-reference table below

–

4.2.3

4.1.2

4.1.1 – Note 27

3 

156 

131 

129 

232 ANNUAL REPORT 2016  DASSAULT SYSTÈMES

Cross-reference tables

Annual management report

T

Annual management report

The cross-reference table below identifies in the Reference Document the information included in the annual management report 
to be provided by the Company’s Board of Directors, as required by Articles L. 225-100 et seq. of the French Commercial Code.

Annual management report

1.  Business Trends Analysis

2.  Analysis of Results

3.  Financial Operations Analysis

4.  Description of Main Risks and Uncertainties

5.  Financial Instruments Use

6.  Risk Factors such as Pricing, Credit, Liquidity in Cash and Treasury

7.  Current Delegations to the Board of Directors and their Use during the Fiscal Year 2016

8. 

9. 

Information Required by the Article L. 225-100-3: 
Possible Consequences in Case of a Public Tender Offer

Information Required by the Article L. 225-211 of the French Commercial Code, 
Relating to the Shares Repurchases

10.  Situation during the Fiscal year 2016

11.  Foreseeable Trend of the Situation

12.  Substantial Events Occurred since the End of 2016

13.  Research and Development Activities

14.  Existing branches

Reference Document

Paragraphs

Pages

3.1

3.1

3.1

1.6

78 

78 

78 

30 

4.1.1 – Notes 2, 21

98, 121 

1.6.2

6.2.4

5.1.7.3 

6.2.5

37 

204 

182 

206 

3.1, 4.1, 4.2

78, 92, 133 

3.1.1.1, 3.2

78, 89 

4.2.1 – Note 23

1.5

6.1.1.6

153 

29 

198 

15.  Business and Results of Operations of the Parent Company Dassault Systèmes SE

1.3, 1.4, 4.2

13, 14, 133 

16.  Business and Results of the Parent Company’s Subsidiaries 

during the Fiscal Year 2016

17.  Financial and non-financial key performance indicators

18.  2017 Business Outlook

19.  Selected Financial Information of Dassault Systèmes SE over the Last Five Fiscal Years

20.  Employees’ Involvement in the Capital of the Issuer the Last Day of the Fiscal Year

21.  Compensation and Benefits Granted to each Corporate Officer (mandataire social) 

of Dassault Systèmes in 2016

22.  Undertakings by the Company to the benefit of Corporate Officers (mandataires 

sociaux) corresponding to elements of compensation, indemnities or other benefits 
due or to be due as a consequence of the entry into office, termination of the office 
or change in the office (even after termination of the same), notably retirement 
undertakings or other lifelong undertakings

23.  List of the Terms and Responsibilities of the Directors (mandataires sociaux) 

of Dassault Systèmes in 2016

24.  Social and Environmental Information

1.3.2, 1.4

13, 14 

3.1.1.1, 3.2

78, 89 

4.2.2

6.3.1

5.3

5.3

5.1.1.1

2

155 

207 

196 

196 

162 

40 

T

25.  Equity Holdings or Controlled Companies, Subsidiaries with a French Head-Office

4.2.1 – Notes 1, 24

138, 154 

26.  Table of Transactions in the Company’s Shares by the Management of the Company

27.  Information on the Payment Cycles for Suppliers

28.  Chairman of the Board’s Report on Corporate Governance and Internal Control

29.  Dividends Paid over the Last Three Fiscal Years

5.4

4.2.1 – Note 19

5.1

7.1

30.  Information referred to in Article L. 225-37-2 of the French Commercial Code 
within the framework of the report appended to the management report

5.1.4; 7.1.7; draft resolutions 6  and 
7  referred to at paragraph 7.2 
“Draft Resolutions Proposed by the 
Board of Directors to the General 
Meeting on May 23, 2017”

194 

151 

162 

214 

175, 219, 225

31.  Evolution and repartition of the shareholding (including treasury shares)

6.3.1

207 

DASSAULT SYSTÈMES  ANNUAL REPORT 2016

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T Cross-reference tables

Cross-reference table including the European Directive no. 809/2004 – Annex 1 items

Cross-reference table including the European Directive no. 809/2004 – Annex 1 items

The cross-reference table below identifies the information included in the Reference Document, and reflects the transposition of 
the European Directive no. 809/2004 in its Annex 1, adopted by the European Commission of April 29, 2004.

European directive – Annex 1 items

Reference Document

Paragraphs

Pages

1. 

2. 
3. 
4. 
5. 

6. 

7. 

8. 

PERSONS RESPONSIBLE
1.1  Name and function of the persons responsible

1.2  Declaration of the persons responsible

STATUTORY AUDITORS
SELECTED FINANCIAL INFORMATION
RISK FACTORS
INFORMATION ABOUT THE ISSUER
5.1  History and development of the Company

5.2 

Investments

BUSINESS OVERVIEW
6.1  Principal activities

6.2  Principal markets

6.3 

6.4 

Exceptional factors

Extent to which the issuer is dependent on patents or licenses, industrial, 
commercial or financial contracts or new manufacturing processes

3 

3 

196 

6 

30 

8 

11 

14 

18 

30 

5.5

1.1

1.6

1.2.1

1.2.2

1.4.1

1.4.2

None

1.6

6.5  Basis for any statements made by the issuer regarding its competitive position

1.4.1, 1.4.2.7

14,28 

ORGANIZATIONAL STRUCTURE
7.1  Brief description of the Group

7.2 

List of the significant subsidiaries

PROPERTY, PLANT AND EQUIPMENT
8.1 

Existing or planned material tangible fixed assets

1.3.1

1.3.2

13 

13 

2.2.2.3, 4.1.1 
– Notes 14, 25

62, 115, 127 

8.2  Any environmental issues that may affect the issuer’s utilization of the tangible fixed assets

2.2.2.3

OPERATING AND FINANCIAL REVIEW

9. 
10.  CAPITAL RESOURCES
11.  RESEARCH AND DEVELOPMENT, PATENTS AND LICENSES
12.  TREND INFORMATION
13.  PROFIT FORECASTS OR ESTIMATES
14.  ADMINISTRATIVE, MANAGEMENT AND SUPERVISORY BODIES 

AND SENIOR MANAGEMENT
14.1 

Information relating the Board of Directors and Senior Management

14.2  Administrative, Management and Supervisory Bodies and Senior Management 

Conflicts of Interests

15.  REMUNERATION AND BENEFITS

3.1

3.1.4

1.5

1.6.1.1

3.2

62 

78 

89 

29 

30 

89 

5.1.1, 5.1.2

5.1.3

162, 174 

175 

15.1  Amount of remuneration paid and benefits in kind

5.3

15.2  Amount set aside or accrued to provide pension, retirement or similar benefits

5.3.1 – Table 11

184 

189 

234 ANNUAL REPORT 2016  DASSAULT SYSTÈMES

Cross-reference table including the European Directive no. 809/2004 – Annex 1 items

Cross-reference tables

T

European directive – Annex 1 items

16.  BOARD PRACTICES

16.1  Date of expiration of the current term of office

16.2  Service contracts with the issuer

16.3 

Information about the committees

Reference Document

Paragraphs

5.1

5.1.1.1

5.1.3

5.1.1.3

Pages

162 

162 

174 

172 

16.4  Statement of compliance with the regime of corporate governance

5.1, 5.1.5

162, 179 

17.  EMPLOYEES

17.1  Number of employees

17.2  Shareholdings and stock options

17.3  Arrangement involving the employees in the issuer’s capital

18.  MAJOR SHAREHOLDERS

18.1  Shareholders having more than 5% of interest in the issuer’s capital or of voting rights

18.2  Existence of different voting rights

18.3  Control of the issuer

18.4  Arrangement, known to the issuer, the operation of which may 

at a subsequent date result in a change in control of the issuer

19.  RELATED PARTY TRANSACTIONS

20.  FINANCIAL INFORMATION CONCERNING THE ISSUER’S ASSETS 

AND LIABILITIES, FINANCIAL POSITION AND PROFITS AND LOSSES
20.1  Historical Financial Information

20.2  Pro forma Financial Information

20.3  Financial Statements

20.4  Auditing of Historical Annual Financial Information

20.5  Date of the latest financial statements

20.6 

Interim and Other Financial Information

20.7  Dividend Policy

20.8  Legal and Arbitration Proceedings

2.1.1

41 

5.1.1, 5.3.2

162, 189 

None

6.3

6.3.1

6.1.2.3

6.3.2

6.3.3

207 

207 

198 

209 

210 

4.1.1 – Note 26, 
4.2.4, 7.1.5

128, 158, 216 

4.1

92 

Not applicable

4.1, 4.2

92,133 

4.1.2, 4.2.3, 4.2.4

131, 156, 158 

December 31, 2016 

20.9  Significant Change in the Issuer’s Financial or Trading Position

4.1.1 – Note 29

21.  ADDITIONAL INFORMATION

21.1  Share Capital

21.2  Memorandum and By-laws

22.  MATERIAL CONTRACTS
23.  THIRD-PARTY INFORMATION, EXPERTS’ STATEMENTS 

AND DECLARATION OF ANY INTEREST

24.  DOCUMENTS AVAILABLE TO THE PUBLIC
25. 

INFORMATION ON HOLDINGS

3.3

7.1

4.3

6.2, 6.3

6.1.2

1.4.3

Not applicable

90 

214 

160 

130

202, 207 

199 

28 

T

6.1.1.7 

198 

1.3.2, 4.1.1 – 
Note 28 , 
4.2.1 – Note 24

13, 130, 154 

DASSAULT SYSTÈMES  ANNUAL REPORT 2016

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T Cross-reference tables

NRE correspondence table

NRE correspondence table

Article R. 225-105-1 of the French Commercial Code items

EMPLOYMENT

Total employees and distribution by gender, age and geographic location

New hires and departures

Compensation

ORGANIZATION OF WORKING TIME

Organization of working time

Absenteeism

LABOR RELATIONS

Organization of employee relations and employee communications, 
consultation and negotiation procedures

Summary of collective agreements

HEALTH AND SAFETY

Health and safety conditions

Summary of agreements reached with labor unions 
or employee representatives regarding health and safety

Work accidents

TRAINING

Training policies

Total training time

EQUAL TREATMENT

Measures for the equal treatment of women and men

Measures for the employment of disabled persons

Anti-discrimination policy

PROMOTION OF AND RESPECT FOR THE PROVISIONS OF THE BASIC CONVENTIONS 
OF THE INTERNATIONAL LABOR ORGANIZATION ON

Respect for the freedom of association and the right to collective negotiation

Eliminating discrimination at work

Eliminating forced labor

Eliminating child labor

INFORMATION ON SOCIETAL COMMITMENTS 
AND COMMITMENTS TO SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT

Regional, economic and social impact of the business of the Company in terms of employment 
and regional development, on nearby or local populations

Relations with individuals and organizations interested by the Company’s business 
(job placement associations, educational establishments, environmental protection 
associations, etc.), process relating to the dialogue with those persons or organizations and 
partnership and sponsorship actions.

Sub-contractors and suppliers: social responsibility. Taking social and environmental issues 
into account in the purchasing policy. Importance of sub-contracting. Taking suppliers’ and 
sub-contractors’ social and environmental responsibility into account in relations with them

Good citizen practices (actions to prevent corruption and measures to protect the health 
and safety of consumers) and other measures to support human rights

GENERAL POLICY ON ENVIRONMENTAL ISSUES

Organizing the Company to take into account environmental issues. 
If need be, environmental assessment or certification processes

Employee training and information actions regarding environmental protection

Resources devoted to the prevention of environmental risks and pollution

Reference Document

Paragraphs

Pages

2.1.1, 2.1.7

2.1.2, 2.1.7

41,58 

44,58 

2.1.4

2.1.1

2.1.1

2.1.5

2.1.5

2.1.5

2.1.5

2.1.5

2.1.2

2.1.2

2.1.2

2.1.2

2.1.2

2.1.5

2.1.2

2.1.5

2.1.5

2.1.2

2.1.2

2.1.1

2.1.5

2.2.1

2.2.3

2.2.6

52 

41 

41 

54 

54 

54 

54 

54 

44 

44 

44 

44 

44 

54 

44 

54 

54 

44 

44 

41 

54 

41 

51 

71 

236 ANNUAL REPORT 2016  DASSAULT SYSTÈMES

Cross-reference tables

NRE correspondence table

T

Article R. 225-105-1 of the French Commercial Code items

POLLUTION

Reference Document

Paragraphs

Pages

Measures for preventing, reducing or curing releases to the air, water and soil 
which would harm the environment

2.2.2.5 and 2.2.6

70, 71 

CIRCULAR ECONOMY

Prevention and waste management:

 › measures for prevention, recycling, reutilisation, any other form of waste recovery 

and disposal

 › actions against food waste

Sustainable use of resources:

 › water consumption

 › raw materials consumption

 › measures taken to improve the efficiency of the use of raw materials

 › energy consumption

 › measures taken to improve energy efficiency and the use of renewable energy

CLIMATE CHANGE

Significant items of issuance of greenhouse gaz due to the Company’s activity, 
notably by reason of the usage of its production of goods and services

2.2.2.5 and 2.2.4

64, 69

2.2.4

2.2.2.5

2.2.2.5 and 2.2.4

2.2.2.5 and 2.2.4

2.2.2.5

2.2.2.5

2.2.2.5

69

64 

64, 69 

64, 69  

64 

64  

64  

Information not published due to lack of relevancy

Explanation

Frequency/severity rate of work accidents.
Professional illnesses.

Consideration of noise pollution
Land use
Water supply in accordance with local constraints
Adaptation to the consequences of climate change
Biodiversity protection

Given the nature of Dassault Systèmes’ activity, the number of work 
accidents is low and consists of only a few cases per year. 
This indicator is not calculated.

Given Dassault Systèmes’ activity, these topics are not covered. 
The Group is not aware of any noise pollution that could negatively 
impact the environment, nor is it aware of any impact on biodiversity. 
With regards to land use, the Group is only a commercial user, 
and the Group is not aware of any local constraints with regards 
to water supply. The Group does not believe that it is at risk 
with regards to climate change in the near-or mid-term.

T

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