Dassault top manager on digital transformation

From the automotive industry to a software company: After positions at BMW and Mercedes and more than 20 years in the automotive industry, Sabine Scheunert has essentially switched sides. Since mid-last year, she has been responsible for Dassault Systèmes' Central Europe business. She has gotten to know many technology companies from the perspective of a CIO user, Scheunert explained at a conference of her new employer. “The speed and innovative power with which these companies work have always fascinated me.”

When Dassault Systèmes approached her, the "Living Heart Project" was a key moment for her decision. “This vision of a better world through technology convinced me,” Scheunert continued. Because: “If we can precisely simulate a human heart, then we can also model tumors, optimize prosthetics, and drive medical innovations.”

In her role at Dassault Systèmes, it is precisely about this: driving digital transformation, accelerating innovation, and building bridges between industry, science, and society.

Digital twin: Potentials remain untapped

In her annual statement, Scheunert explains that since joining Dassault Systèmes, she has gained new perspectives on future technologies and the importance of industrial networking and digitization. A central topic for Scheunert is, of course, the digital twin, which she describes as a "key technology that is both a value driver and a game changer for companies." The technology makes it possible to simulate processes in advance, improve them, and make informed decisions - thanks to real-time data from IoT sensors, machines, and systems, as well as dynamic adjustments through machine learning and autonomous systems.

Many companies - including those from the automotive, aerospace, and healthcare industries - are already relying on digital twins. Nevertheless, according to Scheunert, a considerable potential remains untapped. "To remain competitive and achieve sustainable progress, it is necessary for companies in Europe to fully exploit the diverse potentials of this technology," she explains.

Automotive industry: This is the key to success

Regarding her former employer - the automotive industry - she says the industry is aware of the precarious situation. "A radical change is necessary - that is beyond question. The challenges are multifaceted and cannot be reduced to a single cause," says Scheunert.

Every car manufacturer faces an individual starting point. "The automotive industry has made great progress in recent years, from new drives to software integration in vehicles." But: The transformation is far from complete.

"The key to long-term success lies in consistent digitization along the entire value chain," Scheunert is convinced. The tools for this are digital twins, data-driven simulation, and AI-supported development. These technologies not only enable tests of innovative designs and the improvement of production processes but also offer crucial opportunities for the further development of electromobility.

“Existing processes were often merely transferred to digital rather than fundamentally rethought,” the manager further explains. This is exactly where a central opportunity for the future lies. “The challenge is to see new technologies not just as a supplement to existing processes, but to use them as an opportunity to make the entire development process smarter and more agile.” Her goal is to actively shape this digital evolution with the customers and partners of Dassault Systèmes.

Dassault recently announced a customer from the automotive industry. The two companies want to jointly optimize vehicle development.

Scheunert warns that it is more important than ever for the German automotive industry to live up to its former pioneering role and actively shape the digital transformation to remain competitive globally.

Looking to the future, she explains that it will be made of courage and shaped by technologies. “We are at a decisive point where not only technological innovations but also the courage to make clear, determined decisions is necessary.”

Europe's role in global competition

The year 2025 will be a pivotal year for many companies, where strategic decisions will determine success or failure. The digital transformation is progressing faster than ever before, and that is a good thing. Scheunert explains: “Rapid developments in the areas of artificial intelligence, automation, and virtual twin technology will fundamentally and quickly change business processes. And thus set new standards for efficiency and sustainability.”

She is convinced that Europe can take a leading role in global competition - "if we have the courage to invest in our strengths and are not afraid to drive innovation independently." To set technological standards, overcome silo thinking, and advance sustainable solutions, strong networks and smart cooperation will be crucial - both between companies and between states, according to Scheunert. "Only if we work together decisively and combine our strengths can Europe take a leading role for a sustainable and innovative future."

The author: Anja Ringel

Anja Ringel knew she wanted to become an editor since her school days. As the editor-in-chief of her school newspaper, she interviewed teachers and students, tested cafeteria food, and explored questions like "Why does water have an expiration date?"

After stints at various daily newspapers, she now keeps an eye on companies at "Produktion," or more precisely, on their balance sheets. As a business editor, she also covers topics such as skills shortages, diversity, digitalization, or corporate culture. She is also one of the podcast hosts of Industry Insights.

In her private life, she loves traveling and uses her vacations to explore the world.

Find more articles by Anja Ringel here.