First non-Bentley family
member to lead company, Cumins unveils vision for infrastructure resilience
powered by AI, focus on operations phase of lifecycle
EXTON, Pa.- Following the
CEO transition plan previously announced by Bentley Systems, Incorporated
(Nasdaq: BSY), Nicholas Cumins today takes charge as CEO. Cumins succeeds Greg
Bentley, the eldest of the five brothers who founded Bentley Systems, who
becomes Executive Chair of its Board of Directors.
Cumins is the first CEO in
the company’s 40-year history who is not a Bentley family member, marking a
significant milestone in the company’s development. The Bentley brothers
redefined what was then computer-aided design (CAD) software when they developed
MicroStation as a groundbreaking engineering application platform. Four decades
of innovation and more than 120 acquisitions later, Bentley Systems is the
leading provider of infrastructure engineering software, with its
infrastructure digital twin solutions used to design, build, and operate
critical infrastructure around the world.
The transition to Cumins’
leadership comes at a critical time for infrastructure sectors. There are not
enough engineers to accomplish the work required to achieve global
sustainability targets while also adapting aging infrastructure vulnerable to
the effects of climate change.
Cumins unveiled Bentley’s
vision for infrastructure resilience, noting that engineering firms and asset
owner-operators are looking to software to help them overcome the limitations
of scarce talent.
“Infrastructure is at a
watershed moment. Despite the massive capital investment in infrastructure
projects and jobs post pandemic, so much more remains to be done to make
infrastructure more resilient. Our ability to bridge that gap will literally
determine the quality of life for generations to come. Fortunately, a paradigm
shift in software is reshaping the landscape. AI-powered digital twin solutions
are unlocking the value of data across the infrastructure lifecycle.”
For example, Bentley’s AI
solutions are already transforming the way organizations are monitoring the
health of roads, bridges, dams, water networks, and telecommunications towers.
“Every owner-operator in
the world is looking for a simpler and more effective way to understand the
condition of their assets. Think what the power and possibilities of AI imply
for improving asset performance and making infrastructure more resilient. This
is the moment for our generation to apply its ingenuity and build upon the
legacy of innovation to continue advancing the world’s infrastructure for
better quality of life.”
Before his promotion to
CEO, Cumins served as Bentley Systems’ COO from January 2022. He joined Bentley
Systems as Chief Product Officer in September 2020 prior to the company’s IPO.
Previously he was General Manager of SAP Marketing Cloud and served as Chief
Product Officer of Scytl, a platform for online voting, and as Senior Vice
President of Product with OpenX, a pioneer in programmatic advertising. Before
OpenX, he had already served in a variety of senior roles at SAP, including
product management, corporate strategy, and business development. Cumins is a
dual French and U.S. citizen and is based in France.