SolidWorks: Leading integrated software for design and manufacture

After three years, DS SolidWorks expanded its coverage territory to the whole Middle East through CADCAMCIM. Ten years later, became the light of modern and advanced technology for manufacturers in Egypt and the Middle East due the efforts of its empowered and inspiring team of professionals, shaping the future of technology and organisational development in the industrial community through global experience with local focus. Now, CADCAM CIM is the only elite reseller all over Egypt and the Middle East holding the only Certified Training Service Provider of DS SolidWorks. International Metalworking News - Middle East & Africa (IMNEA) spoke to Simon Booker, Vice President of Field Marketing for EMEA & APAC, DS SolidWorks.

Simon Booker, Vice President, Field Marketing for EMEA & APAC, DS SolidWorks.

IMNEA: Can you give me an overview of how you perform your task as the VP for Field Marketing in EMEA?
Booker: We have regional teams, and we are direct marketing within the local regions, so the regions I'm responsible for are Europe, Middle East and East Africa. So I have a team which is responsible and looks after all the countries in EMEA. So my role is to support each team. I'm helping to set the strategy of what we're trying to do in the marketing field. There's another component of my role, which is sort of an ambassadorial one, and that is to make sure our channel are fully aware how we intend to market and to help assist our users. I look after the organisation and we try to blend a common approach to our marketing around the world with the flexibility to do what's needed in the local market. The needs of the user and the messaging in Middle East are different to South East Asia, or maybe different to Germany, or any market in Europe. So we have to manage our mix opinions, and my job is to support them in doing that.

IMNEA: So, you're supporting a team who's responsible for the business in the Middle East, right?
Booker: Yes. I went to Emirates in June last year. We ran some sessions with our resellers, met some customers, and try to take a look at what the opportunities are. And we know that there are many parts of the world where there's a huge growth potential for us and our products. We sell indirect so for us the channel component is very important. We only got to the size and scale of what we are now because our channels deliver a good service to customers in the local market - we have a cellular growth. You know it's sometimes difficult to get the channel started. Our normal kind of growth pattern is that we establish a sales manager who'll work with a couple of resellers and then once the market matures, we'll maybe have a local personnel and then a marketing person, and then we start to build out from that basis. And we see that all over the world including markets where it is challenging.

IMNEA: So how is SolidWorks faring in terms of, in comparison to your competitors in EMEA?
Booker: We've grown. We had a very good year last year. If you've heard the results, 48 million users, about14% revenue growth. A lot of that growth is coming from the Asian markets, some places in Europe and the Middle East; Turkey is doing very well. Middle East is starting to grow and still an opportunity market for us. But we obviously raising some of the uncertainties; the last twelve months have been difficult. We think there are big opportunities in Emirates and Egypt as well. And we're starting to see some benefits from that. But it's taking a little bit longer because of some situations.

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