Leading IT Advisory Firm Evaluates Companies Based on Ability to Execute and Vision

WHITE PLAINS, N.Y. and PARIS--(BUSINESS WIRE)--March 27, 2003-- IBM and Dassault Systemes (Nasdaq: DASTY; Euronext Paris: #13065, DSY.PA) have been listed in the leader category of the Product Lifecycle Management (PLM) Magic Quadrant study prepared by Gartner, a leading technology research and advisory firm.

The purpose of the 'Magic Quadrant' is to graphically portray vendor performance and to position players in the Product Lifecycle Management market. The Gartner report evaluates PLM vendors based on vision and ability to execute.(a)

The leader category position attributed to IBM and Dassault Systemes confirms the companies' PLM strategy, services, and product portfolio launched almost three years ago. This past year, the partners had a number of significant wins in industries in which they prevail, such as automotive and aerospace, and in which they are growing market share, such as electronics, shipbuilding, and consumer goods.

"Those wins have translated into the strongest financial performance of the PLM sector because IBM and Dassault Systemes provide an unmatched expertise - end-to-end PLM solutions, including implementation, integration services, and consulting" said Ed Petrozelli, general manager, IBM Product Lifecycle Management. "Customers rely on IBM PLM solutions to help them transform into on demand businesses by enabling them to be more responsive, focused, resilient and variable in fiercely competitive marketplaces."

"We are delighted that Gartner has listed Dassault Systemes in the leader quadrant in their report that is clearly focused on the PDM portion of PLM," said Bernard Charles, president and CEO of Dassault Systemes. "For our customers, PLM goes far beyond PDM as manufacturing enterprises want to get closer to their customers by leveraging collaborative product creation throughout its lifecycle as a key strategy to increase value."

The IBM-Dassault Systemes partnership helps transform companies from traditional businesses into e-businesses by providing the applications, infrastructure, methodologies and services needed to support the entire lifecycle of their products. Known as e-business on demand, the strategic business approach of integrating business processes across the company and with key partners, suppliers and customers enables companies to respond to customer demand in real time, integrate core competencies and business processes, and adjust to market opportunities.

IBM and Dassault Systemes provide integrated PLM solutions to both large and small companies across all industries, including automotive, aerospace, consumer goods, electronics, and shipbuilding.

(a) The Magic Quadrant is copyrighted 2003 by Gartner, Inc. and is

reused with permission, which permission should not be deemed to

be an endorsement of any company or product depicted in the

quadrant. The Magic Quadrant is Gartner, Inc.'s opinion and is an

analytical representation of a marketplace at and for a specific

time period. It measures vendors against Gartner defined criteria

for a marketplace. The positioning of vendors within a Magic

Quadrant is based on the complex interplay of many factors.

Gartner does not advise enterprises to select only those firms in

the "Leaders" quadrant. In some situations, firms in the

Visionary, Challenger, or Niche Player quadrants may be the right

matches for an enterprise's requirements. Well-informed vendor

selection decisions should rely on more than a Magic Quadrant.

Gartner research is intended to be one of many information sources

including other published information and direct analyst

interaction. Gartner, Inc. expressly disclaims all warranties,

express or implied, of fitness of this research for a particular

purpose.

About IBM

IBM is the world's largest information technology company, with 80 years of leadership in helping businesses innovate. IBM Sales & Distribution, which supports more than a dozen key industries worldwide, works with companies of all sizes around the world to deploy the full range of IBM technologies. The fastest way to get more information about IBM is through the IBM home page at http://www.ibm.com

About Dassault Systemes

As world leader in PLM (Product Lifecycle Management) solutions, the Dassault Systemes group brings value to more than 60,000 customers in 80 countries. A pioneer in the 3D software market since 1981, Dassault Systemes develops and markets PLM application software and services that support industrial processes and provide a 3D vision of the entire life cycle of products from conception to retirement. Its offering includes integrated PLM solutions for product development (CATIA, DELMIA, ENOVIA, SMARTEAM), general-use 3D solutions (SolidWorks), and 3D components (SPATIAL). Dassault Systemes is listed on the Nasdaq (DASTY) and Euronext Paris (no.13065, DSY.PA) stock exchanges. For more information, visit http://www.3ds.com

CONTACT: IBM Press Contact:
             Chris Sciacca, 212/745-4732
             
Email Contact
                    or
             Dassault Systemes Press Contacts:
             Keith Pillow, 818/673-2070
             
Email Contact
                    or
             Dassault Systemes Investor Contacts: 
             Financial Dynamics
             Emma Rutherford / Harriet Keen, + 44 207 831 3113