He is the chief executive officer and the Chairman of the board of directors of Dassault Systèmes, "the 3DEXPERIENCE Company", world leader [citation needed] in 3D design software, 3D digital mock-up and Product Lifecycle Management (PLM) solutions.

To reinforce the company's business scope and sales capabilities, he decided to acquire SolidWorks in 1997, and to gain control of Dassault Systèmes’ entire distribution network, previously managed by IBM.

He set a specific purpose to “The 3DEXPERIENCE Company”: “Dassault Systèmes provides business and people with 3DEXPERIENCE universes to imagine sustainable innovations capable of harmonizing product, nature and life.”[5] To support this ambition, he carried on an acquisition (Gemcom[6] in 2012, Apriso in 2013,[7] RTT,[8] Quintiq[9] and Accelrys[10] in 2014) and diversification strategy with 3DSWYM for social innovation, EXALEAD and NETVIBES for data intelligence, GEOVIA in the Natural Resources sector, 3DVIA for a B2C approach, BIOVIA[11] for virtual biosphere and materials, and 3DEXCITE[12] for real-time, high-end visualizations.

This alliance is a group of technology companies, professional associations and academic partners whose mission is to promote the French government's program to digitally transform industry in France.

Bernard Charlès holds the knight of Commander in the French Legion of Honour[15] and is a member of the National Academy of Technologies of France.