Software development company Bentley Systems supports the professional needs of those responsible for creating and managing the world's infrastructure, including roadways, bridges, airports, skyscrapers, industrial and power plants as well as utility networks - solutions for the entire life-cycle of infrastructure assets. Kaushik Chakraborty, Vice President, Southeast Asia & India, Bentley Systems, shares more on the company's business in India in conversation with SHRIYAL SETHUMADHAVAN.

How have you worked to realise the company's vision toward expanding solutions to accelerate project delivery and improving asset performance in infrastructure?
The rate of change has accelerated in how organisations have used applications for advancing their infrastructure projects. Major projects where Bentley software has played an important role include the Nagpur Metro. We also set up a BIM Advancement Academy, a jointly run initiative by Bentley and Maha Metro. We also received access to many other government and non-government projects, and several agencies came on board. Our advancement academies help our users learn how to apply BIM methodologies on their projects. These academies aim to educate our users on how to use Bentley software more effectively and to see how better processes and workflows improve project delivery and asset management.

Tell us more about the role of the BIM academy in the Nagpur Metro.
Citing from some of the data released, Nagpur Metro has achieved more than 12 per cent RoI in the design phase in the first year.

But, the real value of Bentley's BIM methodology lies in the construction and operations phases of the project.

Are you planning any more such BIM academies?
We want to expand them through satellite academies.
Our Mumbai office, for example, will have a satellite or a mobile academy, where trainers from our Pune facility can come and conduct sessions. The academy will also be connected to other Bentley academies worldwide.

We have one in Houston and London, and are in the process of opening academies in Dubai and Beijing. We are planning to establish academies in Australia and Singapore as well.

Reports indicate that the company plans to expand its business in India and add more engineers.
Our focus segments are rail, roads, and airports. In the oil and gas and power generation industries, where we are also focussed, it is less about design and more about asset management.
In this sector, infrastructure has been built by all the refineries, and now, it's more about ensuring that these plants are effective and efficient.

How is Bentley actively supporting the government in its various initiatives?
One example is Skill India. We have worked with L&T on a digital strategy and have put our BIM Academy within the organisation to help it adopt BIM methodologies faster. L&T is working with many companies, one of which is Bentley, to help advance Skill India.

How do you see India contributing to the overall business of Bentley?
India is contributing to a large percentage of our global business. We have been steadily growing in the country. Our value engineering centres in India have been growing, and we have seen a faster rate of increase in the number of India projects. This growth certainly contributes to Bentley's success here in India.