Aveva appoints Brock Ballard as Chief Revenue Officer

AVEVA has appointed Brock Ballard as Chief Revenue Officer. He will join from Bentley Systems on 1 October, succeeding Sue Quense and joining the company's Executive Leadership team.

Quense will move into an advisory role after five years in the post. She had been planning to step back from full-time executive duties for some time and will work with Ballard during the handover.

Ballard brings more than two decades of technology sales leadership experience. He joined Bentley in 2020 as Vice President and Regional Executive for the Americas, before becoming Chief Revenue Officer in 2023 with responsibility for the company's global accounts.

Before Bentley, he held leadership roles at DELMIA Sales and Autodesk. He holds a Bachelor of Arts in communication and information sciences from the University of Alabama.

The change comes at a senior commercial level for the industrial software group, which serves sectors including energy, infrastructure, food and pharmaceuticals. More than 90% of leading industrial enterprises use its software, according to the company.

Chief Executive Officer Caspar Herzberg outlined the rationale for the appointment in a statement on the leadership change.

"I am delighted to welcome Brock to the Executive Leadership team at AVEVA, where we will benefit from his expertise, experience and commitment to building successful, high-growth tech companies. Brock's engaging approach sets him apart in our sector, and I look forward to working with him to drive the next phase of AVEVA's growth. I also want to extend my personal thanks to Sue Quense for her outstanding leadership and good counsel over the past five years. She will continue to work with AVEVA leadership in an advisory capacity, even as she steps back from the day-to-day running of the business," said Caspar Herzberg, Chief Executive Officer of AVEVA.

Ballard also commented on his move and his new role on the leadership team.

"Having long admired AVEVA's vision to drive innovation in the industries that deliver the essentials of life, I am delighted to be joining the Executive Leadership team. AVEVA's outstanding software portfolio, technical leadership and ambitious growth trajectory lead the market. This, coupled with the team's shared commitment to driving responsible use of resources, has never been more important to enabling the transformation of businesses across the world. I cannot wait to get started," said Brock Ballard.

Transition plan

Quense will remain involved in the business beyond the executive transition and continue to work closely with Ballard after stepping back from day-to-day management.

Her comments focused on continuity between the outgoing and incoming revenue leaders.

"In Brock, we have found someone who embodies the AVEVA values and shares our focus on driving innovation for our customers and enabling industries to thrive in our rapidly evolving world. I look forward to working closely with Brock during this transition and to continuing to contribute to AVEVA's success in my new role," said Sue Quense.

AVEVA is headquartered in Cambridge and employs more than 6,000 people globally, alongside a network of 5,000 partners and 5,700 certified developers.