Learn About Our Team
Rodrigo Fernandes
Director of ES(D)G (Empowering Sustainable Development Goals), Bentley Systems
Rodrigo Fernandes leads Bentley System’s sustainability business strategy and initiatives. Rodrigo’s charter is to empower sustainable development goals through Bentley software and services, evangelize Bentley’s handprint, and advocate for a sustainability culture.
In his previous role at Bentley, he worked as a senior consultant and project manager on the water infrastructure team and then as a business development/environmental industry expert for acceleration team and digital cities.
Working many years in the environmental engineering industry in R&D and the private sector, he also served as an external expert for the Portuguese Ministry of the Sea and for the European Commission, where he was also a European Climate Pact Ambassador.
He has a Ph.D. in environmental engineering and has designed and managed over 20 European innovation projects on modeling water resources and environmental safety issues, authoring 30+ peer-reviewed papers.
Dr. Thomas D. Krom
Industry Director, Environment at Seequent, The Bentley Subsurface Company
Dr Thomas D. Krom is Industry Director, Environment at Seequent, The Bentley Subsurface Company. Thomas worked as a hydrogeologist focusing on cleaning up contamination and mapping potable water supplies for more than 25 years before changing focus on building easy-to-use tools that can empower scientists. This was as product founder for Leapfrog Hydro.
Starting in 2018, he has focused on guiding the strategic direction of Seequent in the environmental and sustainability areas. He believes strongly in and works for ensuring technology can help those that need it the most. He is a passionate, eloquent, and leading advocate for a more responsible utilization of natural resources through a better understanding of the Earth’s subsurface.
Thomas holds academic qualifications in fluid and thermal sciences, geological engineering, and civil engineering.
Mark Coates
Mark Coates, Senior International Director of Infrastructure Policy Advancement, Bentley Systems
Mark Coates is Bentley’s Senior International Director of Infrastructure Policy Advancement, where he helps to inform and guide government, policymakers, business leaders, and decision makers globally on the benefits of digital transformation.
A former quantity surveyor with an extensive background in global project delivery, Mark first began working in the construction sector 33 years ago. He has worked with Thames Water, United Utilities, ICI, Highways England, The Olympic Delivery Authority, and Crossrail.
For the past 10 years, Mark has been working in digital advancement and has seen the great strides made in sectors by adopting digital ways of working. He has worked on numerous infrastructure projects, consulting asset owners and their advisors on technology adoption to attain better project results while being conscious of time, cost, and quality.
Mark is a Fellow of the Chartered Institution of Highways and Transportation and recently served as vice-chairman and chairman of the British Water Forum for the past two years. Mark also serves on the Strategic Board of the UK’s Digital Twin Hub and is a member of the Institute of Government and Public Policy’s advisory board.
Richard J. Vestner
Vice President Industry Solutions Product Advancement, Bentley Systems
Richard J. Vestner is Vice President in the Industry Solutions Product Advancement Unit of Bentley Systems. He is responsible for Bentley’s urban digital twin solutions covering cities and campuses.
Based in Munich, Germany, Richard holds a Dipl.-Ing. and a Dr.-Ing. degree in civil engineering. After his military career, Richard started his professional career as a consultant with his own company. Then he joined a business consultancy for public and corporate real estate management.
During the following eight years he led national and international companies within a German infrastructure engineering group as managing director.
Before joining Bentley in 2020, Richard served as Group Executive Board Member responsible for the EMEA business and Chief Digital Officer for a Danish tech company.
Debabrata Chakraborty
Senior Regional Director, MEA & Turkey, Bentley Systems
Debabrata (Debu) Chakraborty is Sr. Regional Director, MEA at Bentley Systems. He leads the account advancement team, which is responsible for building and maintaining strong, long-lasting relationships with infrastructure owner owner-operators in oil and gas, power, water, transportation, and government sectors.
Prior to joining Bentley Systems, Debu worked in various roles ranging from technical to business engaging with multiple engineering consulting, contracting, and project management companies.
BIM has been a passion for Debu since the early 2000s, when he associated with a project management consultancy delivering services based on BIM technology.
Debu is a civil engineer and holds a post graduate diploma in business management.
