Secondmind Expands into U.S. Automotive Market with Key Hire

Secondmind, a team of AI and automotive engineering experts, based in Cambridge, UK and Yokohama, Japan, and now Detroit, MI, that help automotive engineers design better vehicles faster. reports the appointment of Nick Appleyard as Country Manager, USA, and Vice President of Sales & Business Development for North America and Europe. This appointment also marks the beginning of Secondmind’s first U.S. operational presence in Detroit, MI. This move comes as a result of a recent signing of a major Tier 1 supplier as a licensee of the company’s cloud-native model-based engineering software.

Appleyard is viewed as expert in advanced physics modeling and engineering. He has more than 30 years of experience in model-based design optimization and exploration, Model-based systems engineering (MBSE), digital thread enablement, digital twins, simulation-led design, and enterprise toolchain deployment.

In this role at Secondmind, Appleyard will lead a multi-region team focused on scaling Secondmind software adoption across the commercial and passenger vehicle markets in North America and Europe. 

"Establishing our presence in Detroit is a major milestone for Secondmind, and Nick is the ideal leader to help us strengthen our partnerships with global OEMs and Tier 1s, accelerate innovation, and unify our Western sales efforts under a single, focused strategy,” says Gary Brotman, chief executive officer of Secondmind. “Nick’s deep domain expertise and successful track record of scaling simulation and modeling technologies across global engineering enterprises will be instrumental in supporting our expanding US and European customer bases.”

Prior to joining Secondmind, Appleyeard was vice president at Siemens Digital Industries Software in the Americas Division, where he led Simulation and Test business operations and helped establish engineering simulation as part of Siemens’ digital transformation strategy. He held earlier leadership roles at CD-adapco, Ricardo, General Dynamics, Ansys, and Exa Corp.

“I’m excited to join Secondmind to help increase the company’s momentum delivering powerful AI and machine learning software for design space exploration and calibration.” says Nick Appleyard, country manager, USA, and vice president of Sales & Business Development for North America and Europe. “I was drawn by the company’s vision, technology, and culture and I look forward to helping automotive customers accelerate vehicle design and development with Secondmind across the US and Europe.”

Based in Michigan, Appleyard also serves as executive director of the NAFEMS-ASSESS Initiative.  His knowledge of the automotive, aerospace, and defense sectors makes him a prime fit Secondmind and his appointment reflects the company’s continued investment in technical leadership, according to Secondmind.

Sources: Press materials received from the company and additional information gleaned from the company’s website.