PITTSBURGH, April 3, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- ANSYS (ANSS) is bolstering its executive team and strengthening its long-term strategic development capabilities by appointing industry veteran Matthew Zack as its vice president of business development and corporate marketing.

The integration of digital and physical worlds is transforming the way companies develop and manufacture their products. Engineering simulation gives engineers the tools to master the complexity inherent in this transformation and bring smarter and greener products to market. Zack will take advantage of these opportunities – and of ANSYS' leadership in the market – to open new areas for the company's long-term growth.

Zack joins ANSYS from SAP, where his most recent role was senior corporate development executive. In that role, he identified targets, executed transactions and delivered on the business cases for shareholders. Previously, Zack served as the executive vice president and chief financial officer of Ariba, leading corporate development and human resources. He was part of the management team that transformed Ariba to the cloud, fueling its growth and a nearly 400 percent increase in share price. Before joining Ariba, Zack headed corporate development at FreeMarkets and served in various consulting roles at Accenture.

"Mergers and acquisitions is a critical function for any technology company," said Ajei Gopal, ANSYS CEO. "Matt Zack is a seasoned industry veteran with decades of experience in helping organizations make strategic M&A decisions. His record of success in the high-tech industry speaks for itself – and we're thrilled to have him take a leadership position for business development and marketing at ANSYS."

"ANSYS already has some of the leading products in the engineering simulation market," Zack said. "But the market is changing every day with new developments like the rise of digital twins and additive manufacturing. I'm looking forward to making an immediate impact by opening up new growth opportunities to help reshape the industry."