A Look Back: Meeting Industry Leaders at BricsCAD London 2018

Back in October 2018, London played host to an important event for the CAD community—the BricsCAD¹ conference, where the latest version at the time was unveiled. As a reseller for CADPower² and GeoTools³, it was an informational and inspiring time for me, and a chance to meet the brilliant minds behind the tools I work with daily.

One of the standout moments was finally meeting Rakesh Rao in person. Having worked with his software for years, getting the opportunity to discuss ideas face-to-face added a personal connection to what had been, until then, a purely digital relationship. It was a pleasure spending time with him and diving into the details of the software that continues to support professionals in the CAD industry.

Group photo at the 2018 BricsCAD Conference in London, showing myself (right), Rakesh Rao (left), and Neil Peterson (centre), smiling and standing together. — With Rakesh Rao and Neil Peterson at the 2018 BricsCAD Conference, London.

Also captured in the same photo was Neil Peterson⁴—President of the Open Design Alliance⁵. My history with Neil goes back further, to the days when I was coding Vertcheck for Atkins, utilizing the ODA libraries for both DGN and DWG formats. Our conversations back then were invaluable, and seeing him at the conference was a great reminder of the technical foundations that helped shape my work.

Screenshot of VertCheck, a software application I developed while working at Atkins. — VertCheck – developed at Atkins to support cartographic mapping

Fast forward to today, 2025, and it’s encouraging to see that the key players in the industry are still going strong. BricsCAD continues to evolve, now at version 2025, solidifying its place as a robust and innovative CAD solution.

Watch the Recorded Presentations

Building on top of BricsCAD BIM

McConell Dowell, AX.3000, Parabuild, Visualisations in BIM keynote from Bricsys 2018, London.

The future of CDE: Bricsys 24/7

Bricsys 24/7 keynote from Bricsys 2018 Conference, London.

Switching to BricsCAD

Keynote from Bricsys 2018, London. Why switch to BricsCAD? How does switching feel to your users?

Open Design Alliance Update

Keynote from Bricsys 2018, London. Bricsys is a founding member of the Open Design Alliance. Thanks to this partnership, Bricsys can bring security and stability to your stored engineering IP.

The Future of DWG

Keynote from Bricsys 2018, London.

The Future of Mechanical – Introducing BricsCAD Mechanical

Keynote BricsCAD Mechanical from Bricsys 2018, London.

BricsCAD Mechanical Technology

In-depth technical session from Bricsys 2018, London.

Bricsys Future Technologies

Closing Keynote of Bricsys 2018, London.

In Conclusion

Looking back at this meet-and-greet serves as a reminder that professional relationships and industry advancements go hand in hand. The discussions, collaborations, and shared passion for CAD have helped shape the industry over the years, and I look forward to seeing where we go next.