Aspen Technology Appoints John Bell as Senior Vice President, EMEA Operations.

CAMBRIDGE, Mass. -- Bell Assumes Overall Leadership of Europe, Middle East, and Africa (EMEA) Region, Including Responsibility for Sales and Professional Services 

Aspen Technology, Inc. (Nasdaq:AZPN) today announced that John Bell has been appointed to the company's executive team as Senior Vice President, EMEA Operations. Bell will have overall leadership of the EMEA organization, including responsibility for the sales and professional services teams and the regional support functions.

Bell joined AspenTech earlier in 2005 as head of sales for EMEA. He brings to the new position extensive senior management experience with enterprise-level software companies, including roles with full regional profit and loss responsibility. Prior to joining AspenTech, Bell served as EMEA Regional Director for MatrixOne, a leader in collaborative product lifecycle management solutions, where he drove a strong sales-oriented culture that led to a 300 percent revenue growth in fiscal 2003-4.

Bell previously served as Vice President, EMEA, for SAP Portals UK, where he created a new business sales and support team that helped to capture first place in the UK portal market. Earlier senior-level management roles included Vice President, Europe at Infinium Software, where he quadrupled license sales, and Middle East Regional Director for Oracle, where he was awarded the top growth award within his division. Bell has also held management positions at Information Resources and CPS Computer Group.

"The EMEA market remains a major focus for AspenTech, and we are strongly committed to delivering outstanding value and service to our many important customers there," said Mark Fusco, President and CEO, AspenTech. "John Bell's experience in building high performing sales and professional services teams will provide a solid foundation for supporting those customers, and for reinvigorating the growth of AspenTech's business across the region."

Bell holds a degree in Economics from Oxford Brookes University.

About AspenTech

Aspen Technology, Inc. provides industry-leading software and professional services that help process companies improve efficiency and profitability by enabling them to model, manage and control their operations. AspenTech's integrated aspenONE(TM) solutions are aligned with the key industry business processes, providing manufacturers the capabilities they need to optimize operational performance, make real-time decisions and synchronize the plant and supply chain. Over 1,500 leading companies already rely on AspenTech's software, including Bayer, BASF, BP, Chevron Corporation, DuPont, ExxonMobil, Fluor, GlaxoSmithKline, Sanofi-Aventis, Shell, and Total. For more information, visit www.aspentech.com.

This press release may contain forward-looking statements for purposes of the safe harbor provisions of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. Actual results may vary significantly from AspenTech's expectations based on a number of risks and uncertainties, including, without limitation: AspenTech's plan to improve operational performance may not be implemented effectively; AspenTech has identified material weaknesses in its internal controls with respect to software license revenue recognition and other matters, that, if not remedied effectively, could result in material misstatements; risks around securities litigation and investigations; AspenTech's lengthy sales cycle makes it difficult to predict quarterly operating results; fluctuations in AspenTech's quarterly operating results; AspenTech's dependence on customers in the cyclical chemicals, petrochemicals and petroleum industries; the possibility of new accounting standards or the interpretation of existing accounting standards affecting our financial results; AspenTech's ability to raise additional capital as required; intense competition; AspenTech's need to develop and market products successfully; reliance on relationships with strategic partners; challenges associated with international operations; and other risk factors described from time to time in AspenTech's periodic reports filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission. AspenTech cannot guarantee any future results, levels of activity, performance, or achievements. AspenTech expressly disclaims any current intention to update forward-looking statements after the date of this press release.

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