ARLINGTON, VA — Gary Shapiro, president and CEO of the Consumer Technology Association (CTA), has been awarded the Legion of Honor in recognition of his service in spearheading the transition to a technology-driven society and organizing the world’s largest technology event, CES.
In a ceremony at the Élysée Palace in Paris, France, Shapiro was awarded the rank of Chevalier, becoming the second American to receive the honor in 2021.
At his ceremony, French President Emmanuel Macron called Shapiro a “technology pioneer who became a technology giant” and praised Shapiro’s vision, his “deep understanding of what technology demands” for business and his commitment to “people, values and principles.”
Video. Gary Shapiro Receiving Legion of Honor.
Shapiro said: “Eight years ago, on one of my annual trips to Paris, I met with President Macron, then the tech-savvy French Minister of Economy, and invited him to join us at CES. Since then, the technology partnership between our countries has blossomed. While only a few dozen French startups joined us in Las Vegas at CES in 2013, that number has now grown to more than 300.”
In fact, there were more French startups than American startups in 2019.
This same innovation will be on display at CES 2022. Through a partnership with La French Tech, French startups will return to Eureka Park for the ninth year and unveil innovative new technologies across multiple categories.
Thirteen French CES 2022 Innovation Award winners were also announced earlier this week at CES Unveiled in Paris. Covering technologies ranging from health-focused wearables and green technologies to eco-design and smart energy, these innovations embody President Macron’s ideal of “technology serving the greatest number… (and) technology serving the common good.”
In response to the Legion of Honor award, Shapiro said, “One point President Macron made to me today is critical: As technology shapes the way people access information and consume goods and services, we must focus on values and principles. He emphasized that we both share a vision of technology as a service for the many, not the few. And we both believe that technology is an engine for the common good. This shared vision will bring enormous benefits, not just to the citizens of France and the United States, but to billions of people around the world.”
Related. CES Returns Live to Las Vegas in 2022
Owned and produced by CTA, CES 2022 will bring together the tech industry in person and online, from Wednesday, January 5 through Saturday, January 8. Global audiences will have access to leading brands and startups, as well as the world’s most influential industry leaders and advocates. For more than 50 years, CES has been the world’s stage for innovation, and CES 2022 will provide an opportunity for companies from around the world, large and small, to launch products, build brands and form partnerships. Registration is now open.