Speaker Bio
Engineer, with a Supélec qualification in computer science, Thierry Breton begins his career as an entrepreneur in the new technologies sector. In 1981, he sets up in the United States Forma Systems, an SME which he heads for 5 years. At the same time, he publishes a number of science-fiction novels, including Softwar, sold at 2 million copies and translated into about twenty languages around the world.
In France, he designs and then leads the Futuroscope, the first science and technology tourism park, between 1986 and 1990. In parallel, he was also elected regional councillor and then Vice-President of Poitou-Charentes from 1986 to 1992.
He then runs a number of large companies in the IT and new technologies sector. He leads Bull from 1993 to 1997 before taking over the leadership of Thomson Multimedia, a global electronics company. . In 2002, he was appointed to the head of the multinational operator France Télécom.
In 2005 he was appointed Minister for Economic Affairs, Finance and Industry of France, which he held until 2007.
Following his ministerial office, he teaches governance in Boston, USA, at Harvard Business School.
In 2009, he becomes Chief Executive Officer of Atos, a digital technology and service company, until 2019.
He then chairs in parallel ANRT, the National Research and Technology Association, until 2019.
He is also a member of the Academy of Technology.
In 2019, he becomes the European Commissioner for the Internal Market. He is responsible for industry, services, digital, defence and space, as well as tourism and audiovisual.