CAE president and chief executive officer Marc Parent has been inducted as a Living Legend of Aviation, recognising his exceptional contribution to the field. This year's other Living Legend inductees will include Prince Harry, The Duke of Sussex; Fred George, a US Navy pilot and world-renowned aviation writer; and Steve Hinton, an American aviator who held a world-speed record from 1979 to 1989.

"For as long as I can remember, I have been passionate about aviation and driven by the desire to make the world safer. I feel humbled to be joining the ranks of some of the most iconic figures of this industry," says Parent. "In the same way that I have been influenced by the Living Legends who came before me, I hope the stories of today's aviation leaders inspire the next generation to take to the skies and become the Living Legends of tomorrow."

Throughout a career spanning more than 40 years, Parent has helped shape the aerospace industry in Canada and around the world. At just 17, he earned his private pilot's licence, two years before his driver's permit. Marc graduated from mechanical engineering at Montreal's École Polytechnique in 1984 and joined Canadair as an engineer on the Challenger and Canadair Regional Jet programmes. From 2000 to 2004, he held numerous executive positions within Bombardier Aerospace, leading a number of facilities and product lines. He ran operations for Bombardier's de Havilland site in Toronto. Later, he held the position of vice president and general manager, US operations, with responsibilities encompassing Learjet facilities in Wichita, Kansas and Tucson, Arizona. In 2004, he returned to Montreal as vice president and general manager of the Challenger 300, 604 and 850/870 programmes as well as the CRJ 200 regional aircraft product line.

Parent joined CAE in 2005 and became president and CEO in 2009. He has led the company to grow beyond simulation products to become the largest provider of civil aviation training services worldwide and a global leader in training and mission support solutions for defence and security forces. Under his leadership, CAE has transformed into a tech leader, bringing the digital and physical worlds closer together through cutting-edge technology.

Committed to accelerating the development and safe adoption of world-changing innovations, Parent led CAE to become the first Canadian aerospace company to be carbon-neutral in 2020. Looking toward the future, he is continuing on his quest to make the aerospace industry more efficient, greener and safer than ever before.

His impact was recognised in 2020 when he was appointed a Member of the Order of Canada, the country's highest honour. In 2022, he was inducted into Canada's Aviation Hall of Fame, named an Industry Leader of the Year by the Living Legends of Aviation, and won Aviation Week's Philip J Klass Award for Lifetime Achievement.

Parent is an active pilot holding an Airline Transport Pilot Licence from Transport Canada.