Robert B. Shapiro (born August 4, 1938 in New York City) is an American businessman and attorney who has worked extensively with the biochemical corporations G. D. Searle & Company and Monsanto.
Before working in this sector he was Vice-President and legal counsel at General Instrument from 1972 to 1979.
The FDA approved aspartame's use in soft drinks in November 1983, and Pepsi was among the first brands to deploy the product on a large scale in the United States.
He oversaw a period of industrial expansion, acquisitions, and consumer regulatory approval for the genetically-engineered seed businesses.
[3] Shapiro was an early member of the board of directors of Theranos, the company created by Elizabeth Holmes with the goal of disrupting the blood-testing industry.