Thursday, February 12, 2026

Sanofi appoints Belén Garijo as new CEO

Sanofi is preparing a change at the top. The Board of Directors has appointed Belén Garijo as Chief Executive Officer.

CEO transition and interim leadership

The Board met on February 11, 2026 and decided not to renew Paul Hudson’s director mandate. As a result, his last day as CEO will be February 17, 2026, at the close of business.

During the transition, Olivier Charmeil, Executive Vice President General Medicines and a member of the Executive Committee since 2011, will serve as Interim CEO. Garijo is expected to take up her duties at the end of Sanofi’s Annual General Meeting on April 29, 2026.

Shareholder vote planned

Sanofi said it will submit Garijo’s candidacy as a director to a shareholder vote. The company will also propose an amendment to its articles of association to raise the age limit for a CEO upon appointment, which is required for the election.

Profile: from Sanofi to Merck KGaA

Garijo, MD, is a Spanish national who began her career in a hospital before moving into the pharmaceutical industry. She worked in R&D at Abbott and spent 15 years at Sanofi, including roles as Vice President Pharmaceutical Operations for Europe and Canada and as a member of Sanofi’s Executive Committee.

She joined Merck KGaA in 2011 and became CEO in 2021. She is also a member of BBVA’s board and previously served for 10 years on L’Oréal’s board.

Stated priorities

According to the Board, Garijo is expected to reinforce execution of Sanofi’s strategy and accelerate preparations for the company’s future. A key priority cited is strengthening productivity, governance, and innovation capacity in Research and Development.