Sanofi appoints Belen Garilho as CEO in a major leadership overhaul

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2026-02-12 10:44:40

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Investing.com - Sanofi (EPA:SASY) announced on Thursday that Belén Garijo will become the company’s new CEO, succeeding Paul Hudson, whose board term will not be renewed.

According to the decision made at the Sanofi Board of Directors meeting on February 11, Hudson’s last day as CEO will be February 17, 2026. Executive Vice President Olivier Charmeil will serve as interim CEO during the transition and has been a member of the Executive Committee since 2011.

Garijo will officially assume her duties after the Sanofi Annual General Meeting on April 29, 2026. The board will also propose her as a director candidate to shareholders at this meeting.

Garijo is currently CEO of Merck KGaA, a position she has held since 2021, making her the first female leader among Germany’s DAX40 companies. She previously worked at Sanofi for 15 years, serving as Vice President of European and Canadian pharmaceutical operations and being a member of the Executive Committee.

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The company stated that Garijo will focus on implementing Sanofi’s strategy more rigorously and accelerating preparations for the group’s future. Her priorities will include enhancing productivity, governance, and R&D innovation capabilities.

Chairman Frédéric Oudéa thanked Hudson for his work and strategic initiatives during his tenure. He described Garijo as “a highly respected leader in our industry with an undisputed reputation,” and noted that she has the experience and qualifications to “accelerate the pace, strengthen the quality of strategic execution, and lead the company through its next growth cycle.”

The appointment of Garijo as director, as well as a proposal to amend the company bylaws to increase the age limit for CEO appointments, will be submitted for shareholder approval at the April 29 meeting.

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