Sanofi (NASDAQ: SNY) announced a leadership transition, with Paul Hudson stepping down as Chief Executive Officer on February 17, 2026, and Belén Garijo appointed as his successor, effective April 29, 2026. The Spanish-born executive, currently CEO of Merck KGaA and first woman to lead a DAX40 company, will return to Sanofi—where she previously spent 15 years—with a mandate to strengthen R&D productivity, governance, and innovation capacity.
Leadership Transition Timeline
Position
Executive
Tenure
Key Background
Outgoing CEO
Paul Hudson
2019–Feb 17, 2026
Former Novartis; led Sanofi through COVID-19 and Dupixent expansion
Incoming CEO
Belén Garijo, MD
April 29, 2026–present
Merck KGaA CEO (2021–2026); first female DAX40 CEO; 15 years at Sanofi previously
Belén Garijo Profile & Strategic Priorities
Career Milestone
Role
Relevance to Sanofi
Clinical Training
6 years hospital practice
Patient-centric perspective; clinical development expertise
Abbott R&D
Research and Development department
Early-stage drug discovery foundation
Sanofi (15 years)
VP Pharmaceutical Operations, Europe & Canada; Executive Committee member
Deep institutional knowledge; commercial and operational expertise
Merck KGaA
CEO (2021–2026); first woman to lead DAX40 company
Proven leadership in German pharma governance; diversity milestone
Stated Priorities as Sanofi CEO:
Priority
Strategic Imperative
R&D Productivity
Accelerate pipeline velocity; reduce time-to-market for innovative therapies
Forward‑Looking Statements This brief contains forward‑looking statements regarding Sanofi’s leadership transition execution, Belén Garijo’s strategic priorities, and R&D productivity improvements. Actual results may differ due to executive transition risks, cultural integration challenges, and competitive dynamics in Sanofi’s core therapeutic areas.-Fineline Info & Tech
By Fineline Cube 