Sanofi shareholders have officially backed the appointment of Belén Garijo as the company’s next Chief Executive Officer. The decision was confirmed during the Mixed General Meeting held in Paris on 29 April 2026. Garijo assumed her new role on 1 May 2026. This move follows a board decision made earlier this February to install the former Merck chief at the head of the French pharmaceutical firm.
The meeting was led by Chairman Frédéric Oudéa and saw strong support for all proposed resolutions. Alongside her executive role, Garijo serves as a board member and has joined the Strategic Committee. She brings extensive experience from her five years leading Merck and a previous senior role at Sanofi-Aventis, where she managed the Genzyme integration.
Frédéric Oudéa, Chairman of the Board of Directors, stated: “Belén Garijo possesses a rare combination of scientific expertise and operational leadership, developed at the highest level in demanding global environments. A physician by training, she has built a strong track record at the intersection of R&D, strategy, and business model transformation. The Board of Directors has chosen her to lead Sanofi in its next phase of development, with a clear priority: strengthen execution discipline, refine capital allocation, and more consistently translate the quality of our science into sustainable performance. She also has the benefit of many successful years at Sanofi during her career. In an increasingly demanding environment, her approach — grounded in clarity of choices and consistency of implementation — will be essential to accelerate the company’s transformation and create long-term value for patients, our shareholders, our employees and all our other stakeholders.”
Financial matters were also settled during the session. Shareholders approved the 2025 fiscal accounts and an ordinary dividend of €4.12 per share. Investors can expect payment on 7 May 2026. The board has also evolved with the departure of Paul Hudson and Patrick Kron. Christel Heydemann, the CEO of Orange, has joined as an independent director to provide expertise in AI and digital technology.
Following these changes, the board now consists of 16 members. Statistics show that the group has reached a 79% independence rate and is 57% female. Half of the board members are of foreign nationality. Christophe Babule and Jean-Paul Kress also saw their mandates renewed during the proceedings.
