Sanofi CEO Change: Belén Garijo Named
Sanofi CEO change named Belén Garijo to replace Paul Hudson; Olivier Charmeil interim and the announcement pressured shares, raising governance scrutiny
KEY TAKEAWAYS
- Board decided not to renew Paul Hudson's director mandate, ending his CEO tenure Feb. 17, 2026.
- Belén Garijo will succeed Hudson pending shareholder approval and an amendment at the April 29, 2026 AGM.
- Olivier Charmeil will serve as interim CEO to preserve day-to-day continuity.
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Sanofi’s board decided on February 11, 2026, not to renew Paul Hudson’s director mandate, ending his tenure as CEO on February 17. The company named Belén Garijo to succeed him after the April 29, 2026, annual general meeting (AGM), pending shareholder approval. Olivier Charmeil will serve as interim CEO during the transition.
Board Decision and Transition Timeline
Paul Hudson, who became CEO in September 2019, led Sanofi through a multi-year transformation and oversaw the rapid growth of Dupixent. The board announced the leadership changes in a press release at 6:30 a.m. ET on February 12. Olivier Charmeil, executive vice president for General Medicines and a member of Sanofi’s executive committee since 2011, will act as interim CEO until the AGM.
Incoming CEO and Strategic Priorities
Belén Garijo, currently CEO of Merck KGaA since 2021, will assume the CEO role after the April 29 AGM if shareholders approve her directorship and an amendment to raise the CEO appointment age limit, which currently caps appointments under age 65. Garijo previously spent 15 years at Sanofi, holding roles including vice president of pharmaceutical operations in Europe and Canada and managing the Genzyme integration.
Sanofi said Garijo will bring increased rigor to strategy execution and focus on strengthening the productivity, governance, and innovation capacity of Research & Development (R&D). The announcement did not include new financial guidance; management’s January 2026 outlook projected 2026 sales growth in the high single-digit percentage range with business earnings per share slightly ahead.
