Sanofi at its Annual General Meeting held on April 29, 2026 appointed Belén Garijo as Director. Chief Executive Officer and President of Merck for five years, Belén Garijo held various positions within the company since joining in 2011. She led a profound transformation of the Healthcare business, marked by its turnaround and characterized by portfolio repositioning, R&D reorganization, and commercial model realignment.
This strategic shift enabled Merck to establish itself as a global player in oncology and immunology. Previously, she served as Senior Vice President of Global Operations Europe at Sanofi-Aventis, where she led the integration of Genzyme following its acquisition. She has also held several leadership positions in R&D and commercial development at various companies at the forefront of the healthcare sector.
Belén Garijo is a physician specializing in clinical pharmacology. She began her career as a practicing physician at La Paz Hospital in Madrid. The Board welcomed Christel Heydemann, CEO of Orange, as an independent board member.
She will bring her experience as top leader and her knowledge of Digital and AI technologies. The Board of Directors now comprises 16 members, including two employee representatives. It has an independence rate of 79%, includes 57% women and 8 board members of foreign nationality, representing 50%.
Following the departure of Paul Hudson and Patrick Kron, and on the proposal of the Appointments, Governance and CSR Committee, the Board of Directors appointed Frédéric Oudéa as Chairman of the Appointments, Governance and CSR Committee. The Board of Directors appointed Belén Garijo as a member of the Strategic Committee, and Christel Heydemann as a member of the Appointments, Governance and CSR Committee and the Compensation Committee.
