Sanofi CEO – Belén Garijo (Age – 65)

Sanofi S.A., one of the world’s largest pharmaceutical companies, was founded in 1973 and is headquartered in Paris, France. In February 2026, Sanofi named Belén Garijo as its next Chief Executive Officer, replacing Paul Hudson after a turbulent period of R&D setbacks. Garijo, a physician by training and former CEO of Merck KGaA, will formally assume the role at Sanofi’s Annual General Meeting on April 29, 2026 — making her the first woman to lead the French pharmaceutical giant. She brings deep Sanofi experience, having spent 15 years at the company earlier in her career, and is widely regarded as one of the most accomplished leaders in the global pharmaceutical industry.

Read on to discover Sanofi CEO email address, Belén Garijo net worth in 2026, salary and compensation, career history, education, family, and more.
Belén Garijo Sanofi CEO
Belén Garijo, incoming CEO of Sanofi • Photo: World Economic Forum / Wikimedia Commons (CC BY-SA 2.0)

Sanofi Competitors

Sanofi operates in the highly competitive global pharmaceutical industry. The key competitors of Sanofi include:

  • Pfizer Inc. – Global leader in vaccines, oncology, and immunology
  • Novartis AG – Swiss pharma giant with strengths in innovative medicines
  • Roche Holding AG – Leader in oncology and diagnostics
  • AstraZeneca PLC – Major competitor in oncology and respiratory therapeutics
  • AbbVie Inc. – Immunology and oncology powerhouse (Humira, Skyrizi)
  • Eli Lilly and Company – Fast-growing pharma leader in diabetes and obesity
  • GSK plc – Competitor in vaccines and specialty medicines
  • Merck & Co. (MSD) – Major rival in oncology (Keytruda) and vaccines

Belén Garijo – Quick Facts

Belén Garijo — At a Glance
Full Name Belén Garijo López
Position Chief Executive Officer (effective April 29, 2026)
Company Sanofi S.A. (NASDAQ: SNY)
Age 65 years (born July 31, 1960)
Education M.D. in Medicine, University of Alcalá; MBA, Ashridge Business School
Estimated Net Worth (2026) $15–25 Million
Last Known Compensation ~€6.7 Million (Merck KGaA, FY2024)
CEO Since February 12, 2026 (announced); April 29, 2026 (effective)
Previous Role Chair & CEO, Merck KGaA (Darmstadt, Germany)
Nationality Spanish
Distinction First female CEO in Sanofi’s history; first woman to solely lead a DAX-40 company

Belén Garijo Net Worth 2026 – Sanofi CEO Salary

As of 2026, Belén Garijo net worth is estimated at approximately $15–25 million USD, based on her years of senior executive compensation at Merck KGaA and board positions at companies including L’Oréal and BBVA. Her Sanofi compensation package has not yet been publicly disclosed, but is expected to be competitive with other European big pharma CEO packages.

Belén Garijo Compensation at Merck KGaA (FY2024)

Component Amount (EUR) Notes
Base Salary €1,500,000 Fixed
Short-Term Variable €1,800,000 Performance-based
Long-Term Incentive / Profit Sharing €3,000,000 Equity-linked
Pension & Benefits €400,000 Benefits
TOTAL (approx.) €6,700,000 ~$7.2M USD
Key Insight: Garijo’s compensation declined from €10.5M in 2023 to €6.7M in 2024 at Merck KGaA, reflecting the company’s performance-linked pay structure. For comparison, outgoing Sanofi CEO Paul Hudson earned approximately €10M in 2024. Garijo’s Sanofi package is expected to be in a similar range.

Sanofi Net Worth 2026 – Is Sanofi Profitable?

Yes, Sanofi is a highly profitable company. In FY2025, the company posted record revenue driven by its blockbuster immunology drug Dupixent, which now accounts for roughly 30% of total sales.

Sanofi Financial Summary (FY2025)

Metric Value YoY Change
Market Capitalization ~$112–115B
Annual Revenue €46.7B ▲ ~10%
Net Income €7.8B ▲ 40.5%
Dupixent Revenue €16.2B ▲ ~23%
Business Operating Income €12.1B ▲ 11.9%
Free Cash Flow €8.1B ▲ Strong
Employees ~95,400
NASDAQ Ticker SNY
Dupixent Dominance: Sanofi’s blockbuster immunology drug Dupixent generated over €16 billion in FY2025 revenue, growing 23% year-over-year. The drug is approved for multiple indications including atopic dermatitis, asthma, and COPD, and is projected to reach €22 billion by 2030.

Sanofi CEO Email Address | Belén Garijo Contact

Below are the official contact details and social media profiles for Sanofi CEO Belén Garijo:

Contact Information
Email Address [email protected]
LinkedIn Belén Garijo – CEO, Sanofi
Corporate HQ 46–48 Avenue de la Grande Armée, 75017 Paris, France
Phone +33 1 53 77 40 00
Website sanofi.com

Career & Education – Company, University, & College

Belén Garijo’s career spans over four decades in medicine and the pharmaceutical industry. A trained physician, she transitioned from clinical practice to pharma R&D and rose through the ranks at some of the world’s largest pharmaceutical companies. Below is her complete career timeline:

Belén Garijo Career Timeline

Period Role Company
1983–1989 Physician & Clinical Pharmacologist Hospital Universitario La Paz, Madrid
~1989–1996 Medical Director & International Medical Affairs Abbott Laboratories
1996–2000 Director, Oncology Business Unit Rhône-Poulenc Rorer
2000–2003 Global VP Oncology Aventis
2003–2006 General Manager, Spain (led Sanofi-Aventis merger) Aventis / Sanofi-Aventis
2006–2011 SVP Global Pharma Operations Europe & Canada; Genzyme Integration Leader Sanofi
2011–2015 COO Healthcare, then President Healthcare Merck KGaA
2015–2021 Member, Executive Board Merck KGaA
2021–2026 Chair of Executive Board & CEO (first woman to solely lead a DAX-40 company) Merck KGaA
2026–Present Chief Executive Officer Sanofi S.A.

Before becoming Sanofi CEO, Belén Garijo spent six years as a practicing physician at Hospital Universitario La Paz in Madrid, specializing in clinical pharmacology. She then transitioned to the pharmaceutical industry, spending approximately eight years at Abbott Laboratories in R&D roles, first as Medical Director of the Spanish affiliate and later leading International Medical Affairs at Abbott’s headquarters in Illinois.

In 1996, she moved to Rhône-Poulenc Rorer as Director of the Oncology Business Unit, which later became Aventis through a merger. She rose to become Global VP of Oncology at Aventis and in 2003 was named General Manager of Aventis Spain, where she played a key role in the landmark Sanofi-Aventis merger in 2004.

Garijo spent a total of 15 years at Sanofi, ultimately serving as Senior Vice President of Global Pharmaceutical Operations for Europe and Canada and leading the integration of Genzyme following Sanofi’s $20 billion acquisition. In 2011, she departed to join Merck KGaA (Darmstadt, Germany), where she rose from COO of Healthcare to President, Executive Board member, and ultimately Chair and CEO in May 2021 — becoming the first woman to solely lead a DAX-40 listed company.

Education

University Degree / Program Website
University of Alcalá Doctor of Medicine (M.D.), 1983 uah.es
Hospital La Paz – Universidad Autónoma de Madrid Specialist in Clinical Pharmacology uam.es
Ashridge Business School (Hult International) Master in Business and Management hult.edu
University of Alcalá Spain campus facade
University of Alcalá, Alcalá de Henares, Spain — where Belén Garijo earned her M.D. in Medicine. Photo: Raimundo Pastor / Wikimedia Commons (CC BY-SA 4.0)

Belén Garijo Wiki – Age, Family, & More

Sanofi CEO Belén Garijo (age 65) was born on July 31, 1960, in Almansa, a small city in the province of Albacete in southeastern Spain. She is married to a urology specialist and has two daughters. She has spoken publicly about balancing her career with family responsibilities, emphasizing that women executives do not need to make an either/or choice between family and career.

Notable Achievements & Recognitions

  • First Female DAX-40 CEO – Became the first woman to solely lead a company listed on Germany’s DAX-40 stock index (Merck KGaA, 2021)
  • First Female Sanofi CEO – Appointed as the first woman to lead Sanofi in its 52-year history (2026)
  • Forbes 100 Most Powerful Women – Ranked on Forbes’ list of the World’s 100 Most Powerful Women (2023, #68)
  • Fortune Most Powerful Women – Ranked #30 on Fortune’s Most Powerful Women International list (2023, 2025)
  • L’Oréal Board Member – Served on the board of L’Oréal for 10 years
  • BBVA Board Member – Serves as independent director on the board of BBVA, one of Spain’s largest banks
  • Genzyme Integration Leader – Led the integration of Genzyme into Sanofi following the $20B acquisition (2011)
  • Merck Foundation Chair – Served as Chair of the Merck Foundation, focused on global health access

Garijo is widely recognized as a trailblazer for women in the pharmaceutical industry. Her return to Sanofi after 15 years at Merck KGaA marks an unusual full-circle career trajectory, bringing deep institutional knowledge of the French pharma company alongside global leadership experience.

About Sanofi

Sanofi S.A. is a French multinational pharmaceutical and healthcare company headquartered in Paris, France. Founded in 1973, the company has grown through major acquisitions (Aventis in 2004, Genzyme in 2011) to become one of the world’s largest pharmaceutical companies by revenue. Sanofi operates across several key therapeutic areas:

Business Unit Key Products Description
Biopharma (Dupixent) Dupixent, Kevzara Immunology blockbuster for atopic dermatitis, asthma, COPD
Vaccines (Sanofi Pasteur) Beyfortus, flu vaccines World’s largest dedicated vaccine company
General Medicines Lantus, Toujeo, Plavix Diabetes, cardiovascular, and established products
Rare Diseases (Genzyme) Cerdelga, Fabrazyme Treatments for rare genetic conditions

Sanofi trades on the NASDAQ under the ticker SNY and on Euronext Paris under SAN. The company employs approximately 95,400 people across more than 100 countries worldwide. Its flagship product Dupixent, developed in partnership with Regeneron Pharmaceuticals, is projected to become one of the best-selling drugs in pharmaceutical history.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)

Who is the current CEO of Sanofi?

As of February 2026, Belén Garijo has been named CEO of Sanofi, replacing Paul Hudson. She will formally assume the role at Sanofi’s Annual General Meeting on April 29, 2026. Olivier Charmeil is serving as interim CEO during the transition. Garijo is the first woman to lead Sanofi.

What is Belén Garijo’s net worth in 2026?

As of 2026, Belén Garijo’s net worth is estimated at $15–25 million USD, based on her years of executive compensation at Merck KGaA and board positions at L’Oréal and BBVA.

What is Sanofi CEO’s salary?

Garijo’s Sanofi compensation has not yet been publicly disclosed. At Merck KGaA, her total compensation was approximately €6.7 million in FY2024. Her predecessor Paul Hudson earned approximately €10 million in his final year at Sanofi.

What is Sanofi CEO’s email address?

Sanofi CEO Belén Garijo’s email address is [email protected]. She can also be reached via LinkedIn. For press inquiries, contact Sanofi at +33 1 53 77 40 00.

Why was Paul Hudson replaced as Sanofi CEO?

Paul Hudson was removed as Sanofi CEO on February 12, 2026, after multiple late-stage clinical trial failures in 2025 (including amlitelimab and itepekimab) and a significant stock price decline. The board sought fresh leadership to strengthen R&D execution and deliver on Sanofi’s post-Dupixent pipeline strategy.

Is Sanofi a profitable company?

Yes, Sanofi is highly profitable. In FY2025, the company reported net income of €7.8 billion, a 40.5% increase year-over-year, driven by record Dupixent sales of over €16 billion. Revenue reached €46.7 billion with strong free cash flow of €8.1 billion.

Article last updated:January 2026March 2, 2026

Disclaimer: All information presented in this article has been compiled from publicly available sources, including SEC filings, official company press releases, and reputable news outlets. This content is provided for informational purposes only and does not constitute financial or investment advice.