Move to Sanofi: Belén Garijo not ready to slow down but taking the helm in Paris

Rather than stepping into retirement, Garijo will join Sanofi following the company’s annual general meeting on 29 April. The French drugmaker announced on Thursday that its board had decided not to renew Hudson’s mandate. After six years in charge, he is due to step down on 17 February.

At Merck, the succession has long been in preparation. Kai Beckmann, currently head of the Electronics business, is scheduled to succeed Garijo as CEO on 1 May, as announced by the Darmstadt-based DAX group last September. The Spanish executive has led Merck since May 2021 and is still expected to co-host the company’s annual results press conference in March.

Expired trust

Hudson, who has led Sanofi since 2019, was tasked with revitalising the pipeline and building a successor to blockbuster drug Dupixent, which generates around US$14 billion in annual sales. On paper, the strategy has delivered momentum: Sanofi’s pipeline comprises 82 clinical-stage projects, 30 of them in Phase III or filed for approval. However, a clear successor to Dupixent has yet to emerge, and several high-profile setbacks among late-stage candidates have weighed on sentiment.

The US$9 billion acquisition of Blueprint Medicines in mid-2025 was widely interpreted as an effort to bolster external growth and diversify revenues. Yet these measures appear not to have fully reassured the board, culminating in the leadership change.

Recent developments at Sanofi

In recent months, Sanofi has continued to sharpen its focus on innovative medicines and immunology. The company has advanced several next-generation immunology assets into late-stage trials and expanded its mRNA capabilities through targeted partnerships. It has also reiterated its ambition to separate its consumer healthcare arm, Opella, in order to become a more focused biopharma player.

At the same time, Sanofi has announced additional investments in research and manufacturing in France and the United States, underlining its long-term growth strategy despite short-term pipeline uncertainties. With Garijo at the helm, the group is now entering a new phase—one that will test whether a change in leadership can accelerate the search for the next growth engine beyond Dupixent.