Key Summary
- Hudson helmed Sanofi for six years and was pushed out only two months before his tenure was up for renewal.
- His tenure was marked by a stalled drive to replace blockbuster drugs going off patent and rising pressure from US anti-vaccine policy.
- Sanofi, among the world's largest vaccine makers, released a string of underwhelming trial updates in 2025.
French drugmaker Sanofi has appointed its first woman CEO Belén Garijo, the head of German drugmaker Merck KGaA, after removing Paul Hudson on Thursday (12).
The 65-year-old Spanish executive will take over in late April, and during the transition board member Olivier Charmeil will serve as acting CEO.
Hudson helmed Sanofi for six years and was pushed out only two months before his tenure was up for renewal.
His tenure was marked by a stalled drive to replace blockbuster drugs going off patent and rising pressure from US anti-vaccine policy.
Sanofi, among the world's largest vaccine makers, released a string of underwhelming trial updates in 2025, which cast a shadow over the company's future.
Hudson had also pursued bolt-on acquisitions in search of new medicines to help drive growth once its blockbuster asthma drug Dupixent loses key patents in the early 2030s.
The lack of a successor to Dupixent, also used to treat eczema, heaped on the pressure.
Hudson was hired with a mandate to revive the company's drug pipeline and share price, but has struggled to reduce its dependence on Dupixent and the turnaround stalled.
Sanofi has also faced rising pressure on its key vaccine business, especially in the United States after president Donald Trump brought in policy changes.
Sanofi said in a statement that Hudson would step down as of February 17, while Garijo will take the role at the end of the group's shareholder meeting on April 29.
Markets have not reacted positively to Garijo's appointment, as analysts see her track record at Merck as mixed.
Garijo previously worked for 15 years at Sanofi and was a board member at French cosmetics giant L'Oreal.
"She has the experience and profile to accelerate the pace, strengthen the quality of execution of strategy and lead the next growth cycle of the company," Sanofi Chair Frederic Oudea said in a statement.
