Sanofi has unveiled a revised executive lineup set to take effect on 1 September, as newly installed CEO Belén Garijo moves to reshape leadership across the organisation.
Garijo, a former CEO of Merck KGaA, assumed leadership of the French pharmaceutical giant in April, succeeding Paul Hudson at a pivotal moment for the company.
The reshuffle confirms several previously disclosed changes while also expanding the responsibilities of a number of long-serving company veterans.
Thomas Triomphe, Sanofi’s EVP of vaccines, will retain his existing role while also taking on responsibility for the company’s operations in China.
Madeleine Roach, currently head of business operations, is set to become president and country lead for Sanofi across Germany, Switzerland and Austria.
The company is also placing oversight of global partnering and business development under a single leader, with Sanofi describing the move as fostering a more “integrated approach” to dealmaking.
Olivier Charmeil, the firm’s EVP of general medicines, will transition to the role of strategic projects advisor to the CEO, stepping back from a more operational position.
Charmeil had served as interim CEO earlier this year before Garijo took the role permanently, making his pivot to an advisory function one of the more symbolic shifts in the restructuring.
The only departure announced in this latest round of changes is that of Roy Papatheodorou, EVP and general counsel, who is leaving Sanofi “to pursue external opportunities” after more than four years with the company.
Paul Fontoura and Manuela Buxo, appointed as the new heads of R&D and specialty care respectively, represent two of the most consequential additions to the leadership structure.
Garijo recruited Paulo Fontoura, a former Roche executive, to replace Houman Ashrafian as head of Sanofi’s research and development group, signalling a clear strategic direction for the division.
Fontoura will formally step into the role of EVP and global head of R&D pharma on 1 September, reporting directly to Garijo as the company braces for significant revenue pressures ahead.
Sanofi faces a major commercial challenge with the anticipated patent expiry of its immunology blockbuster Dupixent in 2031, making the composition of its R&D leadership particularly consequential.
The leadership changes reflect a broader effort by Garijo to build a management structure aligned with her strategic priorities as Sanofi navigates an increasingly competitive pharmaceutical landscape.