Business · Companies · 22 hrs ago
Sanofi CEO says Europe must address its loss of competitiveness
Belén Garijo is the CEO of Sanofi, a French pharmaceutical company known for vaccines and immunology.
She joined seven months ago after spending 15 years at German drugmaker Merck, including five years as its leader.
Garijo says Europe is losing competitiveness against the United States and China, at a time when health innovation is becoming more important.
She says European companies remain committed to the region, but that loyalty has limits.
At Sanofi, she has reshaped the leadership team to make decision-making simpler and focus on company-wide goals and patients.
The company has invested heavily in artificial intelligence and now aims to measure its benefits, especially in research and development.
Garijo says the next focus is to make AI more effective in supporting innovation, but she has not detailed the three areas she plans to prioritize.
Sanofi CEO Belén Garijo says Europe must respond to its loss of competitiveness against the United States and China in health innovation.
Garijo says European companies are committed to the region, but that their loyalty has limits.
She says Sanofi is focused on its strategic priorities and has reorganised its leadership team to support them.
Garijo says the company has made major investments in artificial intelligence and is now starting to generate measurable value from them.
- Who
- Belén Garijo, CEO of Sanofi.
- What
- She says Europe must address its loss of competitiveness and describes Sanofi’s priorities and use of artificial intelligence.
- When
- The interview was published on 11 October 2026.
- Where
- Europe; the interview concerns Sanofi, a French pharmaceutical company.
- Why
- Europe risks losing further ground to the United States and China in health innovation.
This story does not have two clearly opposing sides.
European companies are committed to the region, but loyalty has a limit
We are not here to create problems, but to help find solutions that we know are not easy.
I have come to write the company’s new history; the best part is still to come.
Garijo left pharmaceutical company Merck to join Sanofi as CEO.
El Mundo published its interview with Garijo.
- CEO
- Belén Garijo
- Company
- Sanofi
- Previous employer
- Merck
- Time at Merck
- 15 years
- Interview publication date
- 11 October 2026
Sources
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