Belén Garijo

Chair of the Executive Board and CEO
Merck

Belén Garijo joined the Healthcare business of Merck in 2011, becoming its President and CEO in 2015. During her tenure, she led Merck’s Healthcare business turnaround and strategic shift to become a global player in oncology and immunology by repositioning the portfolio, reorganizing R&D and realigning the commercial model. Garijo forged major global alliances that further contributed to the value of the Healthcare portfolio and fostered the globalization of the business focusing on the U.S., Japan, and other high-growth markets.

Before joining Merck, Belén Garijo served as the Senior Vice President of Global Operations Europe at Sanofi-Aventis, leading the integration of Genzyme after its acquisition.

She previously held several local and global executive positions, both in R&D and commercial, at various companies at the forefront of the healthcare sector in Madrid, Chicago, New Jersey, Barcelona, Paris, Geneva and now in Darmstadt.

Belén Garijo was listed in the Top 30 of Fortune’s Most Powerful Women list in 2022 and 2023.

In October 2022, Belén Garijo received the German Diversity Honorary Award by the BeyondGenderAgenda network, in recognition of her personal commitment to diversity, equity and inclusion.

In 2022 she was designated by the King of Spain as Honorary Brand Ambassador for Spain.

Belén Garijo was born on July 31, 1960 in Almansa, Spain. She is a medical doctor specializing in clinical pharmacology and started her career as a practicing physician at La Paz hospital in Madrid.