Karen Linehan

Dr. Karen Linehan is the Executive Vice President, Legal Affairs and General Counsel at Sanofi. Appointed to her current position in 2007, Ms. Linehan leads Sanofi’s Legal, Ethics & Business Integrity departments and sits on the Executive Committee. As part of her core responsibilities, she provides the Board, Executive Committee and senior management advice on significant business decisions, legal, intellectual property and compliance matters. Her role covers the entire company’s operations from Research & Development, Industrial Affairs (manufacturing), Commercial Operations and Support Functions. She also participates in the design and development of corporate policies, procedures and programs to ensure adequate risk management and compliance with applicable laws and regulations with a specific emphasis on competition, securities and heath care laws. Karen Linehan graduated from Georgetown University with Bachelor of Arts and completed the Juris Doctorate degree in 1986. In her first position (1977 – 1986), she served on the congressional staff of the Speaker of the U.S. House of Representatives. Ms. Linehan subsequently joined Townely & Updike, a mid-size law firm in New York as Associate focused on Corporate Law where she gained considerable experience in drafting and negotiating acquisitions, collaborations and licensing. In 1991, she joined Sanofi as Assistant General Counsel of its U.S. subsidiary. Ms. Linehan moved to Paris in 1996, to work on international matters within Sanofi and worked her way up to her current position. She is the longest serving woman on the Executive Committee in Sanofi. Ms. Linehan has been instrumental in inciting the diversity conversation within Sanofi and was one of the founding members of the Diversity Council in 2009. As part of this initiative, the Executive Committee made several commitments to ensure the development women in particular, including principles linked to their bonus in terms of development of women. Having worked her way up through the company, in a primarily masculine environment, Karen is an active mentor for many women within the company and inspiration for young talent. Karen is a member of the New York Bar, Cercle Montesquieu General Counsel 50. She is a U.S. and Irish citizen.