Sarah Roussel, previously Chief Executive Officer of Arval France, has been appointed Group Head of Human Resources of BNP Paribas and will succeed Sofia Merlo, who is set to retire, on 1 July 2026. Sarah will join the Group Executive Committee and will report to Philippe Maillard, Chief Operating Officer (COO) of BNP Paribas Group.
In the context of ongoing transformation of the bank’s business lines and continued development of the Group, Sarah Roussel will be tasked with helping to build the implementation framework for the Group’s next strategic plan. She will work closely with the teams across business lines, countries and functions to support the Group’s 180,000 employees.
“I would like to pay tribute to Sofia’s remarkable career and thank her for her more than forty years of commitment to the Group, across her various positions and in her role as Head of Human Resources. Each time, she has driven development and transformation policies that have contributed to BNP Paribas’ success. Sarah brings a wide‑ranging experience that will enable us to continue this momentum and support all our business lines, countries and functions. Together with Philippe Maillard, we are delighted to see Sarah take on these new responsibilities and join the Group Executive Committee,” commented Jean‑Laurent Bonnafé, Chief Executive Officer of BNP Paribas.
A graduate of ESSEC Business School with an MBA from INSEAD, Sarah Roussel began her career in 1994 within BNP Paribas’ General Inspection. Following her role in Group Financial Management, she was appointed Chief Financial Officer of CIB in London in 2011, before becoming Head of Management Control for the CIB division and, in 2015, Chief Financial Officer of the Domestic Markets division. She then served as CEO of BNP Paribas Factor France and the Iberian countries until 2022, when she was appointed Chief Executive Officer of Arval France, a Group subsidiary specialising in mobility solutions and long‑term vehicle leasing. In this role, she significantly strengthened Arval France’s position in the market.
