MESSAGE FROM THE CHAIRMAN

Thirty-seven years after founding Sanofiwith René Sautier, I will be leaving the chairmanship of your sanofi-aventis Group after the General Shareholders’ meeting at which the 2009 accounts will be presented for approval. The year 2009 was yet another record year in terms of profits, demonstrating the strength of your Group and its capacity to grow in a challenging environment. If you ratify the decision to elect Serge Weinberg to your Board of Directors at the General Shareholders’ meeting, his name will be proposed to the Board as my successor. I have no doubts that under his chairmanship and together with the executive management of Christopher A. Viehbacher, sanofi-aventis will continue to address the new challenges of world healthcare with its time-honored success. Your Group’s assets were further reinforced in 2009 and a well-balanced culture of excellence and respect has been forged, enabling the Company to move forward successfully. As my thirty-seven years with the Company are now reaching their end, I would particularly like to thank all those women and men who by their commitment, energy and talent have helped build this Group. I also wish to sincerely thank each and every shareholder for renewing their confidence in us; without them this adventure would never have been possible. Thirty-seven years after founding Sanofiwith René Sautier, I will be leaving
the chairmanship of your sanofi-aventis Group after the General Shareholders’
meeting at which the 2009 accounts will be presented for approval. The year
2009 was yet another record year in terms of profits, demonstrating the
strength of your Group and its capacity to grow in a challenging environment.
If you ratify the decision to elect Serge Weinberg to your Board of Directors
at the General Shareholders’ meeting, his name will be proposed to the Board
as my successor. I have no doubts that under his chairmanship and together
with the executive management of Christopher A. Viehbacher, sanofi-aventis
will continue to address the new challenges of world healthcare with its
time-honored success. Your Group’s assets were further reinforced in 2009 and
a well-balanced culture of excellence and respect has been forged, enabling
the Company to move forward successfully. As my thirty-seven years with the
Company are now reaching their end, I would particularly like to thank all
those women and men who by their commitment, energy and talent have helped
build this Group. I also wish to sincerely thank each and every shareholder
for renewing their confidence in us; without them this adventure would never
have been possible.

JEAN-FRANÇOIS DEHECQ Chairman of the Board of Directors