HP Inc. has appointed Emma Walmsley, former chief executive of GSK, as its next Chief Executive Officer, effective 4 January 2027. She succeeds Bruce Broussard, who has served as Interim CEO since February 2026.
Key Takeaways
- Emma Walmsley, former GSK chief executive, becomes HP’s CEO effective 4 January 2027.
- She succeeds Bruce Broussard, who has been Interim CEO since February 2026 and will become Board Chair.
- Walmsley led GSK for nearly nine years and spent 17 years at L’Oréal earlier in her career.
A global search ends with a GSK veteran
HP’s Board of Directors unanimously appointed Walmsley following what the company called a comprehensive global search. She was Chief Executive Officer of GSK from April 2017 to December 2025, after joining the company in 2010 and running GSK Consumer Healthcare from 2015. Earlier in her career, she spent 17 years at L’Oréal building and leading global consumer businesses. She has also served on Microsoft’s Board of Directors for seven years.
“HP is an iconic company with a defining role in shaping the future of work on a global scale. I’m excited to join the team and, together, move forward with clarity and conviction,” said Emma Walmsley.
Bruce Broussard, who has led HP as Interim CEO since February 2026, said Walmsley has “the experience and skills to bring HP’s businesses, capabilities and people together to capture the opportunities ahead as AI moves to the edge.”
Board chair changes hands too
Broussard will become Chair of HP’s Board, also effective 4 January 2027, succeeding Chip Bergh, who has held the role since 2017. Bergh, who will remain a director, said Walmsley stood out through the search process “for the strength of her leadership experience across multiple industries, the clarity of her strategic thinking and her ability to translate customer insights into new growth.”
HP operates in more than 180 countries and describes itself as a technology leader redefining the future of work.
