HP Inc. appointed Emma Walmsley, former chief executive of GSK and a seven-year member of Microsoft’s board, as its next CEO, effective January 4, 2027. The announcement on November 4 ended a global search that followed Enrique Lores’s departure in February. HP said its board selected Walmsley unanimously; Reuters and Bloomberg also reported the appointment.
The change is paired with a board transition. Bruce Broussard, who has served as interim CEO since February, will become chair on the same date, succeeding Chip Bergh. Bergh has chaired HP’s board since 2017 and will remain through the handoff. HP said Broussard’s work as interim CEO allowed the board to conduct a comprehensive global search and an intentional transition, rather than leaving two top roles open at once.
Walmsley brings experience across consumer businesses and biopharma. She joined GSK in 2010, led GSK Consumer Healthcare from 2015, and became the group’s CEO in 2017, serving through December 2025. Before GSK, she spent 17 years at L’Oréal building and leading global consumer businesses. HP credits her GSK tenure with sharpening the company’s focus on specialty medicines and vaccines, refreshing its research pipeline, and strengthening its balance sheet after the separation of consumer healthcare. Those are the board’s stated reasons for her selection, not a forecast of what she will change at HP.
The company has framed the appointment around HP’s next phase in technology. Chair Chip Bergh said Walmsley stood out for leadership across industries, strategic clarity, and the ability to turn customer insight into growth. Walmsley said she wants to use the AI era, HP’s creativity, and its innovation capabilities to develop new sources of growth. Reuters separately reported that a shortage of memory chips has driven up costs and contributed to a steep downturn in the PC industry, a backdrop that will greet the incoming CEO.
For readers tracking succession mechanics, our recent report on Asda’s CEO transition offers a separate example of a top-job handoff with an interim phase. HP’s immediate milestones are specific: Walmsley takes the CEO role and Broussard becomes chair on January 4. The announcement did not outline additional near-term operating changes tied to the appointment.
