HP has just selected Ms. Emma Walmsley, who has led pharmaceutical corporation GSK for nearly nine years, as its new CEO. This decision ends a long search that began in early 2026 and puts a leader from an industry outside of technology at the helm of the world's largest PC and printer company just as AI is moving to the edge.

On November 4, HP announced that the Board of Directors had unanimously appointed Ms. Emma Walmsley as Chief Executive Officer, effective January 4, 2027. She will take over the position from Mr. Bruce Broussard, who will serve as interim CEO from February 2026. Mr. Broussard will not leave HP but will move to become Chairman of the Board of Directors on the same day, replacing Mr. Chip Bergh.

A CEO from the pharmaceutical industry, who once sat on the Microsoft board of directors

For many people who follow the technology industry, the name Emma Walmsley may not be as familiar as CEOs from Silicon Valley. She joined GSK in 2010, held the position of CEO of Consumer Healthcare since 2015 and then became General Director of the entire group in April 2017 and held this position until the end of December 2025. Before coming to GSK, she spent 17 years building and running global consumer businesses at L'Oréal.

During her nearly nine years at the head of GSK, she led a major transformation of the group, refocusing on specialty medicines and vaccines, refreshing its research and development portfolio and strengthening its balance sheet after successfully separating its consumer healthcare business. She also spent seven years as a member of the Microsoft Board of Directors, meaning she's no stranger to the tech landscape and how big businesses are betting on AI.

The promise of the AI ​​era

In her first statement as appointed CEO, Ms. Walmsley said HP is an iconic company, playing a role in shaping the future of work on a global scale. She said she and her team will leverage the power of the AI ​​era, bringing HP's creativity and innovation to open new sources of growth, bringing long-term value to customers, shareholders, partners and employees.

Mr. Broussard sees this as part of a bigger picture. According to him, HP is standing at a turning point in technology as AI moves to the edge, and the company needs someone with enough experience to bring businesses, capabilities and people together. He described Ms. Walmsley as a proven CEO with a track record of leading large-scale organizations through significant change.

Why did HP choose Ms. Walmsley

Mr. Chip Bergh, Chairman of the Board of Directors, said this decision comes after a comprehensive global search, focused on what HP needs to win the next chapter. Throughout, Ms. Walmsley has distinguished herself by her cross-industry leadership experience, clear strategic thinking and ability to turn customer insights into growth drivers. He also appreciates her people-first leadership style, which helps align high-performing teams around clear priorities.

Mr. Bergh thanked Mr. Broussard for steadying the ship so that the Board could proceed with a careful and rigorous search. Handing over the Chairman's seat to Mr. Broussard, according to Mr. Bergh, will ensure continuity and value orientation for Ms. Walmsley and the Board of Directors during the transition period and the following years.

End of one chapter, opening of a new chapter

Mr. Bergh has held the role of Chairman of HP since 2017 and has been a member of the Board of Directors since 2015. He will continue to serve as Chairman until January 4, 2027. Mr. Broussard thanked his predecessor for nine years of leadership that helped HP overcome many major changes while still maintaining a focus on governance, capital allocation and value creation, and said he appreciated the coordination during his time as interim CEO.

HP operates in more than 170 countries, providing devices, services and subscriptions for personal computing, printing, 3D printing, collaborative work, gaming and more. With a new CEO with a background in large-scale business management and an understanding of organizational transformation, the remaining question is how Ms. Walmsley will shape HP as AI becomes more and more directly present on laptops, printers and every device the company sells.