HP Names Emma Walmsley as Next CEO
The Palo Alto, Calif., computer maker's Board unanimously chose the former GSK chief executive, who takes over January 4, 2027.
Updated on Nov. 4, 2026 in People
HP Inc.'s Board of Directors unanimously appointed Emma Walmsley as Chief Executive Officer, effective January 4, 2027. She succeeds Bruce Broussard, who has served as Interim CEO since February 2026, and Broussard will become Chair of the Board, succeeding Chip Bergh.
Why it matters
The appointment follows a comprehensive global search by the Board and places a leader with a long background in consumer-facing businesses at the helm as HP focuses on harnessing the power of the AI era. The leadership change also ends a period of interim leadership and reshapes the Board's chair role.
Walmsley served nearly nine years as GSK chief executive, from April 2017 through December 2025, and led the separation of GSK's consumer healthcare business. Before GSK she spent 17 years at L'Oréal, and she has been a Microsoft director for seven years.
The players
HP Inc.
HP Inc. is a Palo Alto, California-based technology company that makes personal computers, printers and related products, operating in more than 180 countries.
Emma Walmsley
Emma Walmsley is a former chief executive of British pharmaceutical company GSK who previously spent 17 years at L'Oréal and has served on Microsoft's Board of Directors.
Bruce Broussard
Bruce Broussard is HP's interim chief executive since February 2026 and will serve as Chair of the Board beginning January 4, 2027.
The details
Broussard has led HP as interim CEO since February 2026, and Bergh, who has chaired HP's Board since 2017 and served as a director since 2015, will remain Chair until January 4, 2027. Walmsley's appointment was made after an intentional and rigorous search by the Board for the role.
Timeline
February 2026: Bruce Broussard began serving as Interim CEO.
November 4, 2026: HP announced Emma Walmsley's appointment as CEO.
January 4, 2027: Walmsley becomes HP CEO and Broussard becomes Board Chair.
Leadership Lineage
Walmsley's appointment follows her nearly nine years leading GSK, during which she directed the separation of its consumer healthcare business, a restructuring precedent that bears on HP's own strategic direction. Her move from pharmaceuticals to a technology hardware company marks a crossover of executive experience between healthcare and computing.
For HP customers and shareholders, the change in leadership on January 4, 2027 is the next concrete milestone to watch. The extraction does not indicate any immediate change to products, pricing or service.
The takeaway
Leadership transitions at large technology firms often signal a shift in strategic priorities, and HP's selection of a CEO with a background in consumer-facing restructuring is worth tracking as the company moves into 2027.
What happens next
Walmsley assumes the CEO role and Broussard becomes Board Chair on January 4, 2027.
Further reading
Explore more People coverage for context on executive leadership changes at major companies.
