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The new year will see a new CEO for HP, which after a nine-month search has named Emma Walmsley to lead the company from January 4, 2027.
Walmsley was previously CEO of drug company GSK, where she turned around its finances and spun off its consumer healthcare business into a new company, Haleon. She has a reputation for courting confrontation rather than yes-men in the boardroom. HP needs a shake-up as revenue from printing declines and AI-driven demand for components is forcing up PC prices.
She will take over from HP’s interim CEO Bruce Broussard, who stepped in in February when former CEO Enrique Lores left the company after more than 25 years to become president and CEO at PayPal. There’s a consolation prize for Broussard, who will become chair of HP’s board, succeeding Chip Bergh who remains a board member.
Although Walmsley has been on Microsoft’s board for seven years (she is stepping down in December), this is her first foray into leading a tech company. Her almost 16-year tenure at GSK included more than eight years as CEO, and earlier in her career, she spent 17 years at L’Oréal.
Bergh said that during the executive search, she stood out “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.” He particularly cited her people-first leadership approach.
Walmsley reiterated her commitment to the philosophy in a post on LinkedIn. “HP has an extraordinary innovation heritage, an inspiring purpose and an incredible opportunity ahead as AI reshapes technology and what customers need from it. I’m excited to build on those strengths and help translate innovation into impact,” she wrote. “Behind every innovation are the people who work to make someone’s day a little easier, their work more productive, their ideas possible. In an age of AI, I believe human leadership has never mattered more. It’s a privilege to be joining this team.”
Announcing Walmsley’s appointment Broussard said, “We need a leader who can build on our innovation heritage and strengths to boldly shape the company’s future. Emma is a proven CEO with a track record of leading organizations at scale and guiding them through significant change. She 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, transforming how we work and live in a more connected world.”
