HP Names Former GSK Chief Emma Walmsley as New Chief Executive Officer

HP Inc. has officially appointed former GSK chief executive officer Emma Walmsley as its new permanent CEO, concluding a leadership search following the departure of Enrique Lores earlier in the year. Walmsley is scheduled to officially take the helm on January 4, 2027.

Upon her assumption of the role, interim CEO Bruce Broussard will transition to become the Chair of the Board, replacing Chip Bergh. Broussard has led the company in an interim capacity since February, following the exit of Lores to run PayPal Holdings Inc.

The appointment brings an executive with extensive cross-industry experience to the technology firm. Walmsley served as CEO of British pharmaceutical company GSK from April 2017 to December 2025, guiding the firm through the pandemic, overseeing the spin-off of its consumer healthcare division Haleon, and managing a tenure that included surviving an activist campaign by Elliott Investment Management. In addition to her pharmaceutical background, she holds a board seat at Microsoft Corp. and spent 17 years working at L'Oréal.

Walmsley steps into leadership amid a complex operational environment for personal computer and printer manufacturers. The broader hardware sector faces severe pressures from global memory chip shortages driven by surging demand from artificial intelligence data centers, forcing companies to increase prices and redesign products. Financial figures highlight these competing pressures; during the fiscal third quarter, HP's personal systems revenue rose 18 percent, supported by higher-priced products and AI-capable computers, even as total unit shipments declined by 16 percent and operating margins narrowed.

The announcement generated varied reactions across financial markets. While one source noted a 7.4 percent gain in shares on the day of the announcement due to clarity brought to the leadership succession, other reports indicated shares were little changed or saw modest pre-market declines as investors weighed the ongoing hardware challenges and potential shifts in corporate strategy.

As the company prepares for this transition, executives and investors await further financial updates. HP is scheduled to release its fourth-quarter and full fiscal year 2026 results via a webcast, providing a clearer picture of how higher component prices, reduced unit shipments, and pricing strategies have impacted the bottom line before Walmsley formally takes charge.