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Factbox-Who is HP's new CEO Emma Walmsley?

Published by Global Banking & Finance Review

Posted on November 4, 2026

2 min read

· Last updated: November 4, 2026

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Emma Walmsley Appointed CEO of HP Inc: Background and Key Achievements

Emma Walmsley: Profile and Career Milestones

Nov 4 (Reuters) - HP Inc on Wednesday named former GSK chief and Microsoft board member Emma Walmsley as CEO to steer the PC maker through a memory-chip shortage that has driven up prices and triggered a steep industry downturn.

Walmsley takes the reins from Bruce Broussard, who has served as interim CEO of HP since February.

Key Facts About Emma Walmsley

Early Life and Education

Walmsley, 57, was born in Barrow-in-Furness, in northwestern England. She is the daughter of former Royal Navy officer Robert Walmsley, who later served as the UK's chief of defence procurement.

She attended St Swithun's School in Winchester and studied classics and modern languages at Oxford University.

L'Oreal Career

Walmsley spent 17 years at French cosmetics giant L'Oreal, holding marketing and management positions in London, Paris, New York and Shanghai.

She rose to become general manager of L'Oreal's consumer products business in China, overseeing brands including L'Oreal Paris, Maybelline and Garnier.

At the Helm of GSK

Walmsley joined GSK in 2010 and became chief executive in April 2017, the first woman to lead the British drugmaker.

Major Achievements at GSK

She oversaw the spin-off of GSK's consumer healthcare arm, now Haleon, and pushed to bolster its medicines and vaccines business, though investors at times questioned the strength of the company's pipeline.

She also steered the company through the COVID-19 pandemic, Unilever's failed bid to buy its consumer assets and pressures from activist shareholders Elliott and Bluebell.

Walmsley parted ways with GSK at the end of 2025 after nearly nine years as CEO.

Her departure came as major drugmakers faced pressure from US tariff policies, scrutiny of medicine pricing and the need to offset revenue losses from upcoming patent expirations through new product launches.

Microsoft Board Membership and Honors

Walmsley has been on Microsoft's board for seven years.

Dame Commander Recognition

She was made a Dame Commander of the Order of the British Empire (DBE) in 2020 for services to the pharmaceutical industry and business.

(Reporting by Aatreyee Dasgupta in Bengaluru; Editing by Shreya Biswas)

Key Takeaways

  • Emma Walmsley led GSK from April 2017 to December 2025, transforming its focus toward specialty medicines and vaccines and overseeing the spin‑off of its consumer healthcare arm (hp.com)
  • She has served on Microsoft’s board since December 2019 and was appointed Dame Commander of the Order of the British Empire (DBE) in 2020 for services to business and pharma (news.microsoft.com)
  • HP is grappling with memory‑chip shortages—DRAM and NAND costs spiked dramatically, now representing roughly 35% of PC bill‑of‑materials, pressuring margins and prompting repricing and supply‑chain strategies (channeldive.com)

References

Frequently Asked Questions

Who is Emma Walmsley, the new CEO of HP Inc?
Emma Walmsley is the former CEO of GSK and a Microsoft board member, recently named as HP Inc's CEO.
What is Emma Walmsley’s professional background?
Walmsley has held key roles at L'Oreal, was CEO of GSK, and has served on Microsoft's board for seven years.
What are some of Emma Walmsley’s achievements at GSK?
She led GSK through a consumer healthcare spin-off, the COVID-19 pandemic, and major shareholder pressure.
Who did Emma Walmsley replace as HP CEO?
She replaced Bruce Broussard, who served as HP's interim CEO since February.
What recognition has Emma Walmsley received for her work?
She was made a Dame Commander of the Order of the British Empire (DBE) in 2020 for her services to the pharmaceutical industry and business.

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