HP today ended its nine-month hunt for a permanent CEO as it appointed former biopharmaceutical boss Emma Walmsley to the role.
Here are five things to know about her appointment…
9-month hiatus headed off
Walmsley’s appointment comes nine months after previous CEO Enrique Lores abruptly left to take the top job Paypal (although she won’t actually start until 4 January).
HP claims Walmsley “stood out” during its “comprehensive global search” for Lores’ successor.
Interim CEO Bruce Broussard will now step back to become Chair of the Board.
She’s a Brit with a Damehood
Educated at St Swithun’s School in Winchester and boasting an MA from Oxford University, Walmsley was born and brought up in the UK.
Most recently, she headed up biopharmaceuticals giant GSK between 2017 and December 2025.
Walmsley was made a Dame Commander of the Order of the British Empire (DBE) in 2020 for services to the pharmaceutical industry and business.
GSK’s giant stature dwarfs even HP
Walmsley previously ran a company that was a touch larger than even PC and print giant HP (GSK boasts around 70,000 staff to HP’s 55,000).
She “has the experience and skills to bring its businesses, capabilities and people together to capture the opportunities ahead as AI moves to the edge”, Broussard claimed.
“Throughout the process, Emma 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,” stated Chair of the Board Chip Bergh.
She’s joining a company of two halves
Walmsley takes the reins as HP’s PC and print arm’s fortunes continue to diverge.
HP’s Personal Systems business saw net revenues vault 18% to $11.8bn in its latest quarter, even as print net revenues slipped 2% to $3.9bn.
“HP is an iconic company with a defining role in shaping the future of work on a global scale,” Walmsley stated.
“I’m excited to join the team and, together, move forward with clarity and conviction. We will focus on harnessing the power of the AI era and putting HP’s creativity and innovation to work to unlock new sources of growth and deliver lasting value for our customers, shareholders, partners and people.”
