HP has appointed Emma Walmsley as Chief Executive Officer. She will take up the role in January, succeeding Bruce Broussard.
The leadership change comes as HP also reshapes its board. Broussard is set to become Chair, replacing Chip Bergh.
Walmsley most recently led GSK, serving as Chief Executive Officer from 2017 until the end of 2025. She has also been a member of Microsoft's board for seven years and previously spent 17 years at L'Oréal in senior consumer business roles.
Broussard has served as Interim Chief Executive Officer since February 2026. Under the new arrangement, he will move into the chair role when Walmsley starts. Bergh will step down after serving as Chair since 2017 and as a director since 2015.
The appointment places an executive best known for her work in pharmaceuticals and consumer health at the head of one of the world's largest personal computing and printing groups. The board said it made the decision unanimously after a global search.
Board transition
The chief executive appointment is paired with a planned board-level handover, giving Broussard an ongoing governance role after his period as interim leader. The move is intended to provide continuity during a broader management transition at a company operating in more than 170 countries.
In comments released with the announcement, Broussard said the board had sought a leader for a pivotal period in the technology market.
"HP has tremendous potential at an important inflection point in technology, and 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. I look forward to supporting her as she leads HP into its next phase of growth," said Bruce Broussard, Interim Chief Executive Officer, HP.
Walmsley said she would join the company with a focus on growth and artificial intelligence.
"HP is an iconic company with a defining role in shaping the future of work on a global scale. 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," said Emma Walmsley, incoming Chief Executive Officer, HP.
Track record
At GSK, Walmsley oversaw a broad reshaping of the business over almost nine years in the top job. That included sharpening its focus on specialty medicines and vaccines, strengthening research and development, and separating its consumer healthcare arm.
Before becoming Group Chief Executive at GSK, she led GSK Consumer Healthcare. Earlier in her career at L'Oréal, she built and managed international consumer brands, giving her experience beyond the healthcare sector.
That background appears to have appealed to HP's board as it considered candidates from different industries. Bergh highlighted Walmsley's cross-sector leadership and her approach to strategy and execution.
"Today's appointment follows a comprehensive global search focused on what HP needs to win in its next chapter. 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. She has a people-first leadership approach that aligns and inspires high-performing teams around clear priorities, strong execution and lasting value creation," said Chip Bergh, Chair of the Board, HP.
Bergh also used the announcement to recognise Broussard's role during the interim period and the board's succession process.
"I also want to thank Bruce for his strong leadership, which has enabled the Board to conduct an intentional and rigorous search leading to today's successful outcome. It's a privilege to hand the role of Chair to him, knowing he will provide important continuity and valuable guidance to Emma and the Board during the transition and in the years ahead," he said.
Broussard also paid tribute to the outgoing chair.
"Chip has provided strong leadership as Chair for the past nine years, helping guide HP through significant change while maintaining a sharp focus on governance, capital allocation and value creation," Broussard said. "I have appreciated his partnership while serving as Interim CEO."