Interim head Bruce Broussard to succeed Chip Bergh as Board Chair in January 2027 leadership shakeup
HP Inc. has announced that its board of directors unanimously appointed Emma Walmsley as Chief Executive Officer, effective 4 January 2027.
Walmsley who most recently served as CEO of GSK and has been a member of Microsoft’s board of directors for seven years, will succeed Bruce Broussard. Broussard has served as Interim Chief Executive Officer since February 2026 and will transition to Chair of the Board on 4 January 2027, succeeding Chip Bergh.
“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 organisations 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,” says Broussard.
“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,” says Walmsley.
“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,” says Bergh.
“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,” adds Bergh.
Walmsley led GSK from April 2017 through December 2025. During her nearly nine years as CEO, she spearheaded a significant transformation of the global biopharmaceutical company and delivered a step-change in its operating performance. She sharpened the company’s strategic focus on speciality medicines and vaccines, reinvigorated its R&D pipeline, and strengthened the balance sheet following the successful separation of its consumer healthcare business, while enhancing GSK’s leadership bench and succession pipeline. Walmsley joined GSK in 2010 and became CEO of GSK Consumer Healthcare in 2015 before being appointed Group CEO. Earlier, she spent 17 years at L’Oréal building and leading major global consumer businesses.
Bergh has served as chair of HP’s board since 2017 and as a director since 2015 and will continue as chair until Broussard assumes the role on January 4, 2027.
“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,” says Broussard. “I have appreciated his partnership while serving as Interim CEO.”
