GSK has announced Emma Walmsley will succeed Sir Andrew Witty as CEO of the company from early next year.
Ms Walmsley is currently CEO of GSK’s Consumer Healthcare division, one of the world's largest consumer health companies that was established in 2015 following completion of the asset transaction with Novartis. Witty will retire on 31 March 2017.
Ms Walmsley has been a member of GSK’s Corporate Executive Team since 2011, having joined the company in 2010 from L’Oreal where, over the course of her 17-year career, she held a variety of marketing and general management roles in the UK, Europe and the US. From 2007 she was based in Shanghai as general manager, Consumer Products for L’Oreal China.
“I am very pleased to announce Emma’s appointment, after what has been a very thorough and rigorous global selection process carried out by the GSK Board of Directors," said GSK chairman Sir Philip Hampton.
"Emma is an outstanding leader with highly valuable experience of building and running major global businesses and a strong track record of delivering growth and driving performance in healthcare. Under Andrew’s leadership, GSK has successfully developed into a company with market-leading positions in pharmaceuticals, vaccines and consumer healthcare. These provide excellent platforms for sustainable, long-term growth, and we are confident Emma will successfully build on these strengths.”
“I am delighted and honoured to be appointed GSK’s next CEO," said Walmsley. "GSK is a company that leads both in science and in the way it does business. We have momentum in the Group and as the demand for medical innovation and trusted healthcare products continues to rise, we have the opportunity and the potential to create meaningful benefits for patients, consumers and our shareholders. I’m looking forward to working with Andrew and other leaders over the next few months to ensure a smooth handover and to develop plans for 2017 and beyond.”
