GSK Appoints Emma Walmsley CEO

GlaxoSmithKline (GSK) announced on Sept. 20, 2016 that it will appoint Emma Walmsley CEO of the company. Walmsley is set to take over after the current GSK CEO Andrew Witty retires in March 2017. According to Reuters, Walmsley will be the first woman to lead a top global pharmaceutical company.

Walmsley is currently CEO of GSK’s Consumer Healthcare division. Prior to working for GSK, Walmsley worked for L’Oreal where she held a variety of marketing and general management roles in the United Kingdom, Europe, and the United States. She also worked as General Manager of Consumer Products for L’Oreal China.

“I am delighted and honored to be appointed GSK’s next CEO. 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,” Walmsley said in a prepared statement. “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.”