Although Walmsley has been on Microsoft’s board for seven years (she is stepping down in December), this is her first foray into leading a tech company. Her almost 16-year tenure at GSK included more than eight years as CEO, and earlier in her career, she spent 17 years at L’Oréal.

Bergh said that during the executive search, she 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.” He particularly cited her people-first leadership approach.

Walmsley reiterated her commitment to the philosophy in a post on LinkedIn. “HP has an extraordinary innovation heritage, an inspiring purpose and an incredible opportunity ahead as AI reshapes technology and what customers need from it. I’m excited to build on those strengths and help translate innovation into impact,” she wrote. “Behind every innovation are the people who work to make someone’s day a little easier, their work more productive, their ideas possible. In an age of AI, I believe human leadership has never mattered more. It’s a privilege to be joining this team.”