Big Pharma’s Latest Breakthrough: Choosing Its First Female CEO
Emma Walmsley was chosen to be the next Chief Executive Officer of GlaxoSmithKline this week, making her the first woman to lead a top-25 drugmaker. She will replace Andrew Witty, who will retire in March.
Walmsley jumped to GSK from L’Oreal SA in 2010 following a meeting with Witty. She started overseeing Europe for the company’s consumer healthcare unit and, in 2011, she was promoted to head the consumer business worldwide. Walmsley will join the board on January 1 and take the helm of the company on March 31.
