Emma Walmsley

Emma Walmsley has served as CEO of GSK plc since 2017, executing the most significant transformation in the company's history: the 2022 spin-off of Haleon (the consumer health business containing brands like Sensodyne, Panadol, Advil, and Theraflu), which left GSK as a focused biopharmaceutical company. This separation, long demanded by investors, was designed to allow GSK to invest fully in its pharmaceutical pipeline without the lower-growth consumer health business diluting returns. The new GSK has three growth pillars: Vaccines (Shingrix — the blockbuster shingles vaccine; Arexvy — the first RSV vaccine for older adults; a deep pipeline of next-generation vaccines), HIV (through ViiV Healthcare, a majority-owned joint venture with Pfizer and Shionogi — products include Dovato, Cabenuva long-acting injectable, and pipeline candidates competing with Gilead), and Specialty Medicines (oncology — particularly Blenrep for multiple myeloma and pipeline assets; immunology/respiratory; and infectious diseases). Walmsley has significantly improved GSK's R&D productivity, with 12 potential blockbuster medicines and vaccines in late-stage development. However, the company faces legal challenges related to Zantac (ranitidine) litigation — allegations that the heartburn drug was contaminated with a carcinogen. Key stock drivers include Shingrix and Arexvy sales trajectories, ViiV HIV franchise growth, oncology pipeline readouts, Zantac litigation resolution and potential liability, R&D pipeline progression, competitive dynamics with Pfizer, Merck, and AstraZeneca, and the UK pharma valuation discount versus US peers.