GSK chief executive officer Emma Walmsley says she’s unconvinced of the rising co-CEO trend, writes Nina Paoli for Fortune.
As major corporations like Comcast, Oracle, and Spotify embrace the dual-leadership structure, Walmsley prefers the old way.
Speaking at Fortune’s Most Powerful Women Summit, the British pharma leader—whose company operates a major U.S. campus in Upper Providence Township—said, “There are few things more obnoxious in life than CEOs complaining about how hard their life is.”
Walmsley, who has led GSK since 2017, will step down at the end of the year after a tenure marked by the spin-off of Haleon, a breakthrough RSV vaccine approval, and growth in the company’s HIV treatment portfolio. Despite those milestones, GSK’s stock performance has lagged peers.
She acknowledged the role’s personal toll—38 U.S. trips last year and a current whirlwind tour across three continents—but described the intensity as part of the responsibility. “It’s not about being a superhero,” Walmsley said. “It’s about the team, the company, and the people that you serve.”
To learn more about Walmsley’s leadership philosophy and the debate over co-CEOs, visit Fortune.
