Dame Emma Walmsley is a British business executive who has served as the Chief Executive Officer of GSK plc since April 2017. Her appointment marked a significant milestone as she became the first woman to lead a major pharmaceutical company. She also holds a position as an Independent Director at Microsoft, a role she has held since December 2019. Prior to her current leadership at GSK, Walmsley was a non-executive director of Diageo until September 2016.