Nvidia co-founder Jensen Huang has resigned as CEO, president, and board member, effective immediately. CFO and Executive Vice President Colette Kress will serve as interim CEO while the board searches for a permanent replacement. His departure follows reports of two extramarital relationships, including one involving a woman suspected of spying for China.
Jensen Huang resigns as Nvidia CEO amid affair reports and espionage concerns
Nvidia’s board of directors announced the leadership change in a statement on November 12. The release read, “The Board is initiating a search for a permanent Chief Executive Officer and will consider internal and external candidates. Kress has served as Executive Vice President and Chief Financial Officer of NVIDIA since joining the company in September 2013.”
Kress said, “NVIDIA’s strength has always come from its people, and together with our leadership team, I am committed to building on the extraordinary foundation Jensen created over the last 33 years.” She added, “We will continue advancing the work that has made NVIDIA a leader in accelerated computing and AI, and execute on the opportunities ahead. Our focus remains on serving our customers, partners, developers, and shareholders.”
The board thanked Huang for his contributions to Nvidia, which he co-founded in 1993. It also appointed Harvey C. Jones as the company’s first board chairman. Jones previously served as CEO and executive chairman of Synopsys.
Nvidia’s board previously announced an independent investigation into reports that Huang had been targeted by a foreign intelligence operation. As previously reported, Chinese tech executive Alice Huang was allegedly recruited by China’s Ministry of State Security to spy on him and obtain information about Nvidia’s AI chips.
Huang also reportedly had a relationship with Kimberly Powell, Nvidia’s 48-year-old vice president of healthcare. Powell joined the company in 2008.
