Nvidia CEO Jensen Huang resigns amid spy, affair scandals: CEO
Nvidia CEO and co-founder Jensen Huang has resigned, effective immediately, following reports of two extramarital affairs: one with an alleged Chinese spy and another with a subordinate executive. CFO Colette Kress has been appointed interim CEO as the board initiates a search for a permanent replacement. Huang's departure marks the end of a 33-year tenure at the helm of the AI chip giant.
Nvidia CEO Jensen Huang Resigns Amid Explosive Spy and Affair Scandals
Santa Clara, CA – Jensen Huang, the influential co-founder, president, and CEO of Nvidia, has resigned from his leadership positions and the company's board, effective immediately. The shocking departure, announced by Nvidia's board on Thursday, November 12, 2026, follows a tumultuous week of reports detailing two extramarital affairs: one with an alleged Chinese spy, and another with a direct subordinate at Nvidia.
Nvidia's board moved swiftly after a late Wednesday night meeting, appointing current Chief Financial Officer Colette Kress as interim CEO. Kress, who joined Nvidia in 2013 after stints at Cisco and Microsoft, now steps into the monumental role of guiding the AI chip giant. In a significant structural change, the company has also named former Synopsys CEO Harvey C. Jones as its first-ever board chair.
“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,” Kress stated, emphasizing a focus on continuity and execution. The press release announcing Huang's exit notably lacked a statement from the departing CEO.
The Unraveling Scandals
The controversy began to unfold earlier this week with reports of Huang's romantic involvement with Alice Huang (no relation), an executive at Megaspeed, a Singapore-based cloud provider and a significant Nvidia customer. The allegations deepened when The New York Times reported that Alice Huang was an alleged surveillance operative for China’s Ministry of State Security. Her purported mission involved gathering intelligence on advanced US AI chips and influencing the availability of technology to China.
The revelations sent shockwaves through the tech industry, raising critical questions about how the affair might have impacted Huang’s reported efforts to sell advanced chips to China, and potentially even influenced President Donald Trump’s decisions regarding AI export controls. Over the weekend, Huang addressed Nvidia employees in a memo, acknowledging he had been “unfaithful” to his wife and offering an apology to his family and shareholders.
Initially, many in Silicon Valley, including prominent figures like Elon Musk, had publicly backed Huang, with analysts and venture capitalists predicting he would weather the storm. However, this sentiment drastically shifted on Wednesday when a second scandal emerged. The New York Times, citing five Nvidia employees, disclosed another extramarital affair involving Huang and Kimberly Powell, Nvidia’s Vice President of Healthcare, who reported directly to him. This second report prompted The Wall Street Journal to break news that Nvidia’s board was preparing to meet that evening to decide Huang's future, ultimately leading to his resignation.
Nvidia's AI Dominance and Future Leadership
Huang’s departure marks the end of a 33-year era for Nvidia, a company he co-founded in 1993 and steered to become the undisputed leader in artificial intelligence. Under his leadership, Nvidia’s chips became the essential infrastructure powering global AI advancement, with demand consistently outstripping supply. The company’s vast investment portfolio, valued at approximately $99 billion and encompassing a wide array of AI startups and frontier labs, has solidified its immense influence in the burgeoning AI sector. Huang himself had cultivated a close relationship with President Trump, further amplifying Nvidia's reach.
With Huang's immediate resignation, the board has initiated a comprehensive search for a permanent Chief Executive Officer, considering both internal and external candidates. Early reports from Bloomberg suggest a shortlist of potential successors, including interim CEO Colette Kress, Apple hardware chief Johny Srouji, Nvidia VP Ian Buck, AMD CEO (and Huang's cousin) Lisa Su, and Arm CEO Rene Haas. The coming months will be critical for Nvidia as it navigates this leadership transition amidst the backdrop of a highly competitive and strategically vital AI landscape.
FAQ
Q: Who is replacing Jensen Huang as CEO of Nvidia?
A: Colette Kress, Nvidia's current CFO, has been appointed interim CEO. The board has commenced a search for a permanent successor, considering both internal and external candidates.
Q: What are the main reasons for Huang's resignation?
A: Huang resigned following reports of two extramarital affairs: one with an executive at an Nvidia customer who was allegedly a Chinese spy, and another with a subordinate Nvidia executive.
Q: How long had Jensen Huang been CEO of Nvidia?
A: Jensen Huang co-founded Nvidia in 1993 and served as its CEO, president, and board member for 33 years until his resignation on November 12, 2026.
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