Jensen Huang Steps Down as Nvidia CEO After 33 Years, Ending Era for One of Tech’s Most Prominent Figures

Jensen Huang is stepping down as CEO of Nvidia. He announced his resignation on Thursday, November 12, and is also leaving the board with immediate effect. The move comes after several days of mounting pressure sparked by reports of his extramarital relationships and a possible security risk for the company.

CFO Colette Kress has been tasked with leading the company on an interim basis while continuing in her current role. Nvidia will begin searching for Huang’s permanent successor. Harvey C. Jones has become chairman of the board, the first person to hold the position in the company’s history.

The controversy began in early November, when reports emerged of Huang’s relationship with businesswoman Alice Huang. According to media reports, U.S. intelligence agencies suspect she has ties to Chinese intelligence. Alice Huang previously worked at Singapore-based Megaspeed International, which traded in Nvidia chips. Jensen Huang later admitted in an internal letter to employees that he had been unfaithful to his wife and apologized to his family and colleagues.

On November 8, Nvidia’s board announced an independent investigation. It is examining reports of a possible attempt by a foreign intelligence service to gain access to Huang. The company said at the time that it had no reason to believe its secrets or national security had been compromised, but also pledged to review all available information.

The situation was further complicated by reports in The New York Times about another alleged relationship, this time with Kimberly Powell, Nvidia’s vice president of healthcare, who reportedly reported directly to Huang. The reports were based on accounts from five people familiar with the company. Huang has not publicly commented on the claims, and Nvidia has not confirmed them. The board subsequently met to decide his future.

Huang founded Nvidia in 1993 and, over more than three decades, transformed it from a graphics chip maker into one of the world’s most important technology companies. Its hardware now powers much of the infrastructure used to develop and run artificial intelligence. His departure therefore marks a major change not only for the company itself but also for the wider technology industry.

Nvidia has yet to announce when it plans to name Huang’s permanent successor. The company is scheduled to release its financial results for the third quarter of fiscal year 2027 on November 17, so the new leadership faces its first major test in just a few days.

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