Nvidia CEO Jensen Huang has resigned "effective immediately," the company has announced following allegations of the leader having an affair with a suspected Chinese spy – and further reports of a second affair surfacing just yesterday.
In a press release shared today, Nvidia confirms that chief financial officer and executive vice president Colette Kress will serve as interim CEO while the company's board searches for a permanent replacement for Huang.
Despite the circumstances, Nvidia still speaks highly of Huang in the statement. "Jensen's contributions to NVIDIA are profound," it begins. "NVIDIA is one of the most consequential technology companies in the world. The Board and the company thank Jensen for his immeasurable contributions to the company and the industry."
Huang admitted to having an affair earlier this week, but the situation was even more complicated than it could have been due to allegations that the person he was having that affair with might be a Chinese spy. Nvidia launched an investigation, with Huang acknowledging the "national security concerns" and saying he will "cooperate fully." He added: "I love our country and our company. I am committed to protecting NVIDIA and supporting America's national security. I am proud and grateful to be an American."
Beyond that, more recent reports alleged that Huang was also engaged in a second affair with one of his employees – specifically, Nvidia's vice president of healthcare, Kimberly Powell. After this, it was claimed that the company's board was meeting to decide whether to oust Huang.
Nvidia's leadership change here is unprecedented – Huang has served as the company's sole CEO since its founding 33 years ago. In addition to Kress taking over in the interim, Nvidia has announced that it has appointed its first chair of the board, Harvey C. Jones, the former CEO of Synopsys.
“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 says. "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."
