Jensen Huang, the former CEO of Nvidia, resigned from the artificial intelligence giant after reports surfaced detailing three extramarital affairs. The 63-year-old executive had previously been critical of Colette Kress, the finance executive now appointed as interim CEO.
During a meeting in August, months before his departure, Huang reportedly called Kress "a deer in the headlights" and described her as a "reporting CFO" incapable of assisting with strategic decisions. The interaction occurred as Nvidia considered significant loans for smaller cloud and data-center companies that needed its chips. Kress, who has been with Nvidia since 2013, was attempting to present solutions to this financial strategy at the time.
Despite Huang's criticisms, Kress has vowed to continue building on "the extraordinary foundation Jensen created over the last 33 years." She previously defended the company's strategy of investing in AI startups, stating in August that the "equity returns on our invested capital will be excellent." Kress has also described Huang as "visionary" and "essentially egoless."
Huang's resignation follows revelations about his affairs. He admitted to an affair with Alice Huang, who is suspected of being a Chinese spy. Additionally, he was allegedly involved with Kimberly Powell, Nvidia's vice president of health care, and a third unnamed mistress who also worked at the company. The company's code of conduct prohibits personal relationships that could create conflicts of interest.
Reports suggest that Alice Huang openly discussed her close relationship with Huang, even summoning him to a bar during a trade show in Taipei in June 2024. US authorities reportedly circulated a memo in spring alleging her ties to China's Ministry of State Security, though Beijing has denied these allegations. Taiwan and Singapore have also investigated her alleged connections to Beijing's intelligence services. Nvidia's share price reportedly declined approximately 14 percent in the week following the news of Huang's affairs and the spying allegations.
Nvidia, founded by Huang in 1993, has become a major player in the technology sector, building the microchips essential for artificial intelligence. The company acknowledged Huang's "profound contributions" and thanked him for his "immeasurable contributions to the company and the industry" in a press release announcing his resignation.