Nvidia’s long-standing chief executive, Jensen Huang, has officially resigned from his position and stepped down from the company’s board of directors, ending a 33-year tenure at the helm of the artificial intelligence giant. The departure follows intense public scrutiny regarding his personal conduct and unverified allegations of potential compromises to national security. “If you’re Nvidia, if you’re the employees, if you’re a customer, I think you’re worried right now,” he said.
The company, which dominates approximately 90 percent of the market for advanced AI chips and stands as one of the most valuable corporations globally, has appointed chief financial officer Colette Kress as interim CEO. Kress will lead the firm while the board evaluates both internal and external candidates for a permanent successor.
Huang’s resignation comes on the heels of admissions regarding his personal life. Last Sunday, he publicly apologized to his family and the company’s workforce after confirming he had been unfaithful in his marriage. Reports later surfaced in The New York Times and other outlets detailing affairs, including one with Kimberly Powell, a senior executive who reported directly to him. This development sparked significant concern regarding internal conflicts of interest within the tech powerhouse. According to the second, Relationship raised concerns about a potential conflict of interest involving a senior executive. The allegations raised questions about whether his personal relationships could have exposed sensitive information. According to Forbes, kress is also among America’s wealthiest self-made women.
Simultaneously, the firm has been embroiled in an investigation regarding allegations that Huang had connections to an executive at a Singapore-based company, Megaspeed, who is suspected of having ties to Chinese intelligence. While Nvidia’s board stated it has no reason to believe national security was compromised and asserted there is no established evidence that Huang knowingly assisted Beijing, the situation fueled a broader debate in Washington concerning the export of sophisticated AI hardware to China. Huang, 63, spent years campaigning against the restrictions on Nvidia chip sales to China. Nvidia is not only a major chip supplier but also an investor in companies that build and rent out AI computing infrastructure.
Political tensions surrounding the company reached a high point in late 2025 when President Donald Trump authorized the export of Nvidia’s powerful H200 chips to Chinese entities.
Despite strict U.S. inspections, military-use prohibitions, and a 25 percent tariff, critics expressed alarm that these chips, which are six times more efficient than previous models, could allow Beijing to bridge the technological gap with the United States.
Estimates suggest Chinese firms have placed orders for over two million of these chips, potentially valued at $54 billion, though these remain pending as orders rather than finalized sales.
Interim CEO Colette Kress brings a deep history of financial leadership to the role, having served as Nvidia’s CFO since 2013. During her tenure, the company’s annual revenue surged from $4.13 billion to $215.9 billion in fiscal 2026. Previously, she held key finance roles at Microsoft, Cisco, and Texas Instruments. In a public statement following her appointment, Kress emphasized her commitment to maintaining the strategic foundation Huang built over his three decades of leadership. Kress has served as Nvidia’s chief financial officer since September 2013 and oversaw the chipmaker’s finances during a period of growth. The company’s annual revenue rose from $4.13bn in fiscal 2014 to $215.9bn in fiscal 2026, during her time at Nvidia. She holds a bachelor’s degree in finance from the University of Arizona and an MBA from Southern Methodist University.
President Trump has offered a staunch defense of Huang, despite the unfolding scandal. On Truth Social, the president suggested that former Apple CEO Tim Cook would be an ideal successor, describing the prospect as a “legend replacing a legend.” However, industry analysts have noted the fundamental differences between Apple’s consumer-facing business model and Nvidia’s specialized position in the AI semiconductor industry, and there has been no indication that Cook is interested in the transition. According to reporting from the White House, Alan Fisher, Trump had offered a “very forceful defence” of the Nvidia founder, who accompanied him on a trip to China earlier this year.
The board’s official statement expressed gratitude for Huang’s “immeasurable contributions” to the firm and the industry, noting that his efforts over the last 33 years were profound. Market experts, such as analyst Ritesh Kotak, have warned that the sudden leadership vacuum could create significant uncertainty for Nvidia’s staff and customers, as the company faces the challenge of replacing a figure who steered the organization since its 1993 inception. His wife, Lori, has been with him since before he cofounded Nvidia in 1993. “He’s the captain that was steering the ship back since the early 90s,” Kotak told.
Other industry leaders have also weighed in on the disruption. Lloyd Blankfein, the former Goldman Sachs CEO, compared the situation to a “Shakespearean” tragedy, referencing Charles de Gaulle’s observation that “the graveyards are filled with indispensable men.” Meanwhile, Clement Delangue of Hugging Face confirmed that recent corporate changes would not alter his company’s collaboration or commitment to open-source AI. “These are big shoes that need to be filled,” he added.
As the company prepares for further corporate milestones, including an anticipated $10 billion investment in the AI developer Anthropic ahead of a planned stock market listing next week, the focus remains on the board’s decision-making process. For now, the transition to Kress marks the beginning of a critical chapter for one of the world’s most influential technology firms.
