Report alleges second extramarital relationship with company executive
Jensen Huang, the founder and long-serving Chief Executive Officer of American technology giant Nvidia, has reportedly resigned from his position after 33 years at the helm of the company.
According to a report published by THISDAY, citing CNN, Nvidia’s Chief Financial Officer, Colette Kress, has been appointed interim Chief Executive Officer while the company’s board considers internal and external candidates for a permanent replacement.
The reported leadership change comes amid growing controversy surrounding allegations of Huang’s personal relationships and a possible foreign intelligence connection.
Huang, 63, who is married, reportedly admitted on Sunday to having an extramarital relationship and apologised to his family and colleagues.
The controversy intensified following reports alleging that he had a relationship with a Chinese businesswoman, identified as Alice Huang, whom United States officials reportedly suspected of having links to Chinese intelligence.
A further report by The New York Times, citing five current and former Nvidia employees, alleged that Huang also had an extramarital relationship with Kimberly Powell, the company’s 48-year-old Vice-President of Healthcare, who reportedly worked directly under him.
The employees reportedly said Huang and Powell were seen displaying affection at a hotel in San Jose, California, during an annual Nvidia developer conference.
BOARD APPOINTS COLETTE KRESS
Following the reported developments, Nvidia’s board appointed Kress to oversee the company on an interim basis while the search for a substantive chief executive continues.
Harvey Jones, who was also named the company’s first-ever board chairman, praised Kress for her experience and contribution to Nvidia’s growth.
He expressed confidence that the company’s operations, customer commitments and product development plans would continue without interruption.
Kress, who has served as Nvidia’s Chief Financial Officer for more than a decade, is expected to retain her existing financial responsibilities until a permanent CEO is appointed.
FOREIGN INTELLIGENCE CONCERNS
The leadership development followed an announcement that Nvidia’s board was investigating reports suggesting that Huang might have been the target of a foreign intelligence operation.
The inquiry reportedly centred on his alleged relationship with Alice Huang, a Singapore-based data centre executive whom US authorities reportedly suspected of having links to Chinese intelligence.
The board had earlier expressed confidence in Huang, stating that it had no reason to believe that national security or Nvidia’s confidential information had been compromised.
US President Donald Trump had also reportedly defended Huang, describing him as an honourable man.
HUANG’S LEGACY AT NVIDIA
Huang founded Nvidia in 1993 and transformed the company from a graphics-processing chip manufacturer into one of the world’s most influential technology companies.
His early investment in graphics processing units (GPUs) helped position Nvidia at the centre of the artificial intelligence revolution.
The company’s products now play a major role in powering artificial intelligence systems, data centres, robotics and other advanced computing technologies.
Under Huang’s leadership, Nvidia became one of the world’s most valuable companies and a major supplier of the hardware driving the global AI industry.
His reported departure therefore marks a significant leadership development for the technology giant, which has become closely associated with his public image and long-term vision.
Nvidia reportedly described Huang’s contributions to the company and the wider technology industry as profound, expressing appreciation for his years of leadership.
