Nvidia Stock / Nvidia CEO Jensen Huang steps down amid affair scandal, alleged Chinese spy links

New York, Nov 12: Nvidia chief executive Jensen Huang stepped down on Thursday from the company and left its board, marking a dramatic leadership change at the world's leading artificial intelligence chipmaker amid allegations of multiple extramarital relationships and a probe into a possible foreign intelligence operation.

Nvidia's board has named Chief Financial Officer Colette Kress as interim chief executive until a permanent successor is appointed. The company will begin a search for a replacement and consider both internal and external candidates, according to reports on Thursday.

Huang's departure follows revelations about his relationship with Alice Huang, a Chinese businesswoman and former executive at Singapore-based data centre company Megaspeed, whom US officials reportedly suspect of having links to Chinese intelligence.

The Nvidia co-founder had acknowledged being unfaithful to his wife and apologised to his family and colleagues in a message to employees earlier this week. He accepted responsibility for his actions and said he was committed to the company.

The controversy deepened after 'The New York Times' reported a second alleged extramarital relationship, this time with Kimberly Powell, Nvidia's vice-president of healthcare, who reports directly to Huang. The newspaper cited five people who had worked at the company. Two of them claimed that a video showed the pair being affectionate at a hotel in San Jose, California, during an Nvidia conference in March. The newspaper said it had not independently viewed the footage.

The allegations prompted scrutiny from Nvidia's board, which had launched an independent investigation into whether Huang had been targeted by a foreign intelligence operation. The inquiry was announced after reports about his relationship with Alice Huang and concerns over possible national security implications.

Also Read: Jensen Huang admits extramarital affair with Alice Huang as Nvidia probes alleged Chinese spy operation

Who is Jensen Huang?
Jensen Huang, 63, co-founded Nvidia in 1993 and became one of the most influential figures in the global technology industry. Under his leadership, the company emerged as the dominant supplier of chips powering artificial intelligence systems and became one of the world's most valuable publicly traded companies.

His exit is expected to have far-reaching implications for Nvidia and the wider AI industry, given his central role in the company's strategy, partnerships and expansion. Huang was also its largest individual shareholder, with a reported stake of around 3.56 per cent.