Jensen Huang stepped down as chief executive officer of Nvidia on Thursday ending a 33-year tenure at the artificial intelligence chip manufacturer, according to Club ‘Z’.
The departure follows an internal board investigation into the executive’s personal life after admissions of infidelity, as reported by Ladyzone. The board of directors met to decide whether to remove Huang, according to BNR News, utilizing a provision in the corporate charter allowing removal by a majority vote with or without cause, as detailed by Club ‘Z’.
Chief Financial Officer Colet Cress assumed interim leadership duties while the board initiated a search for a permanent successor from both internal and external candidates, as noted by Boulevard Bulgaria. Huang also resigned from the board of directors, retaining his shares while stepping down from all operational roles, according to nixanbal.
BREAKING: An internal post urging Nvidia’s, $NVDA, board to reinstate Jensen Huang has drawn over 1,600 comments, with the majority in “full support” of reinstating him, per WIRED. The post urges the Board of Directors to “consider employee sentiment” regarding Jensen Huang’s…
Financial markets reacted sharply to the leadership transition and related disclosures. Trading data showed the stock touching a low of $158.78 in after-hours sessions, approaching the 52-week low recorded in March 2026, as reported by Forbes Bulgaria and 3e-news.
Shareholders filed a class-action lawsuit against Nvidia and Huang in federal court in San Jose, California, alleging that the company concealed risks and misled investors regarding business relationships, as documented by Boulevard Bulgaria.
External analysts noted potential operational hurdles during the handover period. An analyst wrote, “We believe that the market has already sufficiently factored in the consequences of this change,” as cited by DIR.
Media reports from outlets including The New York Times detailed intelligence agency inquiries involving Alice Huang, a former executive at Singapore-based data center firm Megaspeed, according to Darik Business Review. US intelligence officials examined whether the relationship posed security risks or involved the transfer of advanced semiconductor technology, while Beijing denied related allegations, as reported by Boulevard Bulgaria.
Additional reporting identified Kimberly Powell of healthcare, as another individual connected to the executive in internal disclosures, according to Boulevard Bulgaria. Reuters subsequently reported on a third unnamed employee linked to the former CEO, as noted by DIR.
Nvidia retained outside legal counsel to conduct an independent review of corporate security and governance protocols, maintaining that no intellectual property or trade secrets were compromised, according to Forbes Bulgaria.
Dan Ives from investment research firm Yorkville Ives said that Huang’s potential withdrawal could lead to a drop in the value of Nvidia’s business and stock, while Morgan Stanley previously included Nvidia in its list of preferred companies before the leadership uncertainty arose.
In a note to employees, Huang admitted that he had been unfaithful to his wife, Lori Huang, with whom he has been married for over 40 years. Regulatory filings from September indicated that Jensen Huang directly controls shares, while a family trust and six limited liability companies encompass Nvidia shares.
President Donald Trump publicly suggested that Tim Cook could succeed Jensen Huang at the head of Nvidia, writing “One legend replaces another legend!” on Truth Social. Meanwhile, tech billionaire Elon Musk wrote on the social media platform X that it would be an honor to hire Jensen Huang.