SANTA CLARA, United States — Jensen Huang has resigned as chief executive of Nvidia after 33 years leading the American semiconductor company.
The company announced his departure on Thursday, November 12, 2026, following reports of two extramarital affairs, including one involving a Chinese businesswoman suspected by United States intelligence officials of spying for Beijing.
Nvidia has appointed its chief financial officer, Colette Kress, as interim chief executive while it searches for a permanent replacement.
Huang, 63, has also relinquished his position on the company’s board of directors.
His departure comes four days after Nvidia launched an independent investigation into allegations that he had been targeted by a foreign intelligence operation.
The company has not publicly established that confidential information was compromised. Its announcement did not specify why Huang resigned.
Nvidia Appoints Interim Chief Executive
In an official announcement, Nvidia said its board had accepted Huang’s resignation with immediate effect.
Kress, who joined Nvidia in September 2013, will continue serving as chief financial officer while managing the company’s operations during the leadership transition.
The board said it would consider candidates from inside and outside the company for the permanent position.
Nvidia also appointed Harvey C. Jones as its first chairman.
Jones has served on Nvidia’s board since 1993 and previously held senior leadership positions at Synopsys, a company that develops software used in semiconductor design.
He expressed confidence in Kress and Nvidia’s existing management team.
“The Board has full confidence in Colette and the leadership team, and we expect the company’s operations, customer commitments and product roadmap to continue without interruption,” Jones said.
Kress also pledged to maintain the company’s business strategy.
She acknowledged Huang’s role in establishing Nvidia as a leading supplier of processors used in artificial intelligence.
The company thanked its former chief executive for his contributions to its development over more than three decades.
Resignation Follows Allegations Involving Chinese Businesswoman
The leadership change follows allegations concerning Huang’s relationship with Alice Huang, also known as Huang Le, a Chinese businesswoman formerly associated with Singapore-based technology company Megaspeed International.
The two share a surname but are not related.
According to reporting by The New York Times, American intelligence officials suspected the businesswoman of gathering information for the Chinese government.
The newspaper reported that the Nvidia founder had developed a personal relationship with her.
American officials also reportedly suspected that she was attempting to influence Nvidia’s business dealings with China, particularly the availability of advanced artificial intelligence processors.
China has denied the espionage allegations.
The intelligence assessments underlying the accusations have not been made public, and no publicly disclosed finding has established that Huang knowingly provided information to Chinese intelligence services.
Nvidia’s board announced an independent investigation after the allegations became public.
In its earlier statement, the company said it had no reason to believe that American national security or its proprietary information had been compromised.
The inquiry is being conducted by former federal prosecutor Joon H. Kim and the law firm Wachtell, Lipton, Rosen & Katz.
The company has not announced findings from that investigation.
Reports of Second Affair Precede Departure
The controversy intensified when The New York Times reported that Huang had also maintained an extramarital relationship with Kimberly Powell, a senior Nvidia executive.
Powell served as the company’s vice-president of healthcare and reported to Huang, according to the newspaper.
The report emerged shortly before Nvidia’s board considered the chief executive’s future.
The Associated Press said it had been unable to independently verify the allegations concerning the second relationship.
Nvidia did not address either reported relationship in its resignation announcement.
Huang had previously acknowledged being unfaithful to his wife, Lori Huang, in a message to employees.
In the published apology, he accepted responsibility for his conduct and acknowledged the harm caused to his family.
He did not identify the person involved in the relationship.
Huang also pledged to cooperate with the company’s independent investigation and reaffirmed his commitment to protecting Nvidia’s interests.
His resignation ends his leadership of a business he co-founded in 1993.
Nvidia Shares Fall Following Leadership Change
Nvidia shares declined sharply after the announcement, reflecting investor concerns about the company’s leadership transition.
According to Reuters, the company’s stock fell by as much as 12 per cent during Thursday’s trading before recovering some of its losses.
Shares in rival semiconductor companies Advanced Micro Devices and Broadcom rose during the session.
Nvidia has become one of the world’s most valuable companies through its production of advanced processors used to develop and operate artificial intelligence systems.
Huang oversaw the company’s expansion from graphics processing technology into data centres and artificial intelligence infrastructure.
Its products are used by major technology companies developing advanced AI models.
The company’s position in the semiconductor industry has also made it a central participant in disagreements between Washington and Beijing over technology exports.
American authorities have imposed restrictions on the sale of certain advanced chips to China because of national security concerns.
Huang had repeatedly advocated allowing Nvidia to maintain access to Chinese customers, subject to government regulations.
His departure comes as United States lawmakers continue examining the allegations involving the Chinese businesswoman and the company’s export compliance practices.
Congress Seeks Answers Despite Huang’s Resignation
American lawmakers have indicated that Huang’s departure will not end their examination of the allegations.
Republican Representative Brian Mast, chairman of the House Foreign Affairs Committee, said congressional investigators still wanted to question the former Nvidia chief executive.
According to the Associated Press, congressional officials had been communicating with Huang’s representatives about arranging an appearance.
Lawmakers are seeking information about his interactions with the businesswoman and Nvidia’s safeguards against foreign intelligence activities.
Mast indicated that a subpoena could be issued if Huang did not voluntarily cooperate.
The Federal Bureau of Investigation is also examining the allegations, according to President Donald Trump.
The president previously defended Huang, saying the executive had told him he did not know that the businesswoman was suspected of having intelligence connections.
Trump has maintained a close relationship with Huang and has praised his contributions to the American technology industry.
Following the resignation, Trump again commended the Nvidia founder’s work.
Company Begins Search for Permanent Successor
Nvidia’s board has not announced when it expects to appoint a permanent chief executive.
Kress will manage the company during the search, supported by its existing executive team.
The company is scheduled to release its third-quarter financial results next week.
The results will provide one of the first opportunities for investors to hear directly from Nvidia’s new leadership following Huang’s departure.
The independent investigation into the alleged foreign intelligence operation has not concluded.
Nvidia has also not disclosed whether Huang’s resignation will affect the scope or timetable of that inquiry.
For now, the company is proceeding under interim leadership while American authorities and congressional investigators continue examining the allegations surrounding its former chief executive.
