Jensen Huang Resigns as Nvidia CEO Amid Affair Scandal

Jensen Huang has resigned as president and chief executive of Nvidia, ending days of pressure over his personal conduct. Reports indicate he stepped down on November 12, and CFO Colette Kress has taken over as interim CEO.

The scandal started when Huang acknowledged an extramarital affair. That disclosure led Nvidia's board to look into whether he had been the target of a foreign intelligence effort. Later reports alleged a second affair, and some outlets linked one of the relationships to a person suspected of being a Chinese spy. Several members of Congress publicly called for him to step down, including a senior Republican on the Senate Banking Committee.

Investors reacted quickly. According to Sky News, Nvidia's shares fell nearly 10% over two days, erasing around $430 billion in market value. Analysts had been divided on whether Huang could be replaced. Some argued that his track record made him indispensable, while others said no chief executive should be, especially while the board was examining whether his conduct created risk for the company.

Nvidia is best known to gamers for its GeForce graphics cards, but its biggest business now is AI data center chips, which is why this leadership change is drawing attention well beyond the gaming community. The reports we reviewed did not name a permanent successor.