Jensen Huang Resigns as Nvidia CEO After Affair Allegations

Jensen Huang has resigned as chief executive of Nvidia, the technology giant’s board has announced, following controversy over reports of two extramarital affairs.

The resignation comes after the New York Times reported that Huang had a second alleged affair with a senior executive at Nvidia who reportedly worked under him.

The latest reports sent Nvidia shares tumbling, with the company’s stock falling by around 10% in pre-market trading on Thursday. The decline followed days of pressure on the company amid growing scrutiny of Huang’s personal relationships and their potential implications for the business.

Huang had previously admitted to being unfaithful to his wife after reports emerged of his relationship with Alice Huang, an executive at Singapore-based company Megaspeed International. US intelligence officials reportedly suspected her of having links to Chinese intelligence.

Nvidia launched an independent investigation into the first relationship, while the FBI also began investigating the espionage allegations. The company’s board had initially said it had no reason to believe that Nvidia’s secrets or US national security had been compromised.

The second alleged affair has added to the pressure on the company’s leadership. The New York Times identified the Nvidia executive involved as Kimberly Powell. The allegation has not been independently established.

Huang, who co-founded Nvidia in 1993, became one of the most influential figures in the global technology industry as the company emerged as a leading supplier of artificial intelligence chips.

His departure marks a major leadership change for the company, which has become central to the global AI industry.

Nvidia has named its chief financial officer, Colette Kress, as interim chief executive.

Meanwhile, Beijing has warned Washington against using the espionage allegations as a justification for imposing further restrictions on technology sales to China.