Jensen Huang resigns as Nvidia CEO with immediate effect: Who is Colette Kress and who could replace him?
Nvidia founder Jensen Huang has resigned as chief executive officer and president of the American chipmaking giant, ending a 33-year run at the company he helped create. Nvidia confirmed the decision on Thursday, November 12, 2026, saying that Huang has also stepped down from its board of directors with immediate effect. The company has appointed its Chief Financial Officer Colette Kress as interim CEO.
The sudden departure comes after days of controversy involving Huang’s personal relationships and questions about national security. Nvidia, one of the world’s biggest technology companies, now faces the challenge of finding a permanent leader at a time when demand for its artificial intelligence chips remains high.
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Why did Jensen Huang resign from Nvidia?
Huang’s exit follows reports about extramarital relationships, including one involving businesswoman Alice Huang, whose activities have reportedly attracted scrutiny from US intelligence officials over possible links to Chinese chip shipments.
Huang publicly admitted to being unfaithful to his wife in a November 8 message to employees. “I owe my family and all of you an apology,” he wrote.
The controversy raised questions about possible security risks and corporate governance. Nvidia’s board launched an independent investigation, saying it had no reason at that stage to believe company secrets or US national security had been compromised.
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What has Nvidia said about Jensen Huang’s departure?
Nvidia’s November 12 announcement confirmed Huang’s immediate resignation but did not explicitly identify the controversy as the reason for his departure.
The board thanked Huang for his contributions and announced that Harvey C. Jones would become its first separate chairman.
Nvidia said its business operations, customer commitments and product plans are expected to continue without interruption.
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Who is Colette Kress, Nvidia’s new interim CEO?
Colette Kress joined Nvidia in September 2013 as Executive Vice President and Chief Financial Officer.
Before joining Nvidia, she spent nearly 25 years in finance positions at technology companies including Microsoft and Cisco.
Kress will continue handling her existing finance responsibilities alongside the interim CEO role until the board selects a permanent replacement.
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What happens to Jensen Huang at Nvidia now?
Huang is no longer Nvidia’s CEO, president or board director. The company has not announced any new advisory or executive position for him.
As a co-founder and significant shareholder, Huang will retain an ownership interest in the business, subject to any future share transactions.
Who could become Nvidia’s next permanent CEO?
Nvidia has started searching for a successor and will consider candidates from inside and outside the company.
One possible internal candidate is Ian Buck, a senior Nvidia executive closely associated with its GPU computing technology. Kress could also be considered for the permanent position, given her long experience managing Nvidia’s finances.
Neither has been named the permanent successor. Nvidia’s next quarterly earnings announcement is scheduled for November 17, putting the leadership transition under close scrutiny from investors.