Jensen Huang Resigns as Nvidia CEO After Affairs

Jensen Huang, Nvidia’s co-founder and chief executive since 1993, resigned after the company’s board investigated revelations about two extramarital relationships. One was with Alice Huang, a Chinese businesswoman whom U.S. intelligence agencies reportedly identified as an agent for China; the other was with a senior Nvidia executive who reported to him. Nvidia had said it had no reason to believe Huang compromised company secrets or national security, but the relationships raised questions about conflicts of interest and corporate conduct. Chief Financial Officer Colette Kress will lead the company on an interim basis while directors seek a permanent successor.

The case has broader significance because Nvidia dominates the market for advanced artificial-intelligence chips, a technology central to both economic growth and U.S.-China competition. Alice Huang’s company, Singapore-based Megaspeed, bought large quantities of Nvidia equipment and is under U.S. investigation over suspected shipments to China in violation of export controls. The disclosures also spotlight Huang’s close ties to President Trump: U.S. officials reportedly warned Trump about the relationship, while Huang had urged him to permit chip sales to China. Nvidia shares fell more than 10 percent after the resignation, dragging down major U.S. stock indexes, though the company’s underlying business model remains intact. China has rejected the espionage allegations.