Nvidia co-founder and Chief Executive Officer Jensen Huang has resigned following revelations about two alleged extramarital affairs, including one involving a woman accused of spying for China.

The chipmaking giant announced Huang’s immediate departure on Thursday, November 12, 2026, bringing an end to his 33-year leadership of the company he co-founded.

Nvidia’s Chief Financial Officer, Colette Kress, has been appointed interim chief executive while the board begins searching for a permanent successor.

Huang, 63, has also relinquished his position on the company’s board of directors. Nvidia did not disclose an official reason for his resignation.

The development follows growing controversy surrounding reports of Huang’s personal relationships, including allegations involving Alice Huang, a former senior executive at Singapore-based data centre company Megaspeed.

US intelligence officials reportedly circulated a memo alleging that Alice Huang was an asset of China’s Ministry of State Security. Beijing has rejected the spying allegations.

The controversy prompted Nvidia’s board to announce an independent investigation into reports that its chief executive had been targeted in a foreign intelligence operation.

The situation escalated further on Wednesday after The New York Times reported a second alleged extramarital relationship involving Kimberly Powell, Nvidia’s vice president of healthcare.

According to the newspaper, Huang and Powell were seen displaying affection at a hotel in San Jose, California.

Powell has been a prominent figure in Nvidia’s efforts to expand its technology into healthcare and higher education.

Nvidia’s code of conduct requires employees to avoid conflicts of interest, including those arising from personal relationships.

Meanwhile, shareholders have filed a class-action lawsuit against Huang and the company, alleging that information about the relationship was not properly disclosed to investors.

Colette Kress Takes Over

Nvidia’s board has appointed Harvey Jones, a former chief executive of chip design software company Synopsys, as its first-ever board chairman.

In a statement announcing the leadership transition, Jones expressed confidence in Kress and the company’s existing leadership team.

He said Nvidia expected its operations, customer commitments and product roadmap to continue without interruption.

Kress, who joined Nvidia in September 2013, previously held finance positions at major technology companies, including Cisco and Microsoft.

She pledged to build on the foundation established by Huang over his 33 years at the company.

Nvidia Shares Face Pressure

Huang’s departure comes at a critical period for Nvidia, one of the world’s most valuable technology companies and a major player in the global artificial intelligence industry.

The company’s shares fell more than 10 per cent in premarket trading on Thursday following the announcement, adding to an earlier decline from their October record high.

Founded in 1993, Nvidia initially became known for designing graphics processing units (GPUs) used in video games.

Its processors have since become essential components in artificial intelligence systems and advanced computing infrastructure worldwide.

Most of its processors are manufactured by Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company (TSMC), the world’s largest contract chipmaker.

Nvidia is expected to release its quarterly financial results on November 17, 2026, as previously scheduled.