Jensen Huang resigned as Nvidia’s president, CEO and a director on Nov. 12, 2026, after the board considered his future amid reports of extramarital relationships and an investigation into whether he had been targeted by a Chinese espionage operation. Nvidia did not state a reason for his departure in its announcement. CFO Colette Kress became interim CEO while the board began searching for a permanent successor.
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What preceded Huang’s resignation
Reuters reported that Nvidia’s board met on Nov. 11 to consider whether to remove Huang, following reports of two extramarital affairs. One reported relationship was with a company employee; other coverage described a relationship with a tech executive whom U.S. officials reportedly suspected of spying for China. These were reports and suspicions, not proof that the person spied or that Nvidia information was compromised.
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The board’s investigation was reported to examine whether an espionage operation had targeted Huang. Coverage described independent directors and outside legal counsel as leading the probe, but the sources available here do not report its findings or establish that confidential information was accessed.
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Huang resigned the following day, effective immediately. Nvidia’s announcement confirmed that he left the roles of president, CEO and director, but did not attribute the resignation to the allegations or disclose the investigation’s conclusions.
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Colette Kress takes over on an interim basis
Nvidia appointed Kress, its executive vice president and CFO, as interim CEO. She is to retain the CFO role while serving as interim chief executive, until a permanent successor is named. The board said it would begin a search; coverage reported that it would consider both internal and external candidates.
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Kress has served as Nvidia’s CFO since 2013—about 13 years by 2026. That is her tenure in the finance role, not necessarily her total time at the company.
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Nvidia also named longtime director Harvey Jones its first board chair.
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What the share-price and wealth figures show
Nvidia shares closed down 4.34% on Nov. 12, the day of the resignation; one report estimated that the decline erased roughly $182 billion in market value. That closing move is distinct from reports of steeper intraday losses.
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Separately, Forbes reported that Nvidia shares were 31% below their October peak at Thursday’s close. It estimated Huang’s wealth at about $145 billion, roughly $62 billion lower, and said he had fallen out of the world’s ten richest people. Forbes also reported that six other current and former Nvidia executives and directors had lost a combined $5.6 billion, leaving them with an estimated $21 billion collectively. These are estimates tied to a specific market window, not a measure of losses caused by the resignation alone.
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Investors and analysts also reacted to leadership uncertainty: Bernstein cut its Nvidia price target from $400 to $200, according to CNBC. AMD and Broadcom rose about 5% in early trading after the announcement, while later Friday coverage reported declines across several chip stocks, including Intel and CoreWeave. Those market movements occurred alongside the Nvidia turmoil; they do not, by themselves, show what caused each stock’s move.
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Questions beyond the leadership change
Huang’s departure raised questions about succession at a company central to the AI-chip industry, as well as about U.S. chip sales and policy. Lawmakers sought answers: CNBC reported that Senator Tim Scott requested public testimony from Huang and Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick, while the BBC reported that lawmakers said Huang had agreed to appear before Congress. A request or reported agreement is not the same as completed testimony.
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The most important unresolved points remain the board investigation’s findings, the permanent CEO appointment and whether the allegations had any effect on Nvidia’s business or access to sensitive information. The public sources cited here establish the resignation and interim leadership plan, but do not settle those questions.