Nvidia CEO Jensen Huang Resigns After 33 Years Amid Spy Scandal

Jensen Huang at Stanford University in April 2026. The Nvidia co-founder resigned as chief executive on November 12, ending his 33-year run at the top of the company. (Photo: Anders Eidesvik / Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 4.0)

Jensen Huang, the co-founder who built Nvidia from a small graphics-chip start-up into the world's most valuable chipmaker and the engine of the global artificial intelligence boom, resigned on Thursday, November 12, ending a 33-year run at the top of the company. The resignation came after days of mounting pressure over his personal conduct and a board investigation into whether he had been targeted by a foreign intelligence operation.

A Sudden End to a 33-Year Run

Huang, 63, stepped down as chief executive, president and a member of Nvidia's board with immediate effect, the company said. He co-founded Nvidia in 1993 and led it through the rise of computer graphics, gaming and, most recently, the artificial intelligence revolution that made its chips the most sought-after hardware on the planet. Nvidia said its chief financial officer, Colette Kress, will serve as interim chief executive while the board searches for a permanent successor. The board also named former Synopsys chief executive Harvey Jones as its first-ever board chairman. Huang, Nvidia's fourth-largest shareholder with a 3.61 per cent stake, will also leave the board.

The Scandal That Brought Him Down

The crisis began with reports of Huang's relationship with Alice Huang, a Chinese businesswoman and former executive at Megaspeed, a Singapore-based data-centre company and Nvidia customer. United States intelligence officials suspect Alice Huang of having links to China's Ministry of State Security — claims Beijing has denied and which have not been independently established. The New York Times first reported the business link in October 2025. On November 8, Nvidia's board launched an independent investigation, led by independent directors with outside legal counsel, into whether Huang had been targeted by a foreign intelligence operation. The same day, Huang admitted to staff that he had been unfaithful to his wife of more than 40 years, Lori Huang, and apologised. On November 11, the New York Times reported a second affair, with Kimberly Powell, Nvidia's vice president of healthcare. The board met on Wednesday night to discuss Huang's future, and within a day he was gone. United States President Donald Trump has said the FBI is looking into the claims, and Huang has agreed to testify before Congress. Nvidia is also facing a shareholder class-action lawsuit.

Markets React as Nvidia Slips Below $4 Trillion

Investors reacted sharply. Nvidia's shares plunged by more than 13 per cent after the news broke on November 12, and the company's market value fell below $4 trillion for the first time since July 2025. The fall capped a volatile week for a company whose chips power most of the world's advanced artificial intelligence systems. The timing adds to the pressure: Nvidia is scheduled to report its quarterly earnings on November 17, just days after the leadership change.

What Happens Next at Nvidia

For now, Colette Kress takes charge as interim chief executive while the board considers internal and external candidates for the permanent job. The bigger questions go beyond one person: whether the investigations find any evidence that restricted chips reached China, and whether Nvidia can hold its commanding position in artificial intelligence while its leadership is in transition. Huang's exit closes one of the most remarkable chapters in Silicon Valley history — a founder who turned a graphics-chip company into the centre of the AI age, brought down in a matter of days by a scandal that mixed personal conduct with national security. What do you think — can Nvidia stay on top of the AI race without Jensen Huang at the helm? Share your view in the comments.