Nvidia has named its chief financial officer, Colette Kress, as interim chief executive after co-founder Jensen Huang resigned as president, chief executive and board member with immediate effect.
The chipmaker announced the change on Thursday, 12 November. Kress, 59, will keep her roles as chief financial officer and executive vice-president while the board searches for a permanent chief executive, looking at candidates from inside and outside the company.
Huang stepped down after reports of extramarital affairs, one involving a woman US intelligence officials reportedly linked to China. Nvidia has not commented further on the reasons for his departure.
01. A long-serving finance chief takes charge
Kress is one of the best-known finance chiefs in the technology industry. She joined Nvidia in September 2013 as chief financial officer, and the company has grown enormously during her time there. Revenue was $4.13 billion in the fiscal year she joined, and it reached $215.9 billion in fiscal 2026, as demand for Nvidia’s chips for artificial intelligence surged around the world.
Before Nvidia, Kress spent 13 years at Microsoft, including as chief financial officer of its Server and Tools business. That experience, running the finances of a large technology operation, is one reason the board has turned to her at a moment of sudden change.
Investors will be watching her closely. Nvidia is the world’s most valuable chip company, and its chips power much of the artificial intelligence boom. Any sign of instability at the top can move the share price, and shares fell sharply on Thursday, closing down about 4%.
02. Board changes and what comes next
Harvey Jones, a former chief executive of Synopsys, will become Nvidia’s first board chair, a new role created as part of the changes at the top.
The next big test comes soon. Nvidia reports its fiscal third-quarter results on Tuesday, 17 November, when Kress will face investors and analysts for the first time as interim chief executive. The results, and her comments on demand for AI chips, are likely to set the tone for the company in the weeks ahead.
The board has not set a timetable for naming a permanent chief executive. Until then, Kress will run the company day to day, with the task of keeping Nvidia steady through a leadership change that few saw coming.
