Nvidia Board Moves to Remove Huang Amid Affair Allegations
The semiconductor giant's directors are preparing to oust co-founder Jensen Huang following reports of two extramarital relationships, one involving a suspected Chinese intelligence operative.
Nvidia's board is moving toward removing co-founder and CEO Jensen Huang from his position after disclosures emerged of two separate extramarital affairs, according to reporting by The Wall Street Journal. One relationship allegedly involved a woman with suspected ties to Chinese intelligence; the other was with an Nvidia executive. While the board has not yet finalized a decision, directors could convene as soon as November 11 to address Huang's status at the company. The next chief executive would mark only the second person to lead Nvidia in its 33-year history. Following the news, Nvidia's stock fell 8% in after-hours trading. On November 8, the board initiated an independent investigation into the allegations.
Details of the Relationships
The Wall Street Journal's report came shortly after The New York Times disclosed that Huang allegedly maintained an extramarital relationship with Kimberly Powell, Nvidia's vice president of health care who reports directly to him. Multiple current and former Nvidia employees indicated the relationship was widely known within the company. Witnesses reported seeing Huang and Powell together at a San Jose hotel during Nvidia's GTC conference in March. The current allegations build on an earlier disclosure that Huang had engaged in a relationship with Alice Huang, a Chinese businesswoman whom U.S. intelligence officials assess to be connected to Chinese intelligence operations.