Nvidia CEO Jensen Huang could soon lose his position after reports revealed a second alleged extramarital affair involving a senior company executive. According to The Wall Street Journal, Nvidia’s board is preparing to discuss removing Huang, while The New York Times reported that he had a relationship with Kimberly Powell, the company’s vice president of healthcare, who reports directly to him.
The latest allegations have increased pressure on Huang, who is already under investigation over a separate relationship involving a business executive suspected by U.S. intelligence officials of working for China.
Nvidia Board Reportedly Considering Jensen Huang’s Removal
According to Reuters, Nvidia’s board was preparing to meet as early as Wednesday, November 11, to determine Huang’s future at the company.
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The New York Times reported that five people who worked at Nvidia described Huang’s alleged relationship with Powell. The two were reportedly seen behaving affectionately at a hotel during a company conference earlier this year.
Neither Nvidia nor Powell has publicly confirmed the alleged relationship, and Reuters said it could not independently verify the reports.
Earlier Affair Raised National Security Concerns
The controversy began after reports connected Huang to Alice Huang, an executive associated with Singapore-based AI infrastructure company Megaspeed International.
U.S. intelligence officials reportedly suspect Alice Huang of gathering information for Beijing, while Megaspeed has faced scrutiny over potential violations of American restrictions on exporting advanced AI chips to China.
On November 8, Huang acknowledged being unfaithful to his wife in a message to employees.
I owe my family and all of you an apology. I was unfaithful to my wife. My actions hurt her and our children. There is no excuse for what I did. I am deeply sorry.
Nvidia’s board subsequently launched an independent investigation into potential national security risks. However, the company previously stated that it had no reason to believe sensitive information had been compromised.
What Happens to Nvidia if Jensen Huang Leaves?
Huang has led Nvidia since co-founding the company in 1993, overseeing its transformation into a dominant supplier of GPUs used for artificial intelligence training and inference.
His potential departure raises questions about leadership succession, particularly because Nvidia has no obvious replacement for its longtime CEO.
Investors have already reacted to the uncertainty, with Nvidia shares falling approximately 8% in after-hours trading on Wednesday.
For now, Huang remains Nvidia’s CEO, and the board has not publicly announced a final decision regarding his position.
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