Nvidia founder Jensen Huang has resigned from his positions as chief executive officer, president and member of the company’s board of directors, marking a major leadership change at the American technology giant.
Huang, who co-founded Nvidia in 1993, spent more than three decades leading the company through its transformation from a graphics processing unit manufacturer into a global leader in artificial intelligence technology.
Nvidia’s board of directors announced his departure in a statement acknowledging his contribution to the company’s growth and the wider technology industry.
“Jensen’s contributions to Nvidia are profound. Nvidia is one of the most consequential technology companies in the world,” the board stated.
The directors also thanked Huang for his contribution to the company and the technology industry.
Colette Kress, Nvidia’s executive vice president and chief financial officer, has been appointed interim chief executive officer as the company prepares for a permanent leadership transition.
Kress joined Nvidia in September 2013 and has overseen its financial operations during a period of significant growth. Before joining the company, she spent nearly 25 years working in finance and senior management positions at major technology firms, including Cisco, Microsoft and Texas Instruments.
Harvey Jones has also been elected as the first chairman of Nvidia’s board of directors.
Huang’s departure comes amid controversy surrounding his personal life and his association with a Chinese businesswoman whose activities have attracted the attention of American investigators.
In a message to employees, Huang admitted to being unfaithful to his wife and apologised for hurting her and their children.
The matter has also attracted the attention of the FBI, which is investigating claims involving the businesswoman and possible connections to Chinese intelligence.
Nvidia is also conducting an internal investigation into the matter.
The investigation has raised questions about the protection of sensitive technology information, given Nvidia’s position in the development of advanced artificial intelligence processors used by major technology companies and data centre operators.
The company has become a central supplier in the global artificial intelligence industry, with its chips powering systems used to train and operate advanced AI models.
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