'I'm a piece of sh--': Huang's final hours at NVIDIA
What's the story
Jensen Huang, the co-founder and CEO of NVIDIA Corporation, has resigned from his position amid allegations of infidelity. The news comes as a major shock considering Huang's pivotal role in establishing NVIDIA as a leading player in the artificial intelligence (AI) chip industry. CFO Colette Kress has been appointed as interim CEO while the company searches for a permanent successor.
Fall from grace
'Whatever' and 'I don't care' were his new catchphrases
Huang's resignation comes after weeks of denying the allegations and fighting to keep his position.
His usual assertive demeanor had faded, with reports saying he started using phrases like "whatever" and "I don't care."
This is a far cry from the detail-oriented leader who built NVIDIA into a multi-trillion-dollar AI chip giant.
People who spoke with Huang over the past few days say he is deeply remorseful and went as far as calling himself a "piece of sh--."
Allegations surface
Allegations of a close relationship with suspected Chinese spy
The allegations against Huang broke in late October, when it was reported that he had a close relationship with Alice Huang, a woman suspected of being a Chinese spy.
Despite his denials, the board of directors, composed mainly of long-time investors and business partners, was initially hesitant to act on these reports or even comment publicly.
Admission and inquiry
The situation escalated after US officials' revelations
The situation took a turn when the Financial Times reported US officials saying Huang's relationship with Alice was romantic.
After this revelation, NVIDIA's general counsel Tim Teter confronted him at his home, where he confessed.
Despite most of the board not wanting to take a public stance initially, Teter insisted on action.
The next day, they announced an investigation led by prominent law firm Wachtell Lipton Rosen & Katz.
Apology and impact
Huang admitted to the affair in an email to employees
In his email to the entire company, Huang admitted to the affair, apologized to his family, and promised to "cooperate fully" with the board's investigation.
However, as the scandal grew, it became clear that it was distracting him from his extensive duties at NVIDIA.
Despite having around 60 executives reporting directly to him, an army by normal management standards, his response times had grown longer in recent days.
Additional affair
Board acted swiftly after revelations about second affair
On Wednesday, The New York Times reported that Huang was also having an extramarital affair with Kimberly Powell, NVIDIA's vice president of healthcare.
This time, the board acted quickly. They held a late-night meeting and ultimately forced Huang to resign, ending his association with the company completely.
New leadership
CFO Colette Kress appointed as interim CEO
In the wake of Huang's resignation, the board appointed CFO Colette Kress as interim CEO.
She quickly sought to reassure employees by expressing her faith in the company and its future.
"I believe deeply in this company and in its future," Kress wrote in an email. "The Board, staff and I recognize that this has been an extraordinarily difficult period."