NVIDIA board member Persis Drell steps down, walks away with $26 million in shares
Persis Drell has stepped down from NVIDIA's board after over 10 years, with the company confirming her exit was to pursue a new opportunity—no drama or disagreements involved.
Her departure became official on January 23, as announced in an SEC filing this week.
How big was her impact—and payday?
Drell joined NVIDIA's board back in 2015 when the stock was just $5 (split-adjusted).
Fast forward to now: NVIDIA's value has exploded by 22,000% to hit $4 trillion.
Thanks to that wild growth, Drell leaves with about 143,000 shares worth $26 million.
In 2025 alone, she took home $344k in pay and stock awards.
Who is Persis Drell beyond NVIDIA?
Alongside her corporate role, Drell is a longtime Stanford professor and held top spots like dean of engineering and university provost.
She's the second director to leave NVIDIA's board recently (after Ellen Ochoa last June), leaving 10 directors including CEO Jensen Huang still at the helm.