Jensen Huang resigns as Nvidia CEO after affair with suspected Chinese spy

Nvidia CEO Jensen Huang has resigned from his position following an admission of an affair with a woman believed to be a Chinese spy. The chip giant's board of directors announced the resignation, effective immediately, with Colette Kress, the company's current executive vice president and chief financial officer, stepping in as interim CEO.

Nvidia's stock saw a decline of over 10% in pre-market trading in response to the news. Harvey Jones, chairman of the board, praised Kress for her leadership during Nvidia's period of growth and highlighted her deep understanding of the business, customers, operations, and financial position. The affair, which came to light in early November, sparked a crisis for Huang, who had co-founded Nvidia in 1993 with Chris Malachowsky and Curtis Priem.

Huang's outspoken opposition to export policies aimed at keeping advanced US semiconductors and computers away from potentially adversarial countries, such as China, had drawn scrutiny from US officials. Despite the controversy, Huang's leadership style and work ethic had made him a prominent figure in the tech industry, with his rise to CEO often likened to the American dream.