Who could replace Jensen Huang as Nvidia CEO?

Nvidia chief executive Jensen Huang has never named a successor, yet analysts and investors believe Ian Buck and Colette Kress are the most likely candidates to fill the role in the short term. The company's board is to meet on Wednesday to consider whether to remove Mr Huang, amid reports of two extramarital affairs involving him.

Huang's charisma and leadership have made him an iconic figure in the tech industry, and his departure would likely cause a significant share price drop, currently making Nvidia the world's second-most valuable company.

Two potential candidates, Ian Buck and Colette Kress, have been mentioned as possible replacements. Colette Kress, Nvidia's CFO, joined the company in 2013 and has been a familiar and trusted voice at earnings calls with Huang. She has been considered an interim CEO by some board members. Ian Buck, who has been with Nvidia since 2004, is another strong internal candidate.

As the leader of AI hardware and software products, his technical expertise and leadership in creating the CUDA software system could be crucial to Nvidia's development.

However, some analysts believe that finding a permanent replacement would be challenging, as Huang is not only Nvidia's CEO but also the person who consistently identifies where computing is going. Ian Buck, the strongest long-term internal candidate, is seen as the most suitable choice due to his role in creating CUDA and leading Nvidia's hyperscale business. Arm chief executive and former Nvidia executive Rene Haas could also be considered as an external candidate.