Former Nvidia CEO had relationship with second employee

Former Nvidia CEO Jensen Huang had an intimate relationship with a second company employee, further fueling controversy surrounding his resignation on November 12, according to two sources familiar with the situation. The revelation follows reports of two other extramarital affairs involving Huang, who is married. One was with Alice Huang, whose Chinese espionage suspicions have been raised by US intelligence, and another with Nvidia vice-president of healthcare Kimberly Powell.

Reuters declined to identify the second employee, stating that contacts had been unsuccessful. Nvidia also refused to comment, along with Huang, Powell, and the company's board representatives, who did not respond to requests for comment. Alice Huang was unreachable. Huang confirmed an affair in a statement on November 8, after reports surfaced about his relationship with Alice Huang, though he did not reveal her identity.

His departure could have significant ramifications for the artificial intelligence sector, which Nvidia has significantly shaped through its AI chip dominance and substantial financial ties with cloud computing firms and AI developers. The company's financial leverage has bolstered cloud computing providers and AI laboratories, enabling the ecosystem's growth around its processors and promoting their widespread use.

Huang's resignation became increasingly untenable after news of his relationship with Alice Huang. Nvidia's board appointed Chief Financial Officer Colette Kress as interim CEO while searching for a permanent replacement, considering both internal and external candidates. Earlier this month, the board initiated an investigation, led by independent directors and backed by external legal counsel, to determine if Huang had been targeted by a foreign intelligence operation.

At the time, the board expressed confidence in him. Nvidia's stock dropped by 5.5% on November 12 amid intense trading, with the share price losing more than 30% of its value since its peak in early October.