Petition for Jensen Huang’s return as Nvidia CEO draws thousands of signatures, including Elon Musk

Elon Musk and other prominent technology executives have joined a campaign calling for Nvidia to reinstate co-founder Jensen Huang as chief executive officer. The petition, dubbed "Stand with Jensen," has gathered over 97,000 signatures since its launch earlier this week, with Musk and Replit CEO Amjad Masad actively promoting it on social media.

The campaign's organizers claim that more than 51,000 shareholders, 5,100 current Nvidia employees, and nearly 900 former employees have also signed the petition, though the veracity of these claims remains unverified. In their open letter, the petition's creators question whether Huang was given a fair opportunity to respond and urge the board to explain the scope, timeline, and justification for his removal.

The letter emphasizes that the signatories support due process for Huang, rather than a hasty decision. Nvidia confirmed on November 11 that Huang had resigned as president, CEO, and director, with interim CEO Colette Kress taking over. The company stated it would consider both internal and external candidates for the permanent position.

Huang's departure follows allegations of an affair with an Nvidia executive and suspicions of a foreign intelligence connection, which he addressed in a letter to employees. The investigation into the circumstances of his resignation is ongoing. Notable signatories to the petition include Boom Supersonic CEO Blake Scholl and Y Combinator CEO Garry Tan.