Nvidia Faces Leadership Void After Jensen Huang's Resignation

Jensen Huang has resigned as CEO of Nvidia after 33 years, following revelations of a relationship with a woman U.S. officials believe worked for Chinese intelligence and reports of a second relationship with a subordinate. The company now faces its first leadership transition without a designated successor. CFO Colette Kress will serve as interim CEO while retaining her financial role, and Harvey C. Jones, former Synopsys CEO, becomes the company's first board chairman. No clear internal candidate exists, with external possibilities including AMD's Lisa Su, Arm's Rene Haas, and Intel's Lip-Bu Tan, while Huang's children hold executive positions. Investors have long paid a premium for Huang's vision, and his departure could reduce Nvidia's aggressive pace in AI chip development, benefiting rivals like AMD and Broadcom. The company's first test comes November 17 with quarterly results, while broader concerns include potential disruption to AI spending and Nvidia's European investments, including a German partnership with Chancellor Friedrich Merz.