Who Might Succeed Jensen Huang as Nvidia's CEO?
Nvidia's board is reportedly considering replacing CEO Jensen Huang amid a scandal over extramarital affairs, including one with a suspected Chinese spy, threatening leadership of the world's second most valuable company. Potential successors include internal executives and external tech leaders. Chief Financial Officer Colette Kress, a 30-year industry veteran, is seen as a stabilizing interim choice due to her trusted market presence on earnings calls, though her non-engineer background may limit permanent selection. Co-founder Chris Malachowsky and high-performance computing chief Ian Buck offer technical expertise, but Buck faces scrutiny on commercial and geopolitical management. External candidates floated include Apple chair Tim Cook and Arm Holdings CEO Rene Haas, though both face fit questions. Analysts say Huang's departure is likely over governance and national security concerns, with investment firms downgrading forecasts amid uncertainty about finding a successor with his unique appeal.