Nvidia Board Meets Over Jensen Huang’s Future After Affair Revelations

Nvidia’s board of directors has met to consider the future of co-founder and Chief Executive Officer Jensen Huang following revelations about two alleged extramarital relationships that have triggered a governance crisis at the technology giant.

The meeting, held on Wednesday, November 11, was convened to discuss whether Huang should remain at the helm of the company, according to reports by Reuters and other international media organisations.

The controversy centres on two reported relationships. The first involved Alice Huang, a former senior executive at Singapore-based data centre company Megaspeed, who has reportedly been linked by United States intelligence officials to China’s Ministry of State Security.

US authorities have reportedly investigated concerns that Megaspeed may have helped facilitate shipments of restricted Nvidia chips to Chinese companies. However, the allegations concerning Alice Huang’s intelligence links have not been publicly substantiated, and Beijing has rejected the claims.

Huang, 63, acknowledged in a message to Nvidia employees on Sunday that he had been unfaithful to his wife. He reportedly accepted responsibility for his actions but did not provide details about the relationship.

A separate report by The New York Times alleged that Huang was also involved in a relationship with Kimberly Powell, Nvidia’s vice president of healthcare. The report cited video evidence and witnesses who allegedly saw the pair behaving affectionately at a hotel during a conference in California. The claims have not been independently established.

Nvidia had previously announced an independent investigation into reports that its chief executive may have been targeted by a foreign intelligence operation. The company said the review would be overseen by independent directors and external legal counsel.

In its November 8 statement, the board said it had confidence in Huang and his leadership team, adding that it had no reason to believe Nvidia’s secrets or national security had been compromised.

The reported meeting represents a significant shift from that earlier position. Under Nvidia’s corporate bylaws, a majority of its 11 directors can remove the chief executive, with or without cause.

The developments have also unsettled investors. Nvidia shares fell sharply in after-hours trading following reports that the board was considering Huang’s removal, amid concerns about the company’s leadership and future direction.

Huang co-founded Nvidia in 1993 and has led its transformation into a major supplier of artificial intelligence chips. The company has not publicly announced a decision on his position following the board meeting.