The Chief Executive Officer of American technology company Nvidia, Jensen Huang, has resigned from his position after 33 years, marking a major leadership change at one of the world's most valuable technology companies.

The company's Board of Directors announced Huang's resignation on Thursday, confirming that his departure as President, Chief Executive Officer and member of the board took immediate effect.

Nvidia's Executive Vice-President and Chief Financial Officer, Colette Kress, has been appointed interim Chief Executive Officer and will retain her finance portfolio until a permanent successor is selected.

The board said it would consider both internal and external candidates as part of the succession process.

It also appointed entrepreneur and investor Harvey C. Jones as the company's first-ever chairman of the board.

The leadership change follows days of controversy surrounding Huang's personal relationships and an investigation initiated by Nvidia's board into reports that he had been targeted by a foreign intelligence operation.

Huang had earlier admitted to an extramarital affair with Alice Huang, a former executive of Singapore-based technology company Megaspeed International, who has been suspected by US intelligence officials of having links to Chinese intelligence. He apologised to his family and Nvidia employees, while denying knowledge of any alleged espionage activities.

The controversy intensified after The New York Times reported another alleged relationship involving Kimberly Powell, an Nvidia executive who reportedly worked directly under Huang.

The developments prompted increased scrutiny of the company's leadership, particularly its potential exposure to national security concerns arising from its business relationships and international chip sales.

Nvidia's board had previously announced an independent investigation, stating that it had no reason to believe that the company's confidential information or national security interests had been compromised.

In its announcement, the board acknowledged Huang's significant contributions to the company and the wider technology industry, expressing appreciation for his leadership and role in Nvidia's growth.

Huang co-founded Nvidia in 1993 alongside Chris Malachowsky and Curtis Priem, transforming it from a graphics processing company into a major supplier of advanced chips used in artificial intelligence, gaming and high-performance computing.

His departure comes at a critical period for the company, whose processors have become central to the global expansion of artificial intelligence technologies.

Meanwhile, Nvidia shares reportedly fell sharply following the announcement, as investors assessed the implications of the leadership transition for the company's future direction.

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