Inside the leadership change at the world’s most closely watched AI chipmaker, and what comes next
About NVIDIA CEO NVIDIA’s Board of Directors announced on November 12, 2026 that Jensen Huang has resigned as President, Chief Executive Officer, and a member of the Board, effective immediately. The announcement ends one of the longest-running founder-led tenures in the technology industry. The company also named an interim chief executive and created a new governance role in the same release.
What Was Announced
The press release made three major announcements:
- Jensen Huang resigned from all three of his roles: President, CEO, and Board member.
- Colette Kress, NVIDIA’s Executive Vice President and Chief Financial Officer, was appointed Interim CEO.
- Harvey C. Jones was named the first-ever Chair of the Board.
The Board said it is starting a search for a permanent CEO and will consider both internal and external candidates. No timeline was given. The release also did not state a reason for Huang’s departure, so any explanation circulating elsewhere is speculation until NVIDIA or Huang says more.
Colette Kress Steps Into the Top Job
Kress is a familiar figure to anyone who follows NVIDIA’s earnings calls. She joined the company in September 2013 as CFO and has led its finance organization through its biggest period of growth. Before NVIDIA, she spent nearly 25 years in finance roles at technology companies, including Cisco and Microsoft.
Kress will keep her CFO duties while serving as Interim CEO, so she will hold both roles until a permanent successor is named. That is a heavy workload, and it signals the Board wants continuity in the short term rather than a dramatic reset.
In her statement, Kress said she is committed to “building on the extraordinary foundation Jensen created over the last 33 years.” She added that the company will keep focusing on customers, partners, developers, and shareholders.
A New Chair and a Governance First
The creation of a Board Chair position is one of the most notable details of the announcement. NVIDIA had never had one before, so the appointment of Harvey C. Jones marks a structural change.
Jones has more than 30 years of experience as an entrepreneur, technology executive, and venture investor. He previously served as CEO and Executive Chairman of Synopsys, a leading supplier of chip design software. That background suits NVIDIA, whose products depend on advanced semiconductor design.
Jones said Kress understands the company’s business, customers, operations, and financial position. He also said the Board expects operations, customer commitments, and the product roadmap to continue without interruption.
What It Means for Customers and Partners
NVIDIA sits at the center of the global AI buildout. Cloud providers, startups, governments, and research labs all depend on its GPUs, networking technology, and software ecosystem. When leadership changes at a company like that, the first question is whether delivery schedules and product plans will hold.
The Board’s message is that they will. It pointed to an experienced leadership team that has been central to executing NVIDIA’s strategy and technology roadmap. Customers and partners will still want to see that reassurance backed by consistent product launches and communication over the coming months.
Earnings Still on Schedule
NVIDIA confirmed it will report third-quarter fiscal 2027 results on Tuesday, November 17, at about 1:20 p.m. PT. The earnings call follows at 2 p.m. PT, as previously scheduled.
Keeping the date sends a signal of stability. It also means investors and analysts will hear from Kress, as both CFO and Interim CEO, within days of the announcement. Expect questions about the leadership transition, the CEO search, and whether the growth outlook has changed.
The Road Ahead
Several questions will shape how this story develops:
- Who will be the permanent CEO? The Board is open to internal and external candidates, and the choice will say a lot about the company’s direction.
- How long will the search take? Companies of this size often take months to name a successor, though NVIDIA has not given a timeline.
- How will the new Chair work with the CEO? With a first-ever Chair in place, the balance of responsibilities between the Board and management will be closely watched.
- What will Huang do next? The announcement did not address his plans or whether he will keep any relationship with the company.
The release itself called Huang’s contributions profound and described NVIDIA as one of the most consequential technology companies in the world. The Board and company thanked him for his contributions to NVIDIA and the industry.
Final Thoughts
Huang leaves after 33 years leading the company, so this is a major moment for NVIDIA and for the AI industry. The company has responded by pairing an interim CEO who has long been its financial leader with a newly created Chair role, and by promising that operations will continue as planned. The coming weeks, starting with the November 17 earnings call, will show how investors, customers, and partners respond. We’ll be following the story as the CEO search develops.
