Nvidia is searching for a new chief executive following the resignation of co-founder Jensen Huang, effective November 12. Colette Kress, the company’s chief financial officer, has stepped in as interim CEO. Huang’s departure comes after reports of personal scandals, including allegations involving a woman linked to Chinese intelligence, although Nvidia maintains that no company secrets were compromised.
Colette Kress and Other Internal Candidates for CEO
Kress has been with Nvidia since 2013 and is well-acquainted with the company’s operations and investors. Her familiarity with Nvidia’s financial landscape may position her favorably for the permanent role. However, some question her lack of an engineering background, which is significant for a company focused on cutting-edge technology.
Ian Buck, who joined Nvidia in 2004 and is credited with developing the CUDA software platform, is also considered a strong internal candidate. As vice president of hyperscale and high-performance computing, he leads critical AI and cloud product initiatives. Despite his technical expertise, he lacks experience managing a company of Nvidia’s scale.
External Candidates and Speculation
Rene Haas, currently leading British chip designer Arm, is another name in the running. His previous experience at Nvidia and knowledge of the company’s culture make him a viable option, although his departure from Arm could be complicated.
Johny Srouji, Apple’s chief hardware officer, is also being considered. Srouji has a robust background in chip design and was recently promoted at Apple, making his potential move to Nvidia unlikely but noteworthy.
Additionally, speculation has arisen around Lisa Su, CEO of AMD and cousin to Huang. While her leadership at AMD makes her a strong candidate, her current position at a rival firm complicates the possibility of a transition.
Other potential candidates include Nvidia veterans Jay Puri and Michael Kagan, although no formal succession plan has been disclosed by the board. The board is evaluating both internal and external candidates, but no timeline for a decision has been announced.
