Employees at the American technology company Nvidia are calling on the board of directors to reinstate Jensen Huang as chief executive following his unexpected resignation. An internal appeal, published by one of the company’s senior engineers, has garnered over 1,600 comments, the majority of which support the founder’s return. This was reported on 12 November 2026 by WIRED, whose journalists had access to internal staff correspondence. Nvidia itself confirmed Huang’s resignation, appointing Chief Financial Officer Colette Kress as interim CEO.
- Nvidia staff are calling for Jensen Huang to be reinstated as chief executive.
- An internal appeal to the board of directors has attracted over 1,600 comments, the majority of which support his return.
- On 12 November, Nvidia officially announced Huang’s resignation after 33 years at the helm of the company.
- Colette Kress has been appointed acting chief executive, whilst Harvey Jones has been appointed chairman of the board of directors.
- The Board of Directors is looking for a permanent director. No decision has been announced regarding Huang’s possible return.
Why do Nvidia employees want Huang back?
According to WIRED, the request appeared in the internal suggestion scheme Nvidia even before the official announcement of Huang’s resignation. It was written by an engineer with many years’ experience, who urged the board of directors to take the employees’ views into account before making staffing decisions.
Following the resignation of the company’s founder, the debate gathered momentum. Some staff members began calling for his return, emphasising his role Huanga in establishing Nvidia as one of the world’s leading manufacturers of processors for artificial intelligence.
One employee told WIRED journalists that the company owes much of its success to Huang. Other participants in the discussion called on the board of directors to give the former CEO a second chance.
One employee sent out a message via the company email system calling for a transparent explanation of the reasons behind the CEO’s dismissal. According to him, supporting Huang does not mean denying that mistakes may have been made, but employees have the right to know the circumstances behind this decision.
WIRED also reported that around two dozen employees had publicly voiced their support for Huang on LinkedIn. However, these statements do not reflect the views of the entire workforce, which numbers around 42,000.
Why did Jensen Huang leave Nvidia?
On 12 November, Nvidia officially announced the resignation of 63-year-old Jensen Huang from his positions as president, chief executive officer and member of the board of directors. In documents filed with the US Securities and Exchange Commission, the date of the decision is stated as 11 November.
The resignation followed reports in the American media about Huang’s extramarital affairs. In a letter to staff, the businessman himself admitted to marital infidelity and stated that there was no excuse for his actions.
Separately, on 8 November, Nvidia’s board of directors announced an independent investigation following reports of a possible attempt by foreign intelligence services to exert influence over Huang. The investigation has been entrusted to independent board members, with the assistance of external legal advisers.
The company emphasised at the time that it had no reason to believe that US national security or Nvidia’s trade secrets had been compromised. The final findings of the investigation have not yet been made public.
There is no proper evidence to support the claims that Huang was in a state of psychological distress prior to his resignation; therefore, these claims cannot be presented as established facts.
Who could take over from Jensen Huang at Nvidia?
Following the founder’s resignation, Nvidia appointed an interim chief executive Colette Kress, who has been the company’s finance director since 2013. The chair of the board of directors is Harvey Jones, who has been associated with Nvidia since its foundation.
According to a Reuters report dated 13 November, the board of directors is considering candidates for the permanent chief executive. The Financial Times reported that Arm’s chief executive is among the potential candidates René Haas, who previously worked at Nvidia.
At the same time, Nvidia itself has stated that it has not yet held any formal talks with potential candidates and is merely selecting a firm to help organise the search for Huang’s successor.
According to Reuters, Nvidia’s shares closed trading on 13 November down by approximately 2 per cent, whilst the total decline in market capitalisation over the week amounted to around $573 billion. This illustrates the scale of investors’ reaction to the staffing crisis, although changes in share prices cannot be attributed to a single factor alone.
As of 14 November 2026, Colette Kress is acting as interim CEO. The Board of Directors has not indicated any intention to reinstate Jensen Huang, despite public support from some staff members. The search for a permanent chief executive and the independent investigation are ongoing.
