Nvidia Board Clarifies CEO Search as Leadership Transition Begins

Nvidia's board of directors has not yet retained an executive search firm to identify a permanent successor to longtime chief executive Jensen Huang, the company confirmed in a statement to CNBC Business (https://www.cnbc.com/2026/11/13/nvidia-huang-ceo-replacement-search.html).

The clarification comes amid intense market speculation over who will assume leadership of the world's preeminent supplier of artificial intelligence accelerators. Huang stepped down abruptly on Thursday following reports of extramarital relationships, including one with a businesswoman whom U.S. intelligence officials identified as an operative for Beijing.

Addressing rumors regarding prospective contenders, Nvidia's board said it remains in the preliminary administrative phase of the succession process. "We are in the process of selecting a search firm for the Nvidia CEO role," the board said in a statement. "We have not formally engaged any potential candidates."

Following Huang's resignation, the board appointed Chief Financial Officer Colette Kress as interim chief executive and named director Harvey C. Jones to the newly created position of board chair. The company has stated that the search committee will evaluate both internal leaders and external executives for the permanent chief executive role.

The succession process unfolds during a sensitive operational stretch for the Santa Clara, California-based chipmaker. Nvidia is scheduled to release its fiscal third-quarter financial results on Nov. 17, a milestone that will test whether surging corporate demand for its data center architectures can reassure investors grappling with unexpected executive turnover and broader regulatory headwinds.