NVIDIA co-founder and Chief Executive Officer Jensen Huang has resigned after 33 years leading the semiconductor company.
His departure follows reports of alleged extramarital relationships, including one involving a businesswoman reportedly suspected by US intelligence officials of having links to Chinese intelligence.
NVIDIA’s board has launched an independent investigation into whether Huang was targeted by a foreign intelligence operation.
Following his resignation, announced on November 12, 2026, the company appointed its long-time Chief Financial Officer, Colette Kress, as interim CEO while the board searches for a permanent successor.
Who is Colette Kress?
Colette Kress is an American finance executive with nearly four decades of professional experience, including more than 13 years at NVIDIA. She joined the company in September 2013 as Executive Vice President and Chief Financial Officer, overseeing its financial operations, planning, reporting and investor relations.
Before joining NVIDIA, Kress built her career across several major technology companies, including Texas Instruments, Microsoft and Cisco.
She began her career at Texas Instruments, where she spent eight years in various finance positions. In 1997, she joined Microsoft, spending 13 years in different financial leadership roles. One of her most notable positions was Chief Financial Officer of Microsoft’s Server and Tools division, which she held for four years.
In 2010, she moved to Cisco as Senior Vice President and CFO of its Business Technology and Operations Finance organisation. Her responsibilities included financial strategy, planning, reporting and business development across the company’s business segments, engineering and operations.
Kress holds a Bachelor of Science degree in Finance from the University of Arizona and an MBA from Southern Methodist University.
Her 13-year journey at NVIDIA
Since joining NVIDIA, Kress has played an important role in managing the company’s financial growth and transformation.
Her tenure has coincided with NVIDIA’s expansion from a graphics processing company known largely for gaming GPUs into one of the world’s most important suppliers of artificial intelligence and accelerated computing infrastructure.
She has overseen the company’s finance organisation during this transformation, helping manage its financial strategy, investor relations and growing business operations.
NVIDIA’s annual revenue increased from approximately $4.13 billion in fiscal year 2013 to $215.9 billion in fiscal year 2026.
Kress has also become a familiar voice to investors through the company’s quarterly earnings calls, where she discusses financial performance, market demand and business outlook.
As interim CEO, she will continue serving as CFO while taking on responsibility for leading NVIDIA’s overall business until a permanent successor is appointed.
Last updated: November 12, 2026
