US President Donald Trump has suggested that Apple executive chairman Tim Cook should take over as Nvidia’s chief executive after Jensen Huang resigned from the post. In a message on Truth Social on Thursday, Trump praised Huang’s leadership and described Cook as the only person suited to replace him.
“NOW THAT Nvidia CEO JENSEN HUANG, who has done a fantastic job, has resigned, there is only one man to take his place – TIM COOK of Apple. A Legend replaces a Legend,” Trump wrote.
Huang’s exit follows weeks of controversy surrounding reports of two extramarital relationships, one involving a Chinese businesswoman and another with a senior Nvidia executive. Nvidia has not announced Cook as a possible candidate for the position. The company’s board has appointed its longtime finance chief Colette Kress as interim CEO while it searches for a permanent replacement.
Two affair allegations put Huang under scrutiny
The first controversy involved Alice Huang, a Chinese businesswoman and former executive at Singapore-based data centre company Megaspeed. US intelligence agencies reportedly suspected her of gathering information for Beijing. The allegations raised questions about whether Jensen Huang had been targeted as part of a foreign intelligence operation.
Huang did not name the woman in his message to Nvidia employees on November 8, but admitted that he had been unfaithful to his wife and apologised to his family and colleagues. Nvidia’s board subsequently announced an independent investigation into reports of a possible foreign intelligence effort. The company said it had no reason to believe that national security or its secrets had been compromised.
A second allegation emerged on November 11, when a New York Times report claimed Huang had also been involved in a relationship with Kimberly Powell, Nvidia’s vice-president of healthcare, who reportedly reported directly to him. The report cited five people who had worked at the company. Neither Huang nor Nvidia confirmed the allegation.
Colette Kress named interim CEO
Following Huang’s resignation, Nvidia appointed Kress, who has served as its Executive Vice-President and Chief Financial Officer since September 2013, as interim CEO. She will retain her finance responsibilities until a permanent successor is named.
The board has said it will consider both internal and external candidates for the position. It has also appointed Harvey C. Jones, a member of Nvidia’s board since 1993, as its first-ever chairman.
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