NVIDIA Faces Leadership Change as Jensen Huang Steps Down After 33 Years

The NVIDIA co-founder has resigned as president and CEO, with longtime CFO Colette Kress appointed interim chief executive as the company begins its search for a permanent successor.

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Jensen Huang has stepped down as chief executive of NVIDIA after 33 years at the helm, ending a tenure that saw the company grow from a graphics processor manufacturer into a major force in the global technology industry. His departure comes as demand for artificial intelligence computing continues to drive investment across the sector, with NVIDIA supplying processors and computing platforms used by some of the world's largest technology companies.

NVIDIA confirmed on November 12, 2026, that Huang had resigned as president, chief executive officer and a member of its board, effective immediately. The board appointed Colette Kress, the company's executive vice president and chief financial officer, as interim CEO. She will retain her finance responsibilities while the company searches for a permanent successor. Harvey C. Jones, who has served on NVIDIA's board since 1993, has also been appointed its first-ever chair. The board said it would consider both internal and external candidates for the permanent position, although it has not announced a timetable for the search.

A New Leadership Team at NVIDIA

Kress joined NVIDIA in September 2013 and has overseen its finances through more than a decade of growth. Before joining the company, she held senior finance positions at Cisco and Microsoft, as well as roles at Texas Instruments. Her experience within NVIDIA gives her a detailed understanding of its financial position, operations and relationships with major customers.

In her statement following the appointment, Kress said: "NVIDIA’s strength has always come from its people, and together with our leadership team, I am committed to building on the extraordinary foundation Jensen created over the last 33 years." She will continue working with NVIDIA's existing executive team while the board considers candidates for the permanent role.

Jones brings experience from across the technology and investment sectors. A member of NVIDIA's board since 1993, he previously served as CEO and executive chairman of Synopsys and has also led Square Wave Ventures, a private investment firm. Commenting on Kress's appointment, Jones said: "Colette has helped lead NVIDIA through a period of extraordinary growth and has a deep understanding of our business, customers, operations and financial position." He also expressed confidence in the existing leadership team and the company's ability to maintain its operations, customer commitments and product roadmap during the transition.

AI demand remains central to NVIDIA's business

NVIDIA continues to report strong financial growth, largely driven by investment in AI infrastructure. For fiscal 2026, the company reported revenue of $215.9 billion, up 65% from the previous year. Its Data Center business generated $193.7 billion, an increase of 68%, making it the company's largest source of revenue.

Access to processors, networking equipment and software remains a major consideration for customers planning these investments. Large data center projects involve long planning cycles and substantial capital commitments, making reliable product supply and technical support important to their progress. NVIDIA has said its existing customer commitments and product roadmap will remain on track, an assurance that will matter to businesses planning deployments around its technology.

The announcement also has relevance for the Middle East, where governments and private investors are committing more resources to data centers, cloud platforms and AI infrastructure. Across the GCC, new computing facilities and international technology partnerships are becoming part of wider digital development plans. NVIDIA's position in the AI hardware market makes its product strategy and relationships with regional infrastructure providers relevant to companies involved in these projects.

Kress's appointment gives NVIDIA an experienced internal leader while the board searches for a permanent CEO. Her familiarity with the company's finances, operations and customers should help maintain continuity during the transition. The eventual appointment will provide a clearer indication of the board's longer-term plans, particularly as competition in AI hardware and computing infrastructure develops and customers pay closer attention to the cost and performance of the systems they deploy.

NVIDIA is scheduled to announce its third-quarter fiscal 2027 financial results on November 17, 2026, as previously planned. Investors and industry observers will have an early opportunity to hear from the interim leadership following the change, alongside an update on the company's financial performance and business priorities.

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