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Pressure Mounts on Nvidia’s Jensen Huang Amid Reports of Second Affair
Developing story first seen 2 hours ago
New reports of a second alleged affair involving Nvidia chief executive Jensen Huang have intensified scrutiny of his position, with the company’s board reportedly preparing to decide his future. The allegations concern Kimberly Powell, Nvidia’s vice-president of healthcare, who reports to Huang; the reports cite people familiar with the relationship, while Nvidia and Powell have not commented.
The claims follow earlier reports linking Huang to Alice Huang, an executive at Nvidia customer Megaspeed whom US officials reportedly believe is a Chinese intelligence asset; China denies the allegation. Huang acknowledged being unfaithful to his wife in a letter to staff, and Nvidia’s board has opened an independent investigation. Nvidia shares fell 5.9% to $163.43 in premarket trading after losing about $430 billion in market value over two sessions; possible successors reportedly under discussion include Colette Kress, Ian Buck and former Nvidia executive Rene Haas.
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In short
- Reports allege a second affair involving Nvidia CEO Jensen Huang.
- Nvidia’s board is reportedly considering Huang’s future.
- Nvidia shares fell 5.9% in premarket trading.
How this story developed
- 28 minutes ago New reports link Nvidia chief executive Jensen Huang to a second alleged extramarital relationship, with company vice-president Kimberly Powell, adding to pressure on his position.
- 33 minutes ago New reports of a second alleged affair involving Nvidia chief executive Jensen Huang have intensified scrutiny of his position, with the company’s board reportedly preparing to decide his future.
- 43 minutes ago Reports of two extramarital relationships have put Nvidia chief executive Jensen Huang’s position under pressure, with the company’s board reportedly preparing to discuss his future.
- Daily Mail Nvidia CEO Jensen Huang caught in second affair after Chinese spy scandal as chip giant's stocks plummet
- GameSpot Nvidia’s Board Is Weighing Jensen Huang’s Future After Second Affair Revelation
- Decrypt Pressure Mounts on Nvidia’s Jensen Huang Amid Reports of Second Affair
- New York Times A Second Affair Revelation Rocks Nvidia, and a Democrat Wins Mississippi in a Major Senate Upset
Full account
Nvidia chief executive Jensen Huang is facing fresh scrutiny after reports that he had a second extramarital relationship, this time with a senior executive at the company. The New York Times reported that Kimberly Powell, Nvidia’s vice-president of healthcare, was involved with Huang and reported directly to him. The account, based on five people who had worked at Nvidia, comes amid a separate investigation into Huang’s relationship with Alice Huang, a business executive whom US officials reportedly suspect of working for Chinese intelligence.
The reports have put Huang’s position at the centre of a growing corporate crisis. The Wall Street Journal said Nvidia’s board was preparing to remove him and could meet to decide his future. That is a reported plan rather than a confirmed decision. Nvidia has not commented on the allegations in the accounts provided, and Powell did not respond to requests for comment. When contacted by the Times, Huang declined to discuss the matter directly.
The earlier relationship has raised questions beyond the company’s internal rules. The Times reported that Huang told Nvidia’s board he had been intimate with Alice Huang, after which directors opened an independent investigation led by the law firm Wachtell, Lipton, Rosen & Katz. The Journal said the US Justice Department was conducting multiple investigations involving Alice Huang. China has denied the allegations that she was an intelligence asset. Huang acknowledged in a staff letter that he had been unfaithful to his wife, but did not identify the person involved.
Investors have reacted sharply to the accumulating reports. Nvidia shares fell in pre-market trading on Thursday, following a steep decline earlier in the week; the precise scale differs between the supplied accounts, which cite different trading snapshots. Huang co-founded Nvidia in 1993 and remains its largest shareholder, with about 3.6 per cent of the company. The Journal’s account also raised questions about succession: Huang has reportedly expressed scepticism about succession planning, while Nvidia’s proxy statement describes the company as highly dependent on its established leadership team.
Where outlets differ
From the full account, which is AI-written from the sources:
The Wall Street Journal account focuses on the board’s reported preparations to oust Huang, the possibility of an imminent meeting and the company’s succession risks. The New York Times is the principal source for the reported relationship with Kimberly Powell, citing five former Nvidia employees; the supplied account does not say that either the Times or the Journal independently verified the relationship.
The second source adds detail not included in the first: it says two sources described video of Huang and Powell being affectionate at a San Jose hotel during an Nvidia conference, and notes Powell was seen wearing an engagement ring later in the year. These remain attributed claims, not established findings.
The accounts give different market-loss figures and snapshots. Source 1 reports a 5.9 per cent pre-market fall to $163.43 after Wednesday’s close at $173.73, and refers to about $430 billion in value lost on Monday and Tuesday. Source 2 describes a fall of nearly 9 per cent and gives cumulative weekly losses of $640 billion, or 14 per cent. The figures should not be treated as directly comparable without matching their timing and calculation basis.
Source 2 uses more emphatic language and includes Huang’s age, Powell’s career history and claims about the pair’s appearance at company events. Source 1 gives more attention to the board investigation, Justice Department inquiries, a proposed shareholder class action and a possible congressional subpoena.
Left-leaning outlets 1
- A Second Affair Revelation Rocks Nvidia, and a Democrat Wins Mississippi in a Major Senate UpsetNew York Times
Only here: revelation, rocks, democrat, wins, mississippi
Right-leaning outlets 1
Only here: jensen, huang, caught, chinese, scandal
Every side used: second, affair, nvidia
Headline columns compared word for word; nothing in them is AI-written.
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The strongest fair case each way — we don't pick a winner.
The case for
The board could reasonably conclude that credible allegations of a relationship between Huang and an executive who reports to him raise serious concerns about power, conflicts of interest and the company’s workplace culture. An independent process and, if warranted, a leadership change could protect staff, reassure investors and show that senior executives are held to the same standards as others.
The case against
The allegations remain unconfirmed, and reports about a private relationship alone may not establish misconduct or justify removing a chief executive. The board could reasonably wait for the independent investigation to establish the facts, assess any workplace or business consequences, and weigh those findings against the disruption and risks of replacing a leader central to Nvidia’s strategy.
Explained simply
Nvidia is a US technology company best known for designing chips used in artificial intelligence and gaming. Its chief executive, Jensen Huang, has led the company for decades and is a prominent figure in the technology industry.
The allegations concern relationships between Huang and women connected to Nvidia, including an executive who reports to him. The company’s board oversees senior leadership and has begun an independent investigation; Nvidia’s decisions can affect its staff, customers and investors.
The reports have also drawn attention because of claims involving an executive at a Nvidia customer, whom US officials reportedly suspect of links to Chinese intelligence. China denies that allegation. Nvidia’s importance in the fast-growing AI chip market means scrutiny of its leadership can matter well beyond the company.
Coverage · 4 sources
Bias meters
From 2 rated sources, 2 unrated.
- DecryptPressure Mounts on Nvidia’s Jensen Huang Amid Reports of Second Affair
- Daily MailRightNvidia CEO Jensen Huang caught in second affair after Chinese spy scandal as chip giant's stocks plummet
- GameSpotNvidia’s Board Is Weighing Jensen Huang’s Future After Second Affair Revelation
- New York TimesLeftA Second Affair Revelation Rocks Nvidia, and a Democrat Wins Mississippi in a Major Senate Upset