Nvidia board to decide Jensen Huang's future as second alleged affair emerges; CEO's removal likely

The board of directors at American semiconductor giant Nvidia is reportedly preparing to remove its co-founder and Chief Executive Officer, Jensen Huang. Following revelations surrounding two extramarital relationships, directors are preparing to meet as early as Thursday to decide the future of the 63-year-old executive.

The reported developments follow widespread media coverage by The Wall Street Journal and The New York Times, which quoted people familiar with the matter. The disclosures have placed one of the technology industry’s most prominent leaders under intense pressure. Huang co-founded Nvidia in 1993 and transformed the company into the world's leading supplier of artificial intelligence chips.

Board considers ousting chief executive

Trouble began mounting after Huang admitted to an extramarital relationship in a note sent to Nvidia employees over the weekend. In the message, he confessed his infidelity, writing: "I was unfaithful to my wife." He also offered an apology for violating employee trust.

That relationship involved Alice Huang, a senior executive at Singapore-based data centre firm Megaspeed, which is a major customer buying Nvidia chips. Despite sharing a surname, the two bear no familial relation. The Wall Street Journal reported that photographs captured the pair together in Taipei during 2024 and 2025.

However, the matter extends beyond personal conduct. A US intelligence memorandum circulated this past spring alleged that Alice Huang was an asset linked to China's Ministry of State Security. Following Huang's acknowledgment, Nvidia's board initiated an inquiry led by law firm Wachtell, Lipton, Rosen & Katz.

Video evidence reveals relationship with subordinate

Fresh disclosures emerged on Wednesday when The New York Times reported a second relationship involving a direct subordinate. Citing five former and current Nvidia staff members, the report revealed a previously unrecorded relationship between Huang and Kimberly Powell, Nvidia's Vice President of Healthcare.

Powell, 48, joined the firm in 2008 and oversees programmes applying chip technology to higher education and healthcare, particularly medical imaging devices. Video recordings reportedly captured Huang and Powell behaving affectionately at a hotel in San Jose, California, during an Nvidia conference held in March.

This direct managerial relationship has drawn sharp scrutiny over workplace governance. Nvidia's employee code of conduct explicitly instructs staff to "avoid situations where our actions create conflict", specifically highlighting "personal relationships". The firm also maintains that it "promptly investigates reports of misconduct," noting that several corporations enforce strict rules restricting manager-subordinate relationships.

Investor lawsuit follows drop in share prices

The reported revelations involving both relationships have already created significant financial turbulence for the company. Nvidia shares have plummeted in recent days as details of the chief executive's personal conduct became public.

Angry investors have now taken formal legal action. Shareholders filed a class action lawsuit against Huang and the AI chip maker, claiming management failed to disclose information about the relationship to investors. Board directors now face a decisive meeting to determine whether their long-serving CEO can remain at the helm of the semiconductor giant.