A career built around numbers, financial strategy and some of the world's biggest technology companies has brought Colette Kress to the centre of one of the biggest leadership transitions in the tech industry.

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Nvidia's longtime finance chief has been appointed interim CEO after co-founder Jensen Huang resigned with immediate effect.

The appointment puts Kress in charge of the artificial intelligence chipmaker as its board begins searching for a permanent successor.

At 59, Kress is no newcomer to Nvidia's top leadership. She joined the company in September 2013 as Executive Vice President and Chief Financial Officer and has held the position ever since.

She will retain her CFO responsibilities while serving as interim chief executive.

Who is Colette Kress?

Kress is an American finance executive whose professional journey spans several major names in the technology sector.

Before becoming one of Nvidia's most senior executives, she worked at Texas Instruments, Microsoft and Cisco, gaining experience in corporate finance, financial planning and business strategy.

Her appointment marks a significant shift from overseeing Nvidia's financial operations to temporarily leading the entire organisation.

She now faces the task of maintaining continuity at a company whose processors have become integral to the global artificial intelligence industry.

From Texas Instruments to Nvidia

Kress began her career at Texas Instruments, where she spent eight years in finance-related positions. She moved to Microsoft in 1997 and remained with the company until 2010.

During her tenure at Microsoft, she took on increasing responsibilities and was appointed Chief Financial Officer of its Server and Tools division in 2006. Her role involved overseeing financial strategy, planning and reporting.

She later moved to Cisco, where she served as Senior Vice President and Chief Financial Officer before switching to Nvidia in September 2013.

Her 13-year journey at Nvidia

Kress joined Nvidia when its business was considerably smaller than it is today. The company reported revenue of $4.13 billion in the fiscal year she joined. By fiscal 2026, that figure had climbed to $215.9 billion.

Over the years, she has been closely involved in managing the financial side of Nvidia's expansion.

She has also appeared alongside Huang during quarterly earnings calls, engaging with investors as the company strengthened its position in the semiconductor and AI markets.

What did Colette Kress say after becoming interim CEO?

Following her appointment, Kress said she was committed to building on the foundation Huang had established during his 33 years at Nvidia.

She also emphasised the importance of the company's employees and its continued work in accelerated computing and artificial intelligence.

Her statement highlighted a commitment to serving Nvidia's customers, partners, developers and shareholders.

The company's board has expressed confidence in Kress and its existing leadership team, saying it expects business operations, customer commitments and the product roadmap to continue without interruption.

Kress will remain interim CEO until a permanent successor is appointed. The board is considering both internal and external candidates for the position.