E-Magazine‘I am a piece of sh**’: Inside Jensen Huang’s final hours before Nvidia exit
A new report offers details of Jensen Huang's final days at Nvidia.
As the controversy grew, Huang reportedly struggled to focus on his responsibilities.
He had started using phrases such as "whatever" and "I don't care".
Jensen Huang has been making headlines after admitting to having an affair, with reports linking him to a woman suspected of being a Chinese spy. The controversy took a dramatic turn when fresh allegations of multiple relationships emerged. What initially appeared to be a scandal Huang could survive eventually cost him his position as Nvidia CEO. A new Bloomberg report offers details of his final days at the company, revealing how the once-confident billionaire struggled as the allegations mounted and the board moved against him. He had reportedly started using phrases such as "whatever" and "I don't care". He also described himself as a "piece of sh**."
How the allegations led to Jensen Huang’s downfall
When reports first emerged in late October about Huang's close relationship with Alice Huang, a woman suspected by US intelligence of being a Chinese spy, Nvidia's board was initially reluctant to take action. Many directors had longstanding relationships with the CEO and did not want to publicly comment on the allegations.
Huang also denied being unfaithful to his wife when questioned by colleagues. In an interview with Bloomberg, he described his relationship with Alice Huang as normal and similar to his interactions with other Chinese customers and business executives.
However, things changed on November 6, when a Financial Times report cited US officials claiming that the relationship was romantic. Soon after, Nvidia's general counsel Tim Teter visited Huang at his home and confronted him. Huang confessed to the affair.
The board later announced an investigation led by law firm Wachtell, Lipton, Rosen & Katz. On Sunday, Huang emailed employees, admitted to the affair, apologised to his family and promised to "cooperate fully" with the investigation.
‘I don’t care’, 'I'm a piece of sh**': Jensen Huang's final hours at Nvidia
As the controversy grew, Huang reportedly struggled to focus on his responsibilities. He usually kept a close watch on the company's operations and regularly responded to emails from executives, even late at night. However, his replies reportedly became slower in recent days.
The situation worsened on Wednesday when The New York Times reported that Huang was also involved in an extramarital relationship with Kimberly Powell, Nvidia's vice president of health care. With fresh allegations emerging, the board held a meeting that continued late into the night.
According to the report, Huang's usual confidence had disappeared. A person familiar with the situation said he had started using phrases such as "whatever" and "I don't care". He also reportedly described himself as a "piece of sh**."
By the end of the meeting, Huang had no choice but to resign.
What happens next for Nvidia?
The following morning, Nvidia appointed CFO Colette Kress as interim CEO. She reassured employees that the company remained committed to its future and announced an all-hands meeting for November 18. The board is now finding a permanent replacement for Huang. AMD CEO Lisa Su and Arm CEO Rene Haas are among the names being considered, according to Bloomberg.
Meanwhile, Huang is expected to testify before Congress in the coming weeks. Lawmakers are likely to question him about his relationship with Alice Huang and whether it exposed Nvidia's technology secrets to potential risks.
Ayushi Jain Ayushi works as Chief Copy Editor at Digit, covering everything from breaking tech news to in-depth smartphone reviews. Prior to Digit, she was part of the editorial team at IANS.
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