Nvidia's board is reportedly preparing to oust co-founder and chief executive officer Jensen Huang, according to multiple U.S. media outlets including the Wall Street Journal. The move comes amid investigations into whether Huang was targeted by foreign intelligence operations following reports of personal relationships.
Alleged Affair with Alleged Chinese Intelligence Asset
The report emerged as part of broader scrutiny into potential foreign influence within the company’s leadership. According to sources cited in the Wall Street Journal, U.S. intelligence has identified a woman—later reported by the New York Times as Alice H.—as an asset linked to Chinese intelligence services. She previously worked at Singapore-based data center firm Megaspeed and is not related to Jensen Huang.
Huang acknowledged infidelity in an internal employee note but did not name his partner publicly. The statement was shared internally without official disclosure or public comment on the nature of the relationship.
Second Alleged Affair with Nvidia Executive
The New York Times also reports that Huang had an affair with Kimberly Powell, Nvidia’s vice president of health care. When asked about this relationship by reporters, Huang responded: "I don't think you should be talking to me directly," before ending the call.
Nvidia and Powell have neither confirmed nor denied these allegations in response to media requests via Reuters.
Corporate Reaction and Shareholder Action
Following news of potential leadership changes, Nvidia's stock dropped approximately 8% during after-hours trading on Wednesday. A reporter from Bloomberg indicated that the board is working with a third-party firm to identify possible successors and may appoint an interim CEO while evaluating long-term replacements.
In addition, shareholders filed a proposed class action lawsuit against both Huang and Nvidia, alleging they concealed information about the alleged relationships and their potential impact on corporate governance and investor confidence.
The Chinese government has rejected the espionage allegations in official statements, asserting no involvement by its intelligence services.
Limits of Verification
As of now, there are no public records confirming the identity or activities of Alice H. nor any verified evidence linking her directly to Chinese state intelligence operations. The claims remain unproven and rely solely on U.S.-based reporting sources. All details regarding personal conduct and internal affairs have been derived from media reports without independent verification.