Potential successors named as Nvidia board considers CEO change

Nvidia's board is reportedly meeting to discuss a possible replacement for chief executive Jensen Huang following reports of personal misconduct that have raised corporate-governance and national-security questions. Analysts note that the company, valued as the world’s second-largest after Apple, faces a complex search for a successor.

Chief financial officer Colette Kress, who also serves as executive vice president, has been cited as a short-term stabilising option. Josh Gilbert, an analyst at eToro, said she "fronts every earnings call" and is a "familiar and trusted voice for the market at a time when it badly needs one." Gilbert added that a permanent appointment might favour an engineer with a technical background.

Co-founder Chris Malachowsky, who shares seniority with Huang, is another internal candidate. Ian Buck, head of Nvidia’s high-performance computing division, is also mentioned as a possible choice if the board prefers an engineer. Charu Chanana, an investment strategist at Saxo, commented that Buck "could protect Nvidia's technological edge, but his ability to manage the wider commercial relationships and geopolitical challenges would face scrutiny."

External options have been floated as well. Jun Bei Liu, founder and lead portfolio manager at Ten Cap, suggested that former Apple chief executive Tim Cook could bring supply-chain expertise, though his willingness to leave Apple is uncertain. Liu and Chanana also named Rene Haas, chief executive of Arm Holdings, noting his experience leading a publicly listed semiconductor firm, while acknowledging the differences between Arm’s and Nvidia’s business models.

Liu said the issue extends beyond personal conduct, emphasizing corporate-governance, national-security concerns and investor confidence in a strategically important company. Bernstein Research senior analyst Stacy Rasgon warned that "our gut tells us we probably haven't fully probed the depths of what might be found here," and Constellation Research chief executive Ray Wang said the situation primarily affects Nvidia rather than the broader AI industry.