In a major leadership shakeup, Nvidia has named long-time finance chief Colette Kress as the company’s interim CEO, replacing co-founder Jensen Huang. The move follows the board’s decision to oust Huang amid reports of personal misconduct involving extramarital affairs, including allegations of ties to a Chinese spy. Kress, who has been a pillar of the company’s financial strategy since joining in 2013, now steps into the spotlight to lead the chipmaker at a time when its AI-driven processors are at the center of the global technology landscape.

Kress brings a wealth of experience to the role, having navigated high-level financial positions at industry giants like Microsoft, Cisco, and Texas Instruments before her decade-long tenure at Nvidia. During her time as CFO, she has overseen an astronomical growth in revenue, scaling the company from $4.13 billion to over $215 billion. Ranked among America’s richest self-made women with a significant stake in the company, Kress is well-versed in the firm's operations and fiscal direction, positioning her as a steady hand while the board navigates this unexpected period of executive transition.