According to reporting by The New York Times and corroborated by The Wall Street Journal, Nvidia’s board is preparing to remove CEO Jensen Huang. The move follows a fresh allegation that Huang engaged in a second extramarital affair, this time with an executive who reports directly to him. Board members are expected to convene as early as today to address the matter.
The alleged partner is identified as Kimberly Powell, Nvidia’s vice president of health care. Two unnamed sources told The New York Times that the pair were observed together at a San Jose hotel during the company’s GTC developer conference in March. The Times has not seen any video evidence, and the sources declined further comment.
The new claim arrives only weeks after Huang publicly acknowledged a prior relationship with a woman described by The Wall Street Journal as an alleged Chinese spy. That disclosure prompted Nvidia to retain former U.S. attorney Joon H. Kim and the law firm Wachtell, Lipton, Rosen & Katz to manage the ensuing investigation and potential legal exposure.
Following the earlier scandal, Nvidia also engaged crisis-communications firm Heller, as reported by Wired. Heller’s founder has advised high-profile figures embroiled in public sex scandals, including a former congressman and a well-known writer. The firm declined to comment on its current involvement with Nvidia, and no statement was obtained from the company.
Nvidia did not immediately respond to a request for comment from The Verge regarding the alleged affair or the board’s pending decision. The company’s silence follows a pattern of limited public communication on personal misconduct issues involving senior leadership. Observers note that the timing of the board meeting could influence market perception.
Rumors of a relationship between Huang and Powell have circulated within Nvidia for some time, according to an unnamed source speaking to CNBC. The source highlighted Powell’s lack of a health or science background as a factor fueling speculation. While internal dynamics remain opaque, the board’s swift action suggests heightened sensitivity to reputational risk.