- Jensen Huang resigned as Nvidia CEO after 33 years.
- Alleged affair with executive suspected of Chinese intelligence links.
- Second affair report intensified board pressure, leading to resignation.
For more than three decades, Jensen Huang was the driving force behind Nvidia’s rise from a relatively small chipmaker into one of the world’s most valuable technology companies. But in November 2026, the co-founder abruptly stepped down as CEO, bringing his 33-year leadership of the AI chip giant to an end.
The resignation followed weeks of scrutiny over his alleged relationship with Alice Huang, a Singapore-based data centre executive suspected by US officials of having links to Chinese intelligence. The controversy raised questions about Nvidia’s business connections, the movement of its advanced AI chips and potential national security implications.
What initially appeared to be a controversy Huang could survive escalated after he acknowledged an extramarital affair, Nvidia’s board launched an investigation and a separate report emerged alleging another relationship with a senior company executive.
The developments also put Nvidia’s unusual dependence on its co-founder under the spotlight. Huang had been closely involved in the company’s technology, business strategy and management, leaving the board with the challenge of finding a successor capable of taking on his responsibilities.
Here is a timeline of the events that led to his departure, based on reports by The Guardian, The New York Times, The Wall Street Journal, Bloomberg, Reuters, and other publications.
2023-2024: How Megaspeed And Alice Huang Entered The Picture
March 2023: Megaspeed emerges from a Chinese gaming company
The story surrounding Huang’s exit has roots in the business activities of Megaspeed, a Singapore-based data centre company.
According to The Guardian, Megaspeed was spun out of Chinese video game company 7Road Holdings. Its ownership was transferred to Huang Le Ltd, an entity linked to Alice Huang, who became its managing director.
November 2023: Megaspeed becomes an Nvidia cloud partner
Megaspeed’s shares were subsequently transferred to a Singapore-based company called Swiftdata. Around the same time, it became an Nvidia cloud partner, a designation that could provide preferential access to the chipmaker’s advanced processors.
The company’s connection with Nvidia would later attract scrutiny amid questions about the movement of advanced AI chips into the Chinese market.
June 2024: Jensen Huang and Alice Huang are seen together in Taipei
The two were photographed at a bar in Taipei, Taiwan, where technology industry executives had gathered.
The Wall Street Journal reported that Kang Wei, Alice Huang’s husband and business associate, had introduced them. Their association would later become a central part of the controversy surrounding the Nvidia chief.
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2024-2025: Megaspeed receives hundreds of Nvidia chip shipments
According to The New York Times, Megaspeed received hundreds of shipments of Nvidia AI chips during this period. It used the computing capacity generated by the processors to serve customers, including Chinese technology companies Tencent and Alibaba.
The scale of its business also attracted attention. Reuters, citing financial filings, reported that Megaspeed’s assets increased from $33 million in 2023 to $3 billion in 2024.
2025: US Scrutiny Of Nvidia’s China Connections Intensifies
January 2025: Huang meets Donald Trump
Huang met US President Donald Trump at the White House on January 31. The meeting marked the beginning of a series of interactions between the two during Trump’s second term.
February 2025: Singapore opens an investigation into Megaspeed
Singapore began investigating Megaspeed and several other companies over suspected false declarations involving server purchases and other alleged offences, according to Bloomberg News.
May 2025: Huang and Alice Huang appear together at a Taipei event
The two were recorded together at a dinner in Taipei on May 22, around the time of the Computex technology conference. NYT also reported that Alice Huang had visited Nvidia’s headquarters in Santa Clara, California, earlier that year.
July 2025: Nvidia gets approval to sell H20 chips to China
Huang announced that Nvidia had secured approval from the Trump administration to sell its advanced H20 AI chips to China, reversing an earlier restriction.
He argued that American companies needed to remain competitive in the Chinese market. The same month, Nvidia became the first publicly listed company to reach a $4 trillion valuation.
September 2025: US Commerce Department examines Megaspeed
The US Department of Commerce began investigating whether Megaspeed was diverting Nvidia chips to Chinese companies, potentially in violation of American export restrictions on advanced AI processors.
October 2025: Trump is reportedly briefed about Huang’s relationship
US intelligence officials informed Trump about Huang’s relationship with Alice Huang and allegations that she was a Chinese spy.
The report said Trump did not take action at the time. He later said he did not remember receiving such a briefing.
December 2025: Trump approves sales of more advanced Nvidia chips to China
Trump authorised Nvidia to sell its second-most powerful chips to China, with a portion of the proceeds going to the US government.
Also Read : Inside Jensen Huang’s Final Hours At Nvidia: The Scandal That Changed Everything
2026: Intelligence Briefings Put Huang’s Relationship Under The Spotlight
February 2026: Alice Huang faces restrictions in Singapore
Singapore barred Alice Huang from re-entering the country after she reportedly downplayed her role at Megaspeed amid the investigation into its operations.
Separately, Chinese police detained her husband and business partner, Kang Wei, in connection with suspected stock manipulation, according to sources cited by Caixin.
May 12, 2026: Huang joins Trump’s China visit
Huang boarded Air Force One in Alaska to accompany Trump on a two-day trip to Beijing.
However, the visit came amid fresh concerns within the US administration. NYT reported that Secretary of State Marco Rubio had prepared a memo warning Trump about the potential counterintelligence risks associated with Huang’s relationship with Alice Huang.
The report said this was the second time US intelligence had briefed the president on the matter. Despite the concerns, Trump had publicly welcomed Huang’s participation in the trip.
September 2026: Huang attends White House events
Huang attended a state dinner hosted by Trump for Chinese President Xi Jinping on September 24. Five days later, he participated in a White House AI event and signed voluntary AI safety standards.
October 2026: Reports about suspected Chinese intelligence links become public
The controversy entered the public domain when NYT reported that US intelligence officials suspected Alice Huang of having links to Chinese intelligence and that Huang may have been targeted.
The allegations raised questions about whether sensitive information or access to Nvidia’s advanced chips could have been compromised, particularly given the company’s business connections and US restrictions on chip exports to China.
Nvidia spokesperson John Rizzo said at the time that Huang’s relationship with Alice Huang was nothing out of the ordinary.
China rejected the spying allegations, describing them as a “smear”.
November 2026: The Events That Led To Huang’s Resignation
November 8: Huang acknowledges an affair; Nvidia board launches an investigation
Huang sent an email to Nvidia employees acknowledging that he had an extramarital affair. He apologised to his family and reaffirmed his commitment to the company.
The board announced an independent investigation into the matter. It also said it had no reason to believe that company secrets or national security information had been disclosed.
Initially, Huang appeared likely to retain his position. Several prominent Silicon Valley figures publicly rallied behind him, suggesting that the controversy might not immediately end his tenure.
November 9: Trump says he believes Huang
Trump addressed the allegations during an impromptu White House press conference, saying he had spoken to Huang about Alice Huang’s suspected links to Chinese intelligence.
According to Trump, the Nvidia chief had told him that he was unaware of her alleged connections.
“I really believe him,” Trump said, describing Huang as an honourable man who was going through a difficult period.
Trump also said the FBI was investigating the matter but indicated that he believed Huang would be “in good shape”.
November 10: Investor files lawsuit against Nvidia and Huang
The controversy moved into the legal arena when retail investor Mark Kistenmacher filed a lawsuit against Nvidia and its CEO in California.
The lawsuit accused the company of misleading investors by failing to disclose information about Huang’s relationship and the potential national security implications. It argued that the allegations could threaten Nvidia’s business prospects.
November 11: Report of a second affair puts Huang’s position at risk
The situation changed significantly after The New York Times reported that Huang had allegedly been involved in another extramarital relationship, this time with Kimberly Powell, Nvidia’s vice-president of healthcare.
The report came while the board was already examining the allegations involving Alice Huang. Around the same time, The Wall Street Journal reported that Nvidia directors were preparing to remove Huang from his position.
The board’s position appeared to have shifted after weeks of scrutiny. The next day, the company announced the end of Huang’s tenure.
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November 12: Huang steps down after 33 years
Nvidia announced that Huang had resigned as president, CEO and board member with immediate effect.
The board began looking for a permanent successor and appointed Chief Financial Officer Colette Kress as interim CEO. Harvey C. Jones became the company’s first-ever board chairman.
The announcement ended Huang’s 33-year association with the company he co-founded in 1993.
What Happens To Nvidia After Jensen Huang’s Exit?
Huang’s departure has left Nvidia facing a leadership transition at a time when its processors remain central to the global AI industry.
The market reaction was swift. Nvidia shares fell more than 14 per cent to an intraday low of $148.80 after the resignation announcement, before recovering to close at $166.19, down 4.34 per cent. The stock remained nearly 32 per cent below its early-October peak of $243.37 at Thursday’s close.
The leadership change has also prompted questions about how Nvidia will maintain the customer relationships and business arrangements developed under Huang. Investor Michael Burry, who had already been betting against the company, warned that his departure could slow growth and put pressure on profit margins. He advised investors who remained bullish on Nvidia to “get out”.
For now, Kress is leading the company on an interim basis as the board considers permanent candidates. Nvidia’s fiscal third-quarter results, scheduled for November 17, will be another important development for investors assessing the company after Huang’s exit.
The challenge is not simply to appoint a new CEO. Nvidia must demonstrate that the business, management structure and market position built around Huang can continue without his direct involvement.
Disclaimer : This story is auto aggregated by a computer programme and has not been created or edited by DOWNTHENEWS. Publisher: abplive.com
