Colette Kress, Nvidia's executive vice president and chief financial officer, has assumed the role of interim CEO following Jensen Huang's sudden resignation on November 12, 2026 [1]. Huang stepped down after multiple extramarital affairs came to light [1]. Kress joined Nvidia in September 2013 after holding finance roles at Cisco, Microsoft, and Texas Instruments [1]. She has been a prominent voice alongside Huang on earnings calls and is described by analysts as having "significant respect" within the company, with one analyst characterizing her as "more of a COO" than just a CFO [1].
The transition occurs at a critical juncture for the world's most valuable chipmaker. Huang, who co-founded Nvidia in 1993, had operated as the company's primary spokesperson and face of the brand for 33 years, personally deciding project priorities and maintaining direct communication with engineers [1]. According to analyst Dan Ives of Yorkville Ives & Co., "Jensen didn't do anything without her," describing Kress as "a Swiss Army knife for Nvidia" involved in strategic decisions across customers, partners, and technology [1]. Kress stated in her leadership statement: "NVIDIA's strength has always come from its people, and together with our leadership team, I am committed to building on the extraordinary foundation Jensen created over the last 33 years" [1].
The market reacted negatively to the leadership transition. Nvidia shares plunged 14% on Thursday following the announcement [1]. Analysts indicate that a permanent replacement is likely to come from outside the company, as Nvidia's board is considering both internal and external candidates [1]. Despite the market turbulence, industry observers note that Kress "deeply understands the business and has shown fierce loyalty to the company," according to Daniel Newman, CEO of Futurum Group [1].
CONCLUSION
Nvidia faces significant leadership uncertainty following Jensen Huang's resignation, with CFO Colette Kress stepping into the interim CEO role at a pivotal moment for the AI chipmaker. The 14% stock decline reflects market concerns about the transition, though analysts view Kress as a capable steward with deep operational knowledge, while the board pursues a permanent external replacement.