Jensen Huang resigns as Nvidia chief executive

Nvidia's Jensen Huang has resigned as CEO of the company, following the revelation of his affair with a woman suspected of being a Chinese spy and reports of a relationhip another woman who was a company employee.

In a Form 8-K [PDF] filed with the US Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC), the GPU maker disclosed that it accepted the resignation of Huang, whom it identified as Jen-Hsun Huang, on November 11, effective immediately.

He is being replaced by chief financial officer Colette Kress, who will serve as interim leader while the board conducts a search for a new CEO.

Huang, who founded Nvidia in 1993 and served as president, CEO, and a member of the board of directors ever since, led the GPU maker to become one of the most valuable companies in the world, hitting a hit peak of over $5.5 trillion earlier this year.

His position became untenable following an investigation by the company's board after he admitted to an affair, amid allegations he had a romantic relationship with a woman the US authorities suspected as a Chinese spy.

Reports later surfaced this week of a second alleged affair with an employee of the company itself, reported by the New York Times as being with Kimberly Powell, Nvidia's vice president of health care.

This is a developing story which will be expanded as more detail emerges. (R)