Third Reported Affair Emerges In Jensen Huang Scandal
Fresh Revelation Adds To Controversy Surrounding Nvidia CEO's Reported Resignation
A third reported extramarital relationship involving former Nvidia chief executive Jensen Huang has surfaced, adding another twist to the controversy that culminated in his resignation from the world's leading artificial intelligence chipmaker.
According to a Reuters report, Huang had an intimate relationship with another Nvidia employee, citing two people familiar with the matter. The employee has not been identified.
The latest revelation follows reports of two other relationships involving the 63-year-old billionaire. One was with Alice Huang, a former executive at Singapore-based cloud computing company Megaspeed, who has reportedly been suspected by US intelligence officials of having links to Chinese intelligence. The other was with Kimberly Powell, Nvidia's vice-president of healthcare.
Reuters said it was not naming the employee involved in the newly reported relationship. Attempts to reach the woman were unsuccessful.
Nvidia declined to comment on the latest development, while Jensen Huang, Powell and a representative for the company's board did not respond to requests for comment. Alice Huang could also not be reached.
Huang had acknowledged being unfaithful to his wife in a November 8 statement to Nvidia employees, following reports of his relationship with Alice Huang, although he did not identify her by name.
"I was unfaithful to my wife. My actions hurt her and our children. There is no excuse for what I did," Huang said in the statement, while apologising to his family and colleagues.
The controversy intensified after reports of his relationship with Powell, prompting renewed scrutiny of his leadership and the company's handling of the allegations.
Huang subsequently resigned as Nvidia's president and chief executive officer on Thursday after 33 years with the company he co-founded. Nvidia's board appointed Chief Financial Officer Colette Kress as interim CEO while it considers internal and external candidates for a permanent successor.
The scandal has also raised concerns over potential national security implications following allegations that Alice Huang had links to Chinese intelligence. Nvidia's board had earlier initiated an independent investigation into whether its founder had been targeted by a foreign intelligence operation.
The board had said it had no reason to believe that either national security or the company's trade secrets had been compromised.
Huang's departure comes at a crucial time for Nvidia, whose advanced chips have become central to the global artificial intelligence boom and the technology competition between the United States and China.
