Who Could Take Over Nvidia If Jensen Huang Is Ousted? Meet The Top Contenders

Nvidia could face a major leadership shake-up as its board considers whether to remove longtime CEO Jensen Huang, raising questions about who could take charge of the world's most valuable AI chipmaker if he exits.

Nvidia's board met on Wednesday to discuss Huang's possible ouster following reports of two extramarital affairs involving the chief executive, according to Reuters. Concerns over the potential leadership crisis have helped wipe $600 billion off Nvidia's market value this week, pushing the company into second place among the world's most valuable firms.

Although Huang has never publicly named a successor, two senior executives have emerged as potential candidates to lead the company in the near term: Ian Buck, one of Nvidia's top engineering figures, and Chief Financial Officer Colette Kress.

Who Is Ian Buck?

With more than two decades at Nvidia, Ian Buck has been closely involved in some of the company's most important technological developments. He played a key role in building CUDA, the software platform that helped Nvidia expand beyond graphics processors and become a major force in artificial intelligence computing.

Buck now oversees the company's data centre and computing operations, the business responsible for most of Nvidia's revenue. His position gives him direct oversight of the divisions at the heart of the company's growth.

A former Nvidia employee told Business Insider that Buck is effectively already running the business that brings in nearly all of Nvidia's revenue. His long association with the company, technical expertise and understanding of its operations could put him in a strong position if the board looks for an internal successor to Huang.

Colette Kress: A Potential Interim Leader

Colette Kress could offer Nvidia a steady hand if the company needs someone to take charge while it searches for a permanent successor to Jensen Huang. The company's executive vice-president and chief financial officer has been with Nvidia since September 2013 and is one of its most prominent leaders.

Kress brings decades of experience in corporate finance. Before joining Nvidia, she held senior positions at Cisco, where she served as finance chief for its Business Technology and Operations division.

She also spent 13 years at Microsoft, including four years as CFO of its Server and Tools business. Earlier in her career, she worked at Texas Instruments.

Bloomberg has reported that Kress is among the executives being considered for an interim leadership role. DA Davidson analyst Gil Luria has also identified her as a possible choice. If appointed, she could help manage the company during the transition while a permanent successor is identified.

However, her experience differs from Huang's. While he built Nvidia around his engineering expertise and ability to spot major technological shifts, Kress has spent much of her career in finance and corporate management.

The two executives bring different strengths to the table, but neither has Huang's combination of technical expertise, business leadership and influence over Nvidia's long-term strategy.

While Kress could provide continuity in the short term, Buck's engineering background and involvement in Nvidia's data centre business could make him a contender for the longer-term role. The board's decision will be crucial in determining how the company manages a possible transition at the top.