Elon Musk publicly supports a petition to reinstate Jensen Huang as Nvidia CEO.
Huang resigned Thursday after admitting an affair; CFO Colette Kress is interim CEO.
Employees and several petitions reportedly urge a return.
Elon Musk on Saturday threw his support behind an effort to reinstate Jensen Huang at Nvidia. Huang resigned as chief executive on Thursday amid controversy over reports of his extramarital affairs.
“A petition is underway to reinstate Jensen and I’m signing it too,” Musk wrote in his reply to a tweet by a Tesla engineer. He did not mention who was behind the petition or whether it involved Nvidia employees.
How Huang’s Exit Unfolded
Nvidia announced on Thursday, that Huang was stepping down as CEO and leaving its board, effective immediately. He had run the chipmaker giant for 33 years and built it into a $4 trillion company placed at the centre of the AI boom.
Fortune reported that his exit came after he admitted to an affair with a woman whom U.S. intelligence officials judged to be a Chinese spy. Late Wednesday, Reuters reported that the board was meeting to consider removing him after further allegations of a relationship with a senior Nvidia executive who reported directly to him.
The Petitions Behind The Post
Several Nvidia employees have urged the company to reinstate co-founder Huang as CEO, WIRED reported on Friday. An internal appeal shared among staff drew more than 1,600 comments, most of them in favor, and several asked board members to find a way to bring him back.
A public Change.org petition titled “Bring Jensen Huang back as Nvidia CEO” appeared on November 12. A letter on social media also claimed to show hundreds of employees demanding his return, though it has not been confirmed.
Musk’s involvement predates the post. On Wednesday, after The Wall Street Journal reported that the board was preparing to oust Huang, Musk replied “That would be an honor” when a user asked him to hire Huang.
With several petitions in circulation, anyone thinking of signing should confirm which one is genuine and check what personal details it makes public.
Can A Petition Bring Him Back?
Probably not on its own. Under Nvidia’s bylaws, a majority of directors in office controls who holds executive posts, which now means six of the 10 remaining board members. Shareholders get no direct vote on the CEO, and Musk holds no board seat.
A petition can still add public pressure, especially when it gathers many signatures or a high-profile backer. But the board just removed Huang and has already started a search for his successor, so reversing course would be a dramatic step. For now, Musk’s post shows how much attention Huang’s exit has drawn, and not that a return is likely.
