Nvidia moves to oust spy-tainted CEO Jensen Huang after word of affair with subordinate: report

Nvidia's board of directors is preparing to oust Chief Executive Officer Jensen Huang following disclosures regarding two extramarital relationships, including one with a senior corporate subordinate and another involving a woman alleged to be a Chinese spy, as reported by The Wall Street Journal.The board's impending move follows reporting from The New York Times detailing that Huang maintained an extramarital relationship with Kimberly Powell, Nvidia's vice president of health care. The relationship has been discussed inside the company, according to five people who worked at the chip-maker. Powell, 48, reports directly to the 63-year-old CEO. Both Huang and Powell are married to other people.According to sources familiar with the matter, Huang and Powell were observed behaving affectionately at a San Jose hotel during Nvidia's GTC developer conference in March. A bystander recorded the interaction on a smartphone, after which members of Huang's personal security detail sequestered the individual and offered them a non-disclosure agreement to sign, according to three people briefed on the incident. The New York Times noted it had not viewed the video.During that same conference in March, Powell — who joined Nvidia in 2008 and was promoted to lead its healthcare unit in 2017 — delivered a presentation on artificial intelligence applications in biology that featured cartoon depictions of Huang.Such relationships conflict directly with Nvidia's corporate code of conduct, which explicitly directs employees to avoid situations, including personal relationships, that generate internal conflicts. The policy states that the company "promptly investigates reports of misconduct."When reached by phone on Wednesday by The New York Times to address his relationship with Powell, Huang said, "I don't think you should be talking to me directly," before hanging up. This development compounds an existing crisis surrounding the chip-making giant. Earlier this month, Huang acknowledged an affair with Alice Huang—no relation—who has been identified by U.S. officials as an asset for Beijing's Ministry of State Security. China has denied the espionage claims.Nvidia's board previously launched an internal investigation into the matter led by law firm Wachtell, Lipton, Rosen & Katz. Additionally, Republican leaders of three House committees have called for Huang to appear for a closed-door briefing regarding his interactions with the alleged intelligence asset.This is a developing story and will be updated.