TL;DR
Nvidia CFO Colette Kress is serving as interim CEO after founder Jensen Huang resigned, while director Harvey C. Jones became the board’s first chair. As of November 13, the board said it was selecting a search firm and had not formally engaged any candidates. A reported approach to Arm CEO Rene Haas and a public suggestion of Apple’s Tim Cook remain distinct from Nvidia’s confirmed process.
Nvidia has named CFO Colette Kress interim CEO after founder Jensen Huang resigned, while its board says it is still selecting a search firm and has not formally engaged any candidates. The succession process will determine who leads one of the AI industry’s most influential chipmakers as it manages customer commitments and its product roadmap.
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Nvidia’s November 12 announcement said Kress, the company’s chief financial officer since 2013, would serve as interim CEO and remain CFO until a permanent successor is named. The company’s Form 8-K said the board appointed her while it searches for a new chief executive. The board also appointed Harvey C. Jones as chair. A director since 1993, Jones is the company’s first-ever board chair, according to Nvidia.
On November 13, the board told CNBC it was “in the process of selecting a search firm” and had “not formally engaged any potential candidates.” That status sets a clear limit on the names circulating publicly: no candidate has been confirmed by Nvidia. The board said speculation about individual candidates, whether internal or external, was premature.
The Financial Times reported that Nvidia’s board had approached Arm CEO Rene Haas, citing people familiar with the matter, according to Reuters. The report said Haas was among several candidates and that there was no guarantee he would receive or accept an offer. Arm declined to comment, and Reuters said it could not independently verify the report. Separately, President Donald Trump wrote on Truth Social that “there is only one man to take his place – TIM COOK of Apple,” Reuters and Fox Business reported. Cook is Apple’s executive chairman; Nvidia’s board has not commented on Trump’s suggestion in the cited reports.
Leadership Could Shift Nvidia’s Approach
The appointment places a long-serving finance executive in charge during a search whose outcome could shape Nvidia’s strategy, management style and relationships with customers and partners. Nvidia said its operations, customer commitments and product roadmap continue without interruption. That is the company’s stated position; the interim arrangement does not itself answer how the eventual CEO will set priorities.
Reuters reported that some analysts expect a move away from Huang’s hands-on leadership toward “a more institutional leadership structure.” That is an assessment, not a board decision or confirmed plan. For businesses building products and services around Nvidia hardware, the practical questions include whether leadership changes affect product schedules, support or long-term investment priorities. The company has not announced changes to those areas.
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From Resignation to Interim Leadership
Nvidia’s board accepted Huang’s resignation as president, CEO and director on November 11, according to the company’s November 12 Form 8-K. The next day, Nvidia announced Kress’s interim appointment and Jones’s elevation to chair, alongside a search for both internal and external candidates. These filings and announcements establish the formal leadership changes; press reports and political remarks about potential replacements do not.
The near-term calendar includes Nvidia’s third-quarter results on November 17, scheduled for about 1:20 p.m. Pacific Time, with a call at 2 p.m., according to the source material. Kress also told staff there would be a company meeting on November 18 at 9 a.m. Pacific Time, according to her email published by CNBC. The meeting and earnings release fall during the interim period, but no public timetable has been given for naming a permanent CEO.
“We have not formally engaged any potential candidates.”
— Nvidia’s board, in a statement to CNBC, November 13
No Successor or Deadline Confirmed
Nvidia has not announced a permanent CEO candidate or a deadline for completing the search. The board’s statement says it is selecting a search firm and has not formally engaged candidates. The reported approach to Haas has not been independently verified by Reuters, and Arm declined to comment. The available reports do not establish that Cook is under consideration by Nvidia; Trump’s post was a public suggestion.
It is also unclear how long Kress will remain interim CEO, whether the board will choose an internal or external successor, and whether the eventual appointment will change Nvidia’s leadership structure or operating priorities. The company has said business operations continue, but it has not provided further detail on the search process.
Earnings and Staff Meeting Ahead
Nvidia is scheduled to report third-quarter results on November 17, followed by an employee meeting on November 18, according to the company schedule and Kress’s email to staff as reported by CNBC. Those are the next dated events in the source material. The board has not announced when it expects to appoint a permanent CEO, so updates to the search status or interim arrangement remain the key milestones to watch.
Key Questions
Who is Nvidia’s interim CEO?
Colette Kress, Nvidia’s CFO, is interim CEO and is expected to remain CFO until a permanent successor is named.
Has Nvidia chosen a permanent CEO candidate?
No. On November 13, the board said it was selecting a search firm and had not formally engaged any candidates.
Is Arm CEO Rene Haas confirmed as a candidate?
No. The Financial Times reported an approach to Haas, citing people familiar with the matter, according to Reuters. Arm declined to comment, and Reuters said it could not independently verify the report.
Did Nvidia say it would nominate Apple’s Tim Cook?
No. Trump publicly suggested Cook in a Truth Social post. The cited reports do not say Nvidia’s board endorsed the suggestion or confirmed Cook as a candidate.
When is Nvidia expected to provide its next updates?
Nvidia’s third-quarter results are scheduled for November 17, 2026, and a company meeting for employees is scheduled for November 18. The board has not set a public deadline for naming a permanent CEO.
Source: Thorsten Meyer AI
