Kress has taken charge of Nvidia after co-founder Jensen Huang departed on Thursday following controversy surrounding an affair with an alleged Chinese spy. Having joined the company as chief financial officer in 2013, she helped oversee immense expansion as annual revenue climbed from $4.13 billion to $215.9 billion in fiscal 2026. Her extensive background includes nearly 25 years in tech finance, featuring past roles at Texas Instruments, Microsoft, and Cisco. Her personal Nvidia shareholdings were recently valued at roughly $750 million.
Key points
Nvidia faces an abrupt leadership transition away from its co-founder while maintaining c…: Nvidia faces an abrupt leadership transition away from its co-founder while maintaining critical hardware for advanced artificial intelligence centres.
The company is relying on a veteran executive who spent over a decade guiding its financi…: The company is relying on a veteran executive who spent over a decade guiding its financial operations through massive revenue growth.
Kress possesses extensive institutional and industry experience spanning nearly 25 years…: Kress possesses extensive institutional and industry experience spanning nearly 25 years across major technology companies including Microsoft and Cisco.
Sources checked by our analysis pipeline: 1
Kress will take the reins as the company navigates the sudden departure of its co-founder and longtime CEO, Huang. Since the revelation of Huang's affair with an alleged Chinese spy, talks had been rife that the dynamic CEO would be ousted, and it happened on Thursday.
With this move, Kress is placed at the helm of the chipmaker whose processors power some of the world's most advanced supercomputers and AI data centres, as the company charts its course beyond its longtime leader.
Also Read | Jensen Huang quits as Nvidia CEO, putting $4 trillion empire in transition
Here's what you need to know about Kress
Kress joined Nvidia in September 2013 as executive vice president and chief financial officer and has held the post since. She has appeared alongside Jensen Huang on the company's quarterly earnings calls.
Nvidia's revenue was $4.13 billion in the fiscal year she joined and $215.9 billion in fiscal 2026.
Before Nvidia, Kress spent eight years in finance roles at Texas Instruments, then worked at Microsoft from 1997 to 2010. At Microsoft, she became chief financial…
Mounting scrutiny over personal conduct triggered the sudden leadership change at the semiconductor giant, following an internal inquiry initiated by the board of directors. The controversy has rattled Wall Street, wiping out more than 12% of the company's market value over the week. Longtime finance chief Colette Kress has stepped in to steady operations during the tumultuous executive transition.
The semiconductor giant is reportedly preparing for a major leadership shift at the top executive level. Initial reports identify an incoming leader to head the enterprise moving forward. However, the organization has yet to release supporting background information or outline strategic operational changes connected to the move.
What began as a defensive farming strategy in Angul district has evolved into an international commercial supply chain supporting hundreds of rural families. The shift from traditional crops to indigenous citrus has protected local fields from wildlife destruction while delivering steady household earnings. Today, the village enterprise connects regional growers directly to major domestic hubs and overseas export markets.