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Who would be next CEO at Nvidia? Top engineer and CFO favored as candidates

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In short

The leadership turmoil has led analysts to identify Chief Financial Officer Colette Kress and top engineer Ian Buck as the prime candidates to guide the company. Kress is viewed as a steady choice for an interim position, while Buck offers the deep technical background needed for a permanent appointment. Industry observers have also floated alternatives including Arm chief Rene Haas, longtime executive Jeff Fisher, and Huang's two children. The sudden transition threatens stability after a $600 billion stock slide dropped Nvidia to the world's second-most valuable firm.

Key points

  • Chief Financial Officer Colette Kress is considered a stabilizing presence who could assu…: Chief Financial Officer Colette Kress is considered a stabilizing presence who could assume an interim chief executive role.
  • Engineering leader Ian Buck is favored for the permanent CEO position due to his oversigh…: Engineering leader Ian Buck is favored for the permanent CEO position due to his oversight of data center and hyperscale AI operations.
  • Outside executive Rene Haas, veteran Jeff Fisher, and Huang's two executive children rema…: Outside executive Rene Haas, veteran Jeff Fisher, and Huang's two executive children remain additional potential candidates for the top role.

Sources checked by our analysis pipeline: 1

Ian Buck, who oversees Nvidia's data center client business and CFO Colette Kress are the most likely candidates to replace Jensen Huang as CFO.

SAN FRANCISCO: Nvidia CEO Jensen Huang has never anointed a successor, but many analysts and investors see two people as particularly likely candidates, at least for the short term: Nvidia's uber-engineer Ian Buck and chief financial officer Colette Kress.

Nvidia's board is meeting on Wednesday to decide whether to oust Huang, a source familiar with the matter told Reuters, as the world's dominant supplier of AI processors grapples with reports of two extramarital affairs involving its longtime leader. Nvidia did not immediately respond to a request for comment on the board meeting.

Huang isn't the usual CEO. He is a charismatic, leather-jacket-wearing apostle of Nvidia chips who built the company on processors for video games, transformed it into an artificial intelligence machine, and, in turn, created the most valuable company in the world.

"Jensen Huang is a rockstar in the industry. He’s outspoken and synonymous with the Nvidia brand, and a leader like that is very…

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