Former Nvidia chief executive Jensen Huang has discussed a potential comeback with close allies in Silicon Valley, according to the Financial Times.
A series of anonymous sources told the publication that a lobby group has formed to campaign for his reinstatement.
The lobbying effort includes seeking support from the White House. – Alle som betyr noe i tekbransjen utenfor de ledende laberatoriene, elsker Jensen, sier gruppen, som legger til at de har Huangs samtykke i lobbyarbeidet.
Huang co-founded Nvidia in 1993 and led the company for 33 years. His departure followed revelations regarding his relationship with Alice Huang, a woman with no family relation whom US authorities suspect may have operated as a Chinese spy, though no formal conclusions have been reached, Dagbladet reported.
Alice Huang previously held a top position at Singapore-based Megaspeed International. That company faces investigation for potentially bypassing US export restrictions on advanced AI chips destined for China.
Subsequent disclosures revealed that Huang also maintained a relationship with Kimberly Powell, a Nvidia vice president who reported directly to him, prompting the board to call an emergency meeting. Reuters reported a possible third affair with another Nvidia employee.
In the wake of these events, Nvidia lost approximately 4.7 trillion Norwegian kroner in market value over several days, and Chief Financial Officer Colette Kress was appointed interim chief executive, vg.no noted.
US Treasury Scott Bessent called for a dramatic overhaul at Nvidia. In an interview with Fox News, Bessent said that the board should recruit the next chief executive from outside the company and investigate leadership actions regarding export controls.
“I would continually return to what the culture was at Nvidia, and whether they pushed through these seemingly illegal sales to inflate turnover and results,” Bessent said.
A public campaign to reinstate Huang gained momentum, with prominent figures such as Elon Musk and Epic Games chief executive Tim Sweeney voicing support. Musk argued on social media that many vital Nvidia deals relied on personal handshakes rather than formal written contracts, raising concerns that key agreements could be lost without Huang.
Meanwhile, US President Donald Trump suggested on Truth Social that former Apple executive Tim Cook should take over the role at Nvidia. Jablickar reported that there are no indications Cook has entered into talks regarding the position.
Cabinet tensions have also emerged over the export restriction investigations.
Chief Financial Officer Colette Kress serves as the interim chief executive while the board evaluates internal and external candidates, according to Jablickar.
Huang stepped down after disclosures of relationships with employees and Alice Huang, a businesswoman linked to an entity investigated over US export controls.
Treasury Scott Bessent called for an external chief executive and an investigation into sales practices and corporate culture.
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