Jensen Huang considers Nvidia CEO return amid Silicon Valley pressure

Jensen Huang, the former chief executive officer of Nvidia, is considering a return to his role following his recent resignation, as mounting pressure from his Silicon Valley allies urges the company's board to reinstate him.

Huang stepped down after reports emerged of romantic relationships with a woman suspected of ties to Chinese intelligence, as well as with a subordinate employee.

Sources told the Financial Times that Huang has discussed the possibility of returning with close associates, despite an ongoing independent investigation by Nvidia's board into the unprecedented crisis at the company, which has a market capitalization of around $4 trillion.

One of Huang's allies told the newspaper that a group of top Silicon Valley executives have formed a "war room" to support his return and are also seeking backing from the White House.

He added: "Every influential figure in tech outside the advanced AI labs holds Jensen in high regard."

The campaign for Huang's return gained momentum over the weekend, with support from prominent executives such as Elon Musk, CEO of Tesla and SpaceX, and Tim Sweeney, CEO of Epic Games, who signed an open letter urging the board to reinstate Huang. Several current Nvidia employees also signed the letter supporting his comeback.

However, these efforts may face resistance from policymakers in Washington, as US Treasury Secretary Scott Beisent on Sunday called for a "radical restructuring" of Nvidia's leadership following Huang's resignation.

Huang also faces the challenge of not holding a controlling stake that would allow him to override board decisions, unlike some founder-CEOs in the tech sector.

Colette Kriss is currently serving as Nvidia's interim CEO and is focused on maintaining business stability ahead of the company's quarterly results announcement on Tuesday.

Huang's relationship with Alice Huang, CEO of Singapore-based Megaspeed, has drawn increased scrutiny of Nvidia's compliance practices, particularly regarding AI chip sales to Asian clients potentially linked to China.

Some of Huang's supporters acknowledged the difficulty of rehabilitating his reputation, with one campaign member noting that a relationship with a direct subordinate is a fireable offense for a CEO.

The Financial Times reported Friday that Nvidia's board has reached out to Rene Haas, CEO of Arm, as a potential candidate to succeed Huang, though the board stressed that no formal search process has begun.

In an open letter published Friday, Brad Gerstner, founder of Altimeter Capital, and Gavin Baker, head of Atreides Management—both major Nvidia shareholders—urged the board to keep all options open, including the possibility of Huang's return, citing his "exceptional success" and the uncertainty surrounding his departure. Spokespeople for both Nvidia and Huang declined to comment on the report.