Can Nvidia Survive Without Jensen Huang? Who Will Be the Next CEO?
Nvidia faces one of the biggest leadership changes in its history after co-founder Jensen Huang resigned as president and CEO on November 12, 2026. The departure ended his 33-year leadership of the artificial intelligence chipmaker and raised an important question for investors, customers and the wider technology industry: can Nvidia continue growing without the executive who helped build it?
The company has appointed longtime Chief Financial Officer Colette Kress as interim CEO while its board searches for a permanent successor. Several names have already emerged in media reports as possible candidates, including Nvidia executive Ian Buck, Arm CEO Rene Haas and AMD CEO Lisa Su.
However, Nvidia has not announced a permanent replacement or confirmed a final shortlist. Here is what is known about the company's future and the executives who could potentially lead it.
Can Nvidia Survive Without Jensen Huang?
Yes. Nvidia has an established leadership team, engineering organisation, technology portfolio and global customer base that allow it to continue operating without Huang as CEO.
Huang's departure is significant because he was not simply the company's chief executive. Since co-founding Nvidia in 1993, he became closely associated with its development from a graphics processing company into a major supplier of accelerated computing and artificial intelligence technology.
Nevertheless, Nvidia's business is supported by thousands of employees, established executive leadership, research and development teams, manufacturing partners and relationships with major technology companies.
Nvidia's board has expressed confidence in the existing leadership team. In its November 12 announcement, the company said it expected operations, customer commitments and its product roadmap to continue without interruption.
The immediate challenge is therefore not whether Nvidia can keep operating, but whether its next CEO can maintain the company's technological direction, customer relationships and growth as the AI industry evolves.
Who Will Be the Next Nvidia CEO?
Nvidia has not yet announced who will permanently replace Jensen Huang.
The board has appointed Colette Kress as interim CEO and confirmed that it will consider both internal and external candidates during its search.
Several executives have been mentioned in media coverage as possible successors, but none has been officially confirmed as the next permanent CEO.
The names attracting attention include:
Colette Kress
Colette Kress is Nvidia's interim CEO and executive vice president and chief financial officer.
She joined Nvidia in September 2013 after holding finance positions at major technology companies, including Cisco and Microsoft. She has spent more than a decade overseeing Nvidia's finance organisation and supporting its growth.
Her appointment gives the company an experienced executive to manage the immediate transition.
Kress could be considered for the permanent position because she already understands Nvidia's operations, customers and financial structure. However, Nvidia has not announced that she will become the permanent CEO.
Ian Buck
Ian Buck is another potential internal candidate mentioned in media reports.
He is a longtime Nvidia executive associated with the company's GPU computing and AI technology operations. His technical background could be valuable as Nvidia continues competing in AI accelerators, data-centre computing and software platforms.
An internal appointment could help preserve continuity because a candidate familiar with Nvidia's technology and business strategy would not need to learn the company from the beginning.
However, there has been no official announcement that Buck is a finalist or has been selected.
Rene Haas
Rene Haas, CEO of Arm Holdings, has also been mentioned as a possible external candidate.
Haas has experience in semiconductor engineering and executive leadership. He previously worked at Nvidia before taking senior positions elsewhere in the semiconductor industry.
His background could make him an interesting candidate if Nvidia decides to recruit someone from outside its current leadership team.
Nevertheless, Arm and Nvidia are separate companies, and there is no confirmation that Haas has been approached or is interested in taking the position.
Lisa Su
Lisa Su, the chief executive of Advanced Micro Devices (AMD), has also been floated in media speculation about potential successors.
Su is an experienced semiconductor executive who has led AMD through major changes in its processor and data-centre businesses.
Her name appearing in succession discussions does not mean she is a confirmed candidate. AMD is a major competitor to Nvidia, and no official announcement has indicated that Su intends to leave her current position.
Is Colette Kress the New Permanent Nvidia CEO?
No. Colette Kress is currently Nvidia's interim CEO, not its confirmed permanent chief executive.
The board appointed her after accepting Huang's resignation. She will continue serving as executive vice president and CFO while also carrying out the interim CEO responsibilities until a permanent successor is named.
This arrangement allows Nvidia to maintain executive leadership while the board considers candidates.
The distinction matters because headlines describing Kress as Nvidia's new CEO can give the impression that the permanent appointment has already been made.
For now, she is leading the company on an interim basis.
Why Is Replacing Jensen Huang So Difficult?
Replacing Huang will be challenging because of his long involvement in Nvidia's technology, strategy and corporate culture.
He co-founded the company and led it through several major stages of the computing industry, including graphics processing, gaming, professional visualisation, data centres and artificial intelligence.
His public profile also made him one of the most recognisable leaders in the global technology industry.
A successor will need to understand more than Nvidia's financial performance. The role requires leadership across semiconductor development, AI infrastructure, software ecosystems, manufacturing partnerships and relationships with major customers.
The next CEO will also have to manage expectations in an industry where demand for AI computing has become a major driver of technology investment.
An internal candidate could provide continuity, while an external executive could bring a different management approach. Nvidia's board will have to weigh those considerations when selecting its next leader.
What Happens to Nvidia's AI Business Without Huang?
Nvidia's AI business is not dependent on one individual to continue operating.
The company has developed a broad technology ecosystem that includes GPUs, networking products, software platforms and systems used to train and run artificial intelligence models.
Its products are used by cloud providers, technology companies, research institutions and businesses building AI applications.
These operations are supported by engineering teams, software developers, executives and business partners around the world.
The leadership change could influence how Nvidia makes future strategic decisions, but it does not automatically mean that existing products, development programmes or customer agreements will stop.
Nvidia's board has specifically said that customer commitments and the product roadmap are expected to continue without interruption.
Could Nvidia Lose Its Position in the AI Industry?
Huang's resignation creates leadership uncertainty, but it does not automatically mean Nvidia will lose its position in the AI chip market.
The company has an established presence in AI computing and a software ecosystem that has helped make its hardware attractive to developers and businesses.
However, Nvidia still faces competition from AMD, custom AI chip developers and other technology companies investing in their own computing infrastructure.
Its future performance will depend on continued product development, customer demand, competition, supply-chain execution and the ability of its new leadership to maintain the company's strategic direction.
The CEO transition is therefore an important development, but it is only one factor affecting Nvidia's long-term position.
When Will Nvidia Announce Its Next CEO?
Nvidia has not provided a confirmed date for announcing its permanent CEO.
The board has said it is beginning a search that will consider internal and external candidates. Until that process is completed, Colette Kress will remain interim CEO while continuing her CFO responsibilities.
Nvidia's third-quarter fiscal 2027 results are scheduled for November 17, 2026, as previously announced. The results will provide investors with an opportunity to assess the company's financial performance during the leadership transition, although the earnings date is not a confirmed deadline for naming a successor.
Any announcement about the permanent CEO should be verified through Nvidia's official newsroom or regulatory disclosures.
What Jensen Huang's Departure Means for Nvidia's Future
Nvidia's future without Jensen Huang will depend on the strength of its executive team, the board's choice of permanent successor and its ability to continue delivering AI computing technology to customers.
Colette Kress currently provides leadership continuity, while Ian Buck, Rene Haas and Lisa Su are among the names mentioned in media discussions about possible successors.
However, there is no officially confirmed permanent successor yet.
Nvidia has stated that its operations, customer commitments and product roadmap are expected to continue without interruption. The company's next leadership decision will determine who takes responsibility for guiding its next chapter in the global AI industry.
For now, Nvidia is continuing under interim CEO Colette Kress while its board searches for a permanent replacement.
Sources
- Nvidia – Official CEO transition announcement, November 12, 2026
- Nvidia – Official management team
- SEC – Nvidia Form 8-K on the CEO transition
- Reuters – Colette Kress becomes Nvidia's interim CEO
- Reuters – Reporting on potential Nvidia CEO successors
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Related Story: Jensen Huang Third Affair? Why He Resigned as Nvidia CEO — Read the full in-depth report.
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