Nvidia's board is launching an independent investigation into whether CEO Jensen Huang was targeted by foreign intelligence after he admitted infidelity, Axios and Bloomberg reported on November 8. Nvidia says Huang will continue leading the company. SourceSource
The board will assemble a committee of independent directors, working with outside counsel, to oversee the investigation, according to Bloomberg. Source
In a draft email to Nvidia employees obtained by Axios, Huang apologized for his conduct:
“I was unfaithful to my wife. My actions hurt her and our children. There is no excuse for what I did.” Source
Huang also wrote that he was “fully committed to NVIDIA” and would work to regain employees' confidence, according to Axios. Bloomberg separately described a memo to staff in which he said he was “deeply sorry” for the affair. SourceSource
Axios, citing The New York Times, reported that U.S. intelligence officials believed a woman involved with Huang was a Chinese spy. According to Axios's account of the Times report, she was recruited to seek information and potentially push for Nvidia's advanced chips to be made available in China despite existing restrictions. Source
“Jensen is committed to continuing to lead NVIDIA as CEO without interruption,” John Rizzo, the company's head of public policy communications, said in a statement quoted by Axios. Source
The board also said it has no reason to believe national security or company secrets were compromised and expressed confidence in Huang's leadership, according to Axios. That's reassurance from the board, not a finding from a completed investigation.
