Citing an anonymous source, the Wall Street Journal reported that former NVIDIA CEO Jensen Huang described Collette Kress, who has stepped in as interim CEO, as "a deer in the headlights" during a presentation earlier this summer.
The report states that Huang made these remarks during a meeting with Nvidia’s finance team regarding plans to offer guarantees worth billions of dollars to data center operators unable to purchase chips upfront.
Furthermore, Huang reportedly stated that Kress was not capable of assisting him with steering strategy or decision-making.
Kress has been with Nvidia for over 13 years, following a tenure as SVP and CFO of Cisco’s Business Technology Operations Finance. The report indicates she has raised concerns about Nvidia’s program-focused, credit-based deals involving Huang’s son-in-law Nico Caprez, specifically questioning how to evaluate benefits, value guarantees, and determine returns.
Earlier this year, she reduced Nvidia's commitment for OpenAI's ambitious Ohio data center project. While talks initially centered on providing $250 billion in credit, the final commitment fell to $105 billion.
Huang resigned on Thursday following reports of two extramarital affairs, including one involving the company's VP for healthcare, Kimberly Powell. The company is also investigating a suspected Chinese espionage plot.
Following his resignation, Reuters reported that Huang was involved in a third affair with another employee. Nvidia is currently searching for a permanent CEO to replace Huang, who held the position for over 33 years.
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