Bessent, at the US Treasury, calls for an outside leader for Nvidia
By the AFREEQUE newsroom, based on Al Jazeera and Tuko
US Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent believes Nvidia should choose its next leader from outside the company, following Jensen Huang’s departure and revelations about his extramarital affairs. He made the remarks on Fox News, three days after that departure, according to Al Jazeera.
Scott Bessent said on Sunday that the group should widen its search to outside candidates, arguing that a break with internal practices was necessary. He linked this recommendation to revelations about Jensen Huang’s extramarital relationships, one of which concerned Alice Huang, a former executive at Megaspeed. According to The New York Times, US intelligence officers suspect the latter of having worked for Chinese intelligence services, an accusation Beijing rejects as unfounded.
On 13 November, the first working day after Jensen Huang’s resignation, a former employee, Chankrisna Chea, visited Nvidia’s headquarters. Journalists were camped outside the building, and staff left flowers at the entrance in tribute to the outgoing chief executive. The limited-edition green sweater bearing a pixel-art portrait of Huang sold out entirely in the company shop, apart from the one Chea managed to buy. The founder had led Nvidia since its creation in 1993, steering the group from making graphics chips to becoming a major global technology player. Its processors have become essential components of artificial intelligence systems.
Nvidia sits at the heart of the technology rivalry between Washington and Beijing. In August 2025, Jensen Huang had secured a relaxation from the Trump administration of restrictions on H20 chip sales to China, in exchange for a 15% levy on those sales to the US government. Pending a decision by the board, chief financial officer Colette Kress is temporarily leading the group.
