TL;DR
Nvidia’s board says it is selecting a search firm and has not formally engaged any potential CEO candidates following Jensen Huang’s resignation. CFO Colette Kress is interim CEO, while board chair Harvey C. Jones leads the board; reports and public suggestions about possible successors remain unconfirmed.
Nvidia’s board is selecting a search firm to find a permanent chief executive after founder Jensen Huang resigned, but it says it has not formally engaged any candidates. Chief Financial Officer Colette Kress is serving as interim CEO, and the company has not announced a timetable for naming a successor.
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The board told CNBC on Friday, November 13, that it was “in the process of selecting a search firm for the Nvidia CEO role.” It added that it had not formally engaged potential candidates and that speculation about individual names, internal or external, was premature. The board has not announced a completed search-firm appointment.
Nvidia announced the interim arrangement on November 12. Kress, the company’s CFO since 2013, agreed to serve as interim chief executive while continuing as CFO until a permanent successor is named. The board also appointed director Harvey C. Jones as chair. Jones has served on the board since 1993; Nvidia described him as its first-ever board chair.
Names circulating publicly have different levels of attribution. The Financial Times reported that Nvidia’s board approached Arm CEO Rene Haas, citing people familiar with the matter; Reuters said it could not independently verify the report, and Arm declined to comment. Separately, President Donald Trump suggested Apple executive chairman Tim Cook in a Truth Social post. Nvidia’s board has not publicly endorsed either man, and its statement said individual-candidate speculation was premature.
Leadership Change at a Critical Scale
The succession matters because Nvidia’s leadership helps shape decisions affecting customers, suppliers, employees and the technology industry. The board said the company’s operations, customer commitments and product roadmap would continue without interruption. That assurance describes Nvidia’s stated position; it does not settle how a permanent CEO might change its strategy or leadership approach.
Reuters reported that some analysts expect a successor to bring a more institutional leadership structure than Huang’s hands-on style. That is an assessment, not a board decision or confirmed description of the future CEO’s remit. The board’s choice will show whether it prioritizes continuity with the founder’s approach or a different model for directing the company.
The timing also puts the search alongside near-term company events. Nvidia is scheduled to report third-quarter results on November 17, followed by an employee meeting on November 18. Those dates give staff and investors occasions to hear from interim leadership, but the company has not said that either event will produce a succession update.
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From Resignation to Interim Leadership
Nvidia’s Form 8-K, filed November 12, says the board accepted Huang’s resignation as president, CEO and director on November 11. The company announced Kress’s interim appointment and Jones’s appointment as chair the following day. It said the search would consider internal and external candidates.
The board’s November 13 statement sets the public status of the process: it was choosing a search firm and had not formally engaged candidates. The reported Haas approach and Trump’s suggestion of Cook emerged around the same time, but neither is equivalent to a confirmed nomination. The board’s statement applies to speculation about individual candidates generally.
Kress told employees in an email, published by CNBC, that the company planned an employee meeting for November 18 at 9 a.m. Pacific time. Nvidia’s third-quarter results are scheduled for November 17, with the release expected at about 1:20 p.m. Pacific time and a call at 2 p.m., according to the supplied source material.
“We have not formally engaged any potential candidates.”
— Nvidia’s board, in a statement to CNBC on November 13
No Successor or Search Deadline Yet
Nvidia has not announced a permanent successor or a public deadline for choosing one. It has not said which search firm it will use, when that firm will be selected, or how long the process is expected to take.
The reported approach to Rene Haas remains a media report attributed to people familiar with the matter. Reuters said it could not independently verify it, while Arm declined to comment. Trump’s suggestion of Tim Cook is a public recommendation, not evidence that Nvidia has approached him. The company has not confirmed that either man is a candidate.
It is also unclear whether Nvidia’s November 17 results or November 18 employee meeting will include new information about the search. The board has said operations and commitments will continue, but has not described the permanent CEO’s expected priorities or how responsibilities may be divided after the appointment.
Results and Staff Meeting Ahead
Nvidia is scheduled to publish its third-quarter results on November 17, 2026, at about 1:20 p.m. Pacific time, with a results call at 2 p.m., according to the supplied source material. The company’s meeting for employees is scheduled for November 18 at 9 a.m. Pacific time, according to Kress’s email as published by CNBC.
The next confirmed step in the CEO process is the board’s selection of a search firm. Nvidia has not set a public date for that appointment or for naming a permanent CEO. Until it provides an update, Kress remains interim CEO and the names reported or suggested publicly should be treated according to their stated sourcing.
Key Questions
Who is Nvidia’s interim CEO?
Colette Kress, Nvidia’s chief financial officer, is serving as interim CEO while continuing as CFO until a permanent successor is named.
Has Nvidia hired a search firm?
The board said on November 13 that it was selecting a search firm. It has not announced that a firm has been formally engaged.
Has Nvidia confirmed Rene Haas or Tim Cook as a candidate?
No. The Financial Times reported an approach to Arm CEO Rene Haas, citing people familiar with the matter; Reuters said it could not independently verify the report. President Trump suggested Tim Cook publicly. Nvidia has not confirmed either as a candidate.
When will Nvidia name a permanent CEO?
Nvidia has given no public timeline for naming a permanent CEO.
What Nvidia events are scheduled next?
Nvidia’s third-quarter results are scheduled for November 17, 2026, and a company meeting for employees is scheduled for November 18 at 9 a.m. Pacific time, according to the supplied source material.
Source: Thorsten Meyer AI
