Some Nvidia employees are asking the board to bring Jensen Huang back as CEO, according to internal correspondence reviewed by WIRED.
Nvidia announced Huang’s resignation on Nov. 12 and gave no reason. Its board had opened an independent review on Nov. 8. The board named Chief Financial Officer Colette Kress interim CEO and Harvey Jones chair.
According to WIRED, an internal “suggestion box” post from a longtime engineer, submitted before Huang’s resignation, has drawn more than 1,600 comments. Several ask the board to find a way to reinstate him.
“If you believe in the mission, bring back THE boss,” wrote one anonymous commenter.
“We are all humans and can make mistakes. Jensen did so many good things and he needs a second chance,” wrote another.
Another employee sent a companywide email demanding transparency into Huang’s exit. “I stand by Jensen,” the individual wrote. “Not because I believe any person is infallible, but because I refuse to believe that standing for fairness must mean standing at a distance from someone whose leadership has meant so much to us.”
One employee told WIRED they worry that Nvidia will eventually suffer without Huang’s leadership. “Nvidia is Nvidia because of Jensen,” the employee told the outlet.
Many employees were also troubled by the timing of Huang’s exit, having expected the board’s investigation to conclude before any big changes were made. Instead, Huang left just as the inquiry had begun, and staffers are seeking to better understand why. Nvidia and Jones did not immediately respond to WIRED’s requests for comment.
The employee sentiment adds to the questions facing the board as it searches for a permanent CEO. Nvidia reports quarterly results Nov. 17 with Kress as interim CEO, and the board has not said when it expects to name a successor.
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