Colette Kress, Nvidia’s chief financial officer for more than a decade, has been appointed interim chief executive officer following the resignation of Jensen Huang, placing one of the company’s longest-serving executives in charge of the world’s most valuable chipmaker.
Kress, who joined Nvidia in September 2013, has overseen its finances through a period of extraordinary growth as demand for its artificial intelligence (AI) chips transformed the company into a global technology powerhouse.
Read also: Nvidia board moves to remove Jensen Huang as CEO amid spying controversy
Following her appointment, Kress said she was committed to building on the foundation established by Huang, who led Nvidia for 33 years.
“Nvidia’s strength has always come from its people, and together with our leadership team, I am committed to building on the extraordinary foundation Jensen created over the last 33 years,” she said.
“We will continue advancing the work that has made Nvidia a leader in accelerated computing and AI, and execute on the opportunities ahead. Our focus remains on serving our customers, partners, developers and shareholders.”
Nvidia’s board also praised Kress’s experience, saying she had helped guide the company through a period of significant expansion and understood its business, customers, operations and financial position.
Harvey Jones, the company’s newly elected board chairman, said Kress had played an important role in Nvidia’s growth and evolution.
Career before Nvidia
Before joining Nvidia, Kress spent nearly 25 years working in finance and leadership roles at major technology companies, including Texas Instruments, Microsoft and Cisco.
Read also: Nvidia leadership crisis deepens as AMD gains from AI chip demand
She spent eight years at Texas Instruments before joining Microsoft in 1997, where she worked until 2010. During her time at Microsoft, she rose to become chief financial officer of its Server and Tools division in 2006, overseeing financial strategy, planning and reporting.
In 2010, she moved to Cisco as senior vice president and chief financial officer of its Business Technology and Operations Finance organisation. Her responsibilities included financial strategy and business development.
Three years later, she joined Nvidia as executive vice president and chief financial officer, a position she has held since September 2013.
Her tenure has coincided with Nvidia’s transformation from a major graphics processor manufacturer into a dominant supplier of chips used to develop and run artificial intelligence systems.
When Kress joined the company, Nvidia reported annual revenue of $4.13 billion. By fiscal 2026, revenue had climbed to $215.9 billion, illustrating the scale of the company’s expansion during her time as finance chief.
She has also regularly appeared alongside Huang during Nvidia’s quarterly earnings calls, providing investors with updates on the company’s financial performance.
Education and wealth
Kress holds a bachelor’s degree in finance from the University of Arizona and a Master of Business Administration from Southern Methodist University.
Her compensation at Nvidia includes restricted stock units, with regulatory filings showing that a March 2026 award is scheduled to vest over four years.
Read also: Nvidia board moves to remove Jensen Huang as CEO amid espionage controversy
According to Forbes’ 2026 ranking of America’s richest self-made women, Kress placed 32nd. Her Nvidia shares were valued at approximately $750 million as of Wednesday’s market close, down from more than $1 billion at the company’s stock market peak last month.
Taking charge at a critical time
Kress assumes leadership as Nvidia faces investor concerns following Huang’s departure and reports surrounding his alleged affairs, which had weighed on the company’s shares.
Nvidia stock fell more than 10 percent in pre-market trading following the resignation announcement, as investors assessed the implications of losing the executive who had led the company for more than three decades.
Her appointment could provide some continuity, given her long experience with Nvidia’s operations, financial position and business strategy.
However, her immediate challenge will be maintaining investor confidence and sustaining the company’s growth in the highly competitive artificial intelligence industry.
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Faith Omoboye is a foreign affairs correspondent with background in History and International relations. Her work focuses on African politics, diplomacy, and global governance.
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