Colette Kress, the longtime Chief Financial Officer of American semiconductor giant Nvidia, has been appointed interim Chief Executive Officer following the resignation of company co-founder Jensen Huang on November 12, 2026.<\/p>\n
Kress, who has spent more than three decades working in corporate finance and technology, takes over the leadership of Nvidia at a time when the company remains one of the world\u2019s most influential players in artificial intelligence and accelerated computing.<\/p>\n
According to Nvidia\u2019s announcement, she will retain her responsibilities as Executive Vice President and Chief Financial Officer while serving as interim CEO until the board appoints a permanent successor.<\/p>\n
Her appointment marks another milestone in a career spanning Microsoft, Cisco, Texas Instruments and Nvidia, where she has overseen the company\u2019s finances through its rapid expansion in AI infrastructure.<\/p>\n
Born in 1967, Kress pursued her education in finance, earning a Bachelor of Science degree from the University of Arizona.<\/p>\n
She subsequently obtained a Master of Business Administration in Finance from Southern Methodist University\u2019s Cox School of Business between 1994 and 1996.<\/p>\n
Her academic background provided the foundation for a career focused on financial strategy, corporate planning, technology investments and business operations.<\/p>\n
Before joining Nvidia, Kress held several finance positions at Texas Instruments, gaining experience in the semiconductor industry.<\/p>\n
Kress joined Nvidia in September 2013 as Executive Vice President and Chief Financial Officer, following a lengthy search for a finance chief.<\/p>\n
Her tenure coincided with Nvidia\u2019s emergence as one of the world\u2019s most valuable publicly traded companies.<\/p>\n
Kress\u2019s financial success has also attracted attention beyond her executive responsibilities According to biographical accounts, she first attained billionaire status in July 2025, joining a relatively small group of corporate finance executives whose wealth reached the billion-dollar threshold.<\/p>\n
She was ranked 37th on Forbes\u2019 Most Powerful Women list in 2025 and 32nd on its Richest Self-Made Women list in 2026.<\/p>\n
Fortune also ranked her 49th on its 2026 Most Powerful Women list, reflecting her influence in the global technology industry.<\/p>\n
In 2024, she received recognition from Chief, a women\u2019s professional networking organisation, through its New Era in Business award.<\/p>\n