Nvidia employees are urging the company's board to reinstate co-founder Jensen Huang following his sudden resignation as CEO. According to WIRED, internal correspondence shows an internal post received more than 1,600 comments, with the majority supporting his return.
The movement gained momentum after a longtime Nvidia engineer submitted a post before Huang resigned. The engineer requested that directors consider employee views before acting, share the findings of their investigation, and formally ask staff whether Huang should remain CEO. Additionally, one employee sent a companywide email requesting more transparency regarding Huang’s exit, while about two dozen employees supported him on LinkedIn in the hours following his resignation. One employee told WIRED they feared Nvidia would suffer without its founder.
An independent, volunteer-run campaign titled Stand with Jensen published an open letter requesting that Nvidia reinstate Huang while an outside investigation establishes the facts. Organizers stated that Huang, who led Nvidia for 33 years, should have a chance to respond before the board reaches a final decision. The letter requests that Nvidia disclose what the inquiry covers, how it will remain independent, and when it is expected to conclude. It also asks directors to explain what evidence they considered and how they weighed employees’ and shareholders’ interests. The campaign stated that if the board keeps Huang out of the role during the inquiry, they want directors to explain how that serves Nvidia’s interests.
Elon Musk announced his support for the effort on X on November 13, 2026, writing, "A petition is underway to reinstate Jensen, and I’m signing it too." The Washington Post reported that Musk’s name appeared on the public letter, though Reuters noted it was unclear whether his post referred specifically to the internal employee effort. Y Combinator CEO Garry Tan publicly stated he signed the open letter, which Musk reposted. Replit CEO Amjad Masad also urged others to sign and stated he helped the site handle more traffic. Organizers of the campaign noted they are removing fake entries from the self-reported signatory details.
The leadership transition follows a series of events beginning on November 8, 2026, when Nvidia’s board opened an independent investigation after reports that Huang had been targeted by a foreign intelligence operation. At that time, the board stated it had no reason to believe US national security or company secrets had been compromised. Huang acknowledged in an email to staff that he had been unfaithful to his wife and said he would cooperate.
On November 12, 2026, Nvidia announced Huang’s resignation as president, CEO, and board member following reports of an alleged relationship with an executive who reported directly to him. WIRED reported that many employees had expected the inquiry to conclude before any leadership changes occurred.
Finance chief Colette Kress is currently serving as interim CEO while retaining her role as CFO. Longtime director Harvey C. Jones has become board chair. Nvidia stated it would consider internal and external candidates for the permanent role. The Financial Times reported that Nvidia’s board approached Arm CEO Rene Haas, while the board told Reuters it was selecting a search firm and had yet to formally engage any candidates. Separately, US President Donald Trump praised Huang’s leadership and suggested former Apple CEO Tim Cook as a potential successor.
