comms evp @mod_op_ (sold them our agency) · takes + data on tech, ai and media · crisis pr breakdowns
New York, USA
Joined June 2010
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This is probably being leaked by the board, by the way (or people close to the board).
They're getting a ton of angry pushback from Huang supporters, so this sort of leaking helps step on it.
BREAKING
Former Nvidia CEO Jensen Huang had an intimate relationship with a second employee, Reuters reports.
So this makes three women now.
The suspected Chinese intelligence asset, the Nvidia executive revealed yesterday, and now a second employee.
Full Story: reut.rs/4iMToT4
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These memes are just embarrassing, IDK.
CEOs aren't gods. I think the idol worship around founders and execs in tech is out of control.
The NVIDIA crisis has made that clear and also highlights why it's problematic in so many ways.
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This is well-played, actually.
Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth has awarded the soldier who reprimanded him and members of his staff at the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier a Joint Service Commendation Medal. cnn.it/4jcjn7Q
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Every fiber of one’s being says it feels like Nvidia should say more to employees now. I get it! But they literally cannot say much.
See @RepMoolenaar’s statement below as an example why. The situation is just too volatile/fluid.
An all-hands today—which puts everyone at risk by having to quickly draft materials that will be subpoenaed in a few weeks without clear answers—is not in the company’s best interest.
The team will have its earnings script sorted next week, and the CFO will likely lean on that for messaging during the all-hands.
Chairman @RepMoolenaar released the following statement in the wake of Jensen Huang's resignation from @NVIDIA:
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Chris Harihar retweeted
If you don't follow @ChrisHarihar, you are missing out on the ManningCast of crisis management PR
The big comms/crisis PR takeaway from NVIDIA's new interim CEO's internal note to staff (the presumption with notes like these, by the way, is that they will always leak, so draft them with an external audience in mind, not just an internal one) and from the press release announcing Jensen Huang's resignation:
They recognize that this has been the Jensen show and are now smartly highlighting that this is a team effort. A company is not one person. NVIDIA is not one guy.
Note that in the press release, Colette Kress says, "NVIDIA’s strength has always come from its people." That's the first thing she says.
In her note to the team, she reinforces that message: "This company has achieved so much because of the work that all of you bring to it every day. You are our greatest strength."
Over-indexing on one person is a mistake at any company, especially one that's essentially too big to fail, as NVIDIA is. Making it clear to everyone that this is a company powered by a team is important to reassuring customers, the market, and shareholders that continuity is in place and that they can expect no interruptions in service, technology, etc.
Chris Harihar retweeted
for everyone blindly rushing to defend jensen, highly likely more stuff is going to dribble out over the next few days that probably made the situation even more untenable for the board - full story is not known and im sure they wanted to avoid this if at all possible.
The big comms/crisis PR takeaway from NVIDIA's new interim CEO's internal note to staff (the presumption with notes like these, by the way, is that they will always leak, so draft them with an external audience in mind, not just an internal one) and from the press release announcing Jensen Huang's resignation:
They recognize that this has been the Jensen show and are now smartly highlighting that this is a team effort. A company is not one person. NVIDIA is not one guy.
Note that in the press release, Colette Kress says, "NVIDIA’s strength has always come from its people." That's the first thing she says.
In her note to the team, she reinforces that message: "This company has achieved so much because of the work that all of you bring to it every day. You are our greatest strength."
Over-indexing on one person is a mistake at any company, especially one that's essentially too big to fail, as NVIDIA is. Making it clear to everyone that this is a company powered by a team is important to reassuring customers, the market, and shareholders that continuity is in place and that they can expect no interruptions in service, technology, etc.
Note no Jensen Huang quote in the official press release.
Probably a contentious exit, with a comment from Huang coming from his own team, at some point (if at all).
there it is nvidianews.nvidia.com/news/n…
Jensen Huang Resigns
Colette Kress, Executive Vice President and Chief Financial Officer, Appointed Interim CEO
Harvey C. Jones Appointed First-Ever Chair of the Board
Jensen Huang has resigned.
FWIW, earnings definitely put more reputational pressure on NVIDIA and likely accelerated Huang’s exit.
Companies facing clear problems ahead of earnings usually take proactive steps — think Netflix’s layoffs and exec shakeup days before its report — to ease concerns when the numbers drop.
Here, Huang was the main issue/problem. The report will likely be good, but having a new/interim exec (Colette Kress) less burdened by tough questions about the investigation, affair, etc. (which they can’t really address yet) on the call was probably appealing to the board.
Good numbers from a wounded CEO would have needed to be amazing to “overshadow” the mess. Now NVIDIA can focus more on its performance (especially if numbers are good) and less on Huang.
Here’s the press release: NVIDIA Announces CEO Transition
nvidianews.nvidia.com/news/n…
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Who’s defending Jensen Huang on X?
Here’s a breakdown by type of supporter based on a sample of 450 pro-Jensen accounts:
I analyzed nearly 600 pro-Jensen Huang posts on X.
Two arguments were tied as the most common (27% each):
1. He’s irreplaceable, like Steve Jobs (this argument got the most views)
2. It’s a media or political hit job
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I analyzed nearly 600 pro-Jensen Huang posts on X.
Two arguments were tied as the most common (27% each):
1. He’s irreplaceable, like Steve Jobs (this argument got the most views)
2. It’s a media or political hit job
What happens in this situation, from someone who’s managed a few tough CEO exits:
- Leak this stuff, as they’re doing now, to give people a sense of where things are headed. A total surprise exit would be even more jarring.
- Comms has no idea what’s happening behind the scenes. General counsel, third-party law firms (Jensen’s personal lawyers, NVIDIA’s, etc.), and the board are all discussing options. Comms has a sense (“Jensen out”) but won’t know definitively until the final decision is made.
- Typically, in a situation like this, it’s imperative to install a temporary CEO, usually someone from the board or internally who can put on a good face for a bit. It will be temporary, but it helps show stability.
- Announce that you’re searching for a new CEO. People want to know that you’re exploring the best options.
News: Nvidia is working with an outside firm to identify potential replacements for Jensen Huang. The firm is also weighing the idea of naming a temporary chief executive officer
bloomberg.com/news/articles/…
Why is Jensen Huang’s situation moving so fast? A few reasons:
1-A new Congress wants to go after tech, and he’s now the face of tech cozying up to Trump. If you have no pull in DC, what good are you as an AI CEO?
2-The board’s investigation only just started, but it prob already uncovered things embarrassing enough to act.
3-It’s salacious. The AI memes, for example, have made him look unserious and weak. He never looked weak before. Losing influence in DC is one thing, but what about every other room he’s in? Tough to keep him.
4-His marriage was weirdly part of the “aura” and legend he built. There have been viral posts for years about how amazing his marriage is. All gone now.
5-The second affair was with a subordinate. That’s obviously risky, especially if it turns out she received special treatment, felt coerced, etc.
His GPU-clad reputation has essentially been destroyed in a week.
Breaking: Nvidia’s board is preparing to oust CEO Jensen Huang after he had two extramarital affairs, including one with a suspected Chinese spy. on.wsj.com/4jcpr01
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Two days ago, I predicted Jensen Huang would be resigning this month.
Looks like it’s now imminent.
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Weirdly, more affairs coming to light could actually help Jensen Huang.
The narrative could shift from “he was tricked by a Chinese spy” to “this guy is a dog who just sleeps with everyone.”
That would be a "better" narrative for him, assuming the employee never felt coerced.
NYT says Jensen Huang had a relationship Nvidia's vice president of health care. nytimes.com/2026/11/11/techn…
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Taking advantage of the PR/journalism discourse to share that I also helped the NYT with these stories this year. (All off the record, with no client connection.)
Good PR people are always on the hunt for stories. Either you have them or you're looking for them.
While we’re all debating good vs. bad PR, here’s an example of good PR:
Me at 5 am on New Year’s Eve last year, flagging what seemed like a big issue to a client focused on AI detection… Grok undressing lots of people! At this point, no reporter had written a story about it.
That morning, I/we drafted what became the first piece of research from any company on the issue. A few days later, it was the biggest story in the world, probably because I sent this text.
Some PR people are cool, basically!
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