Nvidia’s board is set to hold urgent talks about the future of its founder Jensen Huang after revelations that he had an affair with a top executive at the company, according to people familiar with the matter.
The meeting on Wednesday comes amid a deepening scandal at the $4.2 trillion group, after Donald Trump said the FBI was investigating allegations that Huang was romantically involved with an alleged Chinese spy.
The Nvidia chief executive had a romantic relationship with Kimberly Powell, the chipmaker’s vice-president of healthcare, according to two people familiar with the matter. Powell, a more than 18-year veteran at Nvidia, is among the company’s more prominent public figures.
Nvidia did not immediately respond to a request for comment. Powell could not be reached for comment.
The company’s shares dropped more than 8 percent in after-hours trading after The New York Times reported the relationship with Powell and The Wall Street Journal reported that Nvidia’s board could oust Huang.
The news of the second relationship will pile pressure on Huang after he on Sunday admitted to having an affair, two days after the FT reported he was romantically involved with Alice Huang, an executive at an Nvidia customer.
US intelligence believes Alice Huang had also been recruited by China’s Ministry of State Security spy agency.
Nvidia’s board has launched an investigation into the matter and on Tuesday said it had hired a former federal prosecutor to lead the probe. But the board on Sunday backed Huang to remain as chief executive.
Trump on Monday said the FBI was looking into the situation. Senior Republicans and Democrats have called for congressional investigations into the Nvidia boss, who has become an influential voice in the president’s circle on US AI policy and export controls.
