Nvidia CEO Jensen Huang faces second affair allegation, NYT reports
Nvidia CEO Jensen Huang is facing a second set of affair allegations, this time involving a company executive, according to a New York Times report cited by people who said they worked at the chipmaker. The report names Kimberly Powell, who runs Nvidia’s health care business, as the executive involved. Both are married to other people. The claims have not been proven, and it is not clear whether Nvidia’s board is investigating them.
Second allegation involves Nvidia executive
Powell joined Nvidia in 2008 and became a senior director for business development in artificial intelligence in 2016. In late 2017, she became a vice president of health care. Her work links Nvidia technology with universities and medical research, including diagnostic imaging. She also represents the company at industry conferences. At GTC, she gave a presentation on how AI could help biology and medicine, and she showed Jensen in cartoon form.
Hotel encounter at GTC draws scrutiny
The most specific allegation comes from Nvidia’s GTC developer conference in San Jose. Two Nvidia employees told the newspaper that Jensen and Powell were seen interacting affectionately at a hotel where executives meet. The newspaper said it did not see the reported video. Three people familiar with the incident said someone in the crowd recorded the two on a phone. They said Jensen’s security team noticed, took the person aside and made an offer that would stop disclosure. It is unknown whether the offer was put in writing or what happened to the recording.
Nvidia’s code of conduct asks employees to avoid situations where their actions create conflict, and it lists personal relationships among the issues. The policy says Nvidia promptly investigates reports of misconduct. Many companies also bar romantic relationships between supervisors and subordinates. It is not known whether the board is looking into the new allegation.
China inquiry adds pressure from board and Congress
A separate controversy involves Alice Huang, a Chinese executive whom Jensen allegedly became close to. U.S. intelligence officials have identified her as a Chinese asset, according to the report; China denies the espionage charge. After Jensen acknowledged the affair with Alice, Nvidia’s board ordered an investigation by the law firm Wachtell, Lipton, Rosen & Katz. Republican chairmen of three House committees have also asked for a private meeting with Jensen about his communications with Alice.
The stakes go beyond gossip. Nvidia, founded by Jensen in 1993, supplies chips for major AI applications. When a reporter called Jensen on Wednesday to ask about Powell, he did not answer the question. He told the reporter not to talk to him directly, then ended the call.
