Nvidia’s $5 Trillion Peak Meets Colette Kress’s Interim CEO Test

By Olivia Hart

Nvidia’s market capitalization surpassed $5 trillion at its peak, and Jensen Huang resigned as CEO on Nov. 12, 2026, according to Fortune. Huang, who co-founded Nvidia, was worth more than $140 billion. His exit came after Fortune described a saga involving Huang’s reported two affairs and someone alleged to be a Chinese spy, saying the affair had reached, if not an end, at least a pause. Fortune framed Colette Kress’s appointment as a way to stop the bleeding while Nvidia’s share price fell.

What does Kress’s appointment change?

The Nvidia board met Wednesday evening and chose Kress to serve as interim CEO while it develops a permanent succession plan. Kress, Nvidia’s longtime CFO, will retain that title, giving one executive both roles during the search.

The announcement did not name a permanent CEO candidate, set a deadline or explain how Kress would divide her two jobs. That leaves investors and executives without a clear view of how long the arrangement will last or whether Nvidia expects her operating model to change.

Harvey Jones, the newly installed chair of Nvidia’s board of directors, said:

“Colette has helped lead Nvidia through a period of extraordinary growth and has a deep understanding of our business, customers, operations and financial position. She is supported by an experienced leadership team that has been instrumental in executing Nvidia’s strategy and advancing its technology roadmap.”

Jones tied her selection to Kress’s experience and the wider leadership team. He did not provide a timetable or define how long Kress would serve.

In plain terms, the board has bought time without settling the leadership question.

Why did Nvidia turn to its longtime CFO?

Kress joined Nvidia in 2013 after holding senior finance roles at Cisco and Microsoft. Fortune described her as a key lieutenant with influence unusual at a company long controlled by Huang, who reportedly had as many as 60 direct reports.

As Nvidia grew from a niche chipmaker, Kress became a key face representing the company to Wall Street. Her appointment therefore gives the board an insider with knowledge of its financial position, customers and operations, Jones said.

Fortune ranked Kress No. 49 on its 2026 Most Powerful Women list, her third consecutive year on the ranking. Fortune said the position reflected both her significant sway and its limits while Huang controlled the company so completely. In May, Nvidia shared Kress’s ranking. It said the honor reflected “the strategic role she plays in positioning our company as an innovator in AI and accelerated computing.”

Kress is also one of several women serving as finance chiefs for AI businesses, a group that includes OpenAI, Meta and Alphabet. Her Nvidia shares were worth approximately $770 million. That figure concerns her holdings, while Huang’s figure describes personal wealth; the two are not directly comparable.

Her record supports finance leadership. Fortune’s account does not identify any prior service as Nvidia’s chief executive.

Can Kress stabilize Nvidia without another strategy shift?

Kress said Nvidia’s “strength has always come from its people.” She reportedly told employees that she believes “deeply in this company.” Those messages stress continuity, but neither addresses Huang’s reported affairs, the alleged spy matter or the board’s missing timetable for a permanent chief.

Kress has remained beside Huang through Nvidia’s rise from niche player to one of the world’s most important companies, according to Fortune. The chipmaker now sits at the center of the global AI industry and wields influence over the global economy and national security.

Jones’s reference to an experienced leadership team suggests Nvidia will rely on more than one executive during the transition. That continuity may preserve execution, but it also leaves open whether Kress will shape strategy or mainly manage a succession process.

Kress reportedly told Nvidia staff that the company would hold a meeting to discuss its future on Nov. 18, the day after it reports third-quarter financial results. The meeting will place the interim structure before employees before the board has resolved the leadership question.

The immediate checkpoint is Nov. 18, when Nvidia meets staff after third-quarter results and Kress remains at the helm without a permanent successor or timetable. Continuity is the stated plan, not a settled answer.