Who is Colette Kress? From Microsoft and Cisco to Nvidia's interim CEO after Huang's resignation — her career, education

Nvidia has appointed its long-serving Chief Financial Officer Colette Kress as interim chief executive officer after CEO Jensen Huang resigned from the top position with immediate effect on Thursday, November 12.

The leadership change follows reports of two alleged extramarital affairs involving Jensen Huang, including one with Alice Huang, a woman suspected by US intelligence officials of spying for China. Nvidia's board has initiated a search for a permanent fulltime successor and will consider both internal and external candidates.

Kress will continue to serve as Nvidia's executive vice president and CFO alongside her interim CEO responsibilities until a permanent replacement is appointed.

Quick answers to key questions

•5 QUESTIONS

1

Who is Colette Kress, Nvidia's interim CEO?⌵

Colette Kress is Nvidia's long-serving executive vice president and chief financial officer. She was appointed interim CEO while the board searches for a permanent successor.

2

Will Colette Kress remain Nvidia's CFO while serving as interim CEO?⌵

Yes. Kress will continue as Nvidia's executive vice president and CFO alongside her interim CEO responsibilities until a permanent replacement is appointed.

3

What companies did Colette Kress work for before Nvidia?⌵

Before joining Nvidia in 2013, Kress held finance and senior management roles at Texas Instruments, Microsoft and Cisco. She spent eight years at Texas Instruments, 13 years at Microsoft and later served as a senior vice president and CFO at Cisco.

4

What is Colette Kress's educational background?⌵

Kress holds a bachelor's degree in finance from the University of Arizona and an MBA from Southern Methodist University.

5

How long has Colette Kress been Nvidia's CFO?⌵

Kress has served as Nvidia's executive vice president and CFO since September 2013. In that role, she has overseen the company's finance organisation and regularly discussed its financial performance and outlook on earnings calls.

The company's board also appointed Harvey C. Jones as its first-ever chairman. Jones is an entrepreneur, technology executive and venture investor who previously served as CEO and executive chairman of technology company Synopsys.

Announcing the appointment, Jones said Kress had helped lead Nvidia through a period of extraordinary growth and had a deep understanding of its business, customers, operations and financial position.

The board expressed confidence in Kress and the existing leadership team, adding that the company's operations, customer commitments and product roadmap would continue without interruption.

Colette Kress has served as Nvidia's executive vice president and chief financial officer since September 2013, making her one of the longest-serving members of the chipmaker's senior leadership team.

During her tenure, she has overseen the company's finance organisation and played a significant role in its expansion from a graphics chipmaker into a global leader in artificial intelligence and accelerated computing.

Kress has also regularly appeared alongside Huang during Nvidia's quarterly earnings calls, providing investors with updates on the company's financial performance, revenue outlook and business strategy.

Her appointment puts a seasoned finance executive at the helm of one of the world's most influential technology companies at a time of significant leadership crisis.

Before joining Nvidia, Kress accumulated nearly 25 years of experience in finance and senior management roles at major technology companies, including Texas Instruments, Microsoft and Cisco.

She spent eight years in finance positions at Texas Instruments before moving to Microsoft in 1997, where she worked until 2010.

During her 13-year stint at Microsoft, Kress rose through the company's finance organisation and became CFO of its Server and Tools division in 2006. She was responsible for financial strategy, planning and reporting for the division.

In 2010, she joined Cisco as senior vice president and CFO of its Business Technology and Operations Finance organisation. Her responsibilities included financial strategy and business development.

She left Cisco in 2013 to join Nvidia as executive vice president and CFO.

Kress had described Nvidia as the smallest company she had worked for when she joined in 2013, Fortune reported in 2024.

Kress holds a Master of Business Administration (MBA) degree from Southern Methodist University, according to her LinkedIn account.

Her long association with Nvidia has also translated into substantial personal wealth.

Forbes ranked Kress at No. 32 on its 2026 list of America's richest self-made women. Her Nvidia shareholding was valued at approximately $750 million as of Wednesday's market close, down from more than $1 billion when the company's stock was at its peak last month.

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