Colette Kress, Nvidia’s longtime chief financial officer, has been appointed interim chief executive officer of the artificial intelligence chipmaker following the resignation of co-founder Jensen Huang, placing a veteran technology finance executive in charge of one of the world’s most valuable companies.
Nvidia announced the leadership transition on Nov. 12, saying Kress would serve as interim CEO while continuing in her existing position as executive vice president and CFO. The company’s board has begun searching for a permanent successor and will consider both internal and external candidates.
READ: Nvidia names Colette Kress interim CEO after Jensen Huang resigns (November 12, 2026)
Kress joined Nvidia in September 2013 and has served as its finance chief for more than 13 years. During that period, she worked closely with Huang on the company’s financial strategy, investor relations and quarterly earnings presentations.
Nvidia’s annual revenue increased from $4.13 billion in fiscal 2013, the year she joined, to $215.9 billion in fiscal 2026, reflecting the company’s expansion from a graphics processor manufacturer into a major supplier of chips and computing infrastructure for artificial intelligence.
Career before Nvidia
Kress brings nearly 25 years of experience in technology-sector finance, having held senior positions at three major American technology companies before joining Nvidia.
She began her career at Texas Instruments, where she spent eight years in various finance positions.
She subsequently joined Microsoft in 1997 and remained with the company until 2010. In 2006, she became chief financial officer of Microsoft’s Server and Tools division, overseeing financial strategy, planning and reporting.
In 2010, Kress moved to Cisco Systems as senior vice president and CFO of its Business Technology and Operations Finance organization. Her responsibilities included financial strategy and business development across the company’s operations. She left Cisco in 2013 to join Nvidia as executive vice president and CFO.
Education and professional background
Kress holds a Bachelor of Science degree in Finance from the University of Arizona and an MBA from Southern Methodist University.
Her professional background has largely centered on corporate finance, financial planning, business operations and strategic management in the technology industry.
At Nvidia, she became one of the company’s most visible executives alongside Huang, regularly participating in quarterly earnings calls and communicating the company’s financial performance to investors.
Her wealth and Nvidia compensation
Kress also ranks among America’s wealthiest self-made women, largely because of her Nvidia stock holdings.
According to Reuters, Forbes placed her at No. 32 on its 2026 list of America’s richest self-made women. Her Nvidia shares were valued at approximately $750 million as of Nov. 11, down from more than $1 billion when the company’s stock reached its peak the previous month.
Regulatory filings also show that her compensation includes restricted stock units, including an award issued in March 2026 that vests over four years.
Nvidia’s proxy statement says executive officers are employed at will and do not have individual employment, severance or change-in-control agreements.
What happens next at Nvidia?
Kress takes charge during a significant leadership transition at Nvidia. Huang, who co-founded the company and led it for more than three decades, resigned as president, CEO and a member of the board, effective immediately, according to the company’s Nov. 12 announcement.
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The board also appointed Harvey C. Jones, a longtime Nvidia director, as its first-ever board chair.
While Kress assumes temporary leadership, Nvidia has not announced a permanent replacement. The company said it expects its operations, customer commitments and product roadmap to continue without interruption.
The transition comes as Nvidia maintains a central position in the global AI infrastructure market, supplying processors used in data centers, supercomputers and advanced computing systems. Its next quarterly earnings announcement, covering fiscal 2027’s third quarter, remains scheduled for Nov. 17.