Jensen Huang reinstatement petition tops 145,000 as Nvidia seeks a CEO

An online petition asking Nvidia’s board to reinstate Jensen Huang as chief executive had amassed more than 145,000 signatures by Sunday. Stand with Jensen, the independent campaign behind the open letter, displayed 145,878 names at 10:33 a.m. UTC on Nov. 15. The letter asks directors to bring Huang back while an independent investigation proceeds and to explain the evidence if they decide he should stay out of the job.

Colette Kress is serving as interim CEO alongside her duties as chief financial officer. Nvidia’s board is looking for a permanent successor, a decision the company’s bylaws put in the board’s hands. The company reconfirmed its Nov. 17 earnings schedule when it announced the leadership change.

What the petition counts

At the time of the observation, the campaign classified 7,272 names as current Nvidia employees, 1,350 as former employees, 77,993 as shareholders and 59,263 as supporters. Those are the campaign’s categories, based on what signers reported. The organizers say they do not verify people’s affiliations or job titles. The employee figure thus reflects how people described themselves on the site.

Signers can choose whether to display their names and titles in the public supporter directory, so that directory covers a different set of entries from the headline counter. The organizers say they can hold new entries for review and exclude them from the published tally until approved. The counter says it refreshes every 10 seconds. The campaign describes itself as a volunteer effort independent of Nvidia and Huang.

The letter couples its reinstatement request with two other demands. It asks directors to explain how the inquiry will work, including its timetable, and give Huang an opportunity to respond. It also seeks a public explanation of the evidence and how the board weighed the interests of employees and shareholders. The organizers acknowledge that some information may have to remain confidential.

The board’s search for a successor

Nvidia’s Form 8-K gives the effective date of Huang’s departure. The company said its directors accepted his resignation on Nov. 11 with immediate effect. He left three positions: president, CEO and board member. Nvidia disclosed the change publicly on Nov. 12.

Nvidia’s bylaws put the selection of the CEO with the directors and allow the board to fill an officer vacancy. The petition is addressed to that body. Nvidia says the search will consider candidates from inside and outside the company.

The same bylaws set out a separate process for shareholders to request a special meeting on matters shareholders can decide. It calls for a written request from holders of at least 15% of the voting power, held continuously for at least one year. The campaign tally provides no measure of whether its signers hold that voting power.

Kress has overseen Nvidia’s finances since joining as CFO in 2013. She will continue to do so while serving as interim CEO. The directors also named Harvey C. Jones, a board member since 1993, as Nvidia’s first board chair. In the company’s transition announcement, Jones said he expected operations, customer commitments and the product roadmap to continue without interruption.

The investigation cited by the petition predates the announcement of Huang’s departure. Nvidia announced the investigation on Nov. 8, citing reports that Huang had been targeted by a foreign intelligence effort. A committee of independent board members would oversee the inquiry with help from outside counsel. Two days later the independent directors named former federal prosecutor Joon H. Kim and his firm Wachtell, Lipton, Rosen & Katz to conduct the work. That statement gave no date for publishing findings.

Nvidia’s next scheduled earnings release covers the third quarter of fiscal 2027, which ended Oct. 25. Results are due at about 1:20 p.m. Pacific time on Nov. 17, with a call at 2 p.m. The company plans to post Kress’s written commentary immediately after the results. The webcast is open to listeners, with questions reserved for financial analysts and institutional investors.