“Oh, Jensen, I lahv your ledder jacket!” That’s what Alice might’ve said.
“You should see them in 3D with MONAI.” That’s what Kimberly might’ve said.
“Get outta here, philanderer, and take your ‘ledder’ jacket with you.” That’s what Nvidia’s board will say, according to The Wall Street Journal, which was first to report late Wednesday that Jensen Huang’s all but out as CEO of Nvidia.
The figure below shows you the Polymarket contract on Huang’s future.
Should’ve bought it at 9¢, right?
To say Huang’s are big shoes to fill would be an understatement of criminally large proportions. In addition to being an international celebrity, he’s synonymous with the company he built and also with the revolution its products ushered in.
His ouster would leave a vacuum at Nvidia, which has no succession plan to speak of. Just as concerning (if not more so), it’d cast a measure of doubt on the web of deals at the center of the global AI buildout. Nvidia’s inked so many vendor-finance-style arrangements around the world that keeping track of them long since became an exercise in futility.
I have no reason to believe Nvidia’s management would renege on those arrangements, or otherwise change tack, but if Huang’s larger-than-life presence and overbearing personality suppressed internal doubts about the strategy, any such reservations might find a louder voice following his departure.
The figure above shows the shares in after-hours trading. They were off sharply.
As the Journal noted, Huang “doesn’t believe in succession planning,” and has “roughly 60 direct reports.” One of those reports is Kimberly Powell, VP of healthcare.
Just hours before the Journal tipped Huang’s forced exit, The New York Times alleged he had an affair with Powell too. That is, an affair in addition to his relationship with Alice Huang.
The two of them — Jensen and Kimberly — “were captured on video being affectionate at a San Jose hotel during a Nvidia conference in March,” a couple of sources said.
If the question was “What would the AI boom be without Jensen Huang?” we’re about to find out the answer.
No worries. I am already in negotiations with the board to step up and replace him. The only hangup is their assistance that I undergo procedures to quell any naughty urges and impulses I might still have.
But seriously – pull up a chart of NVDA year-to-date. The stock was already trading heavy and was showing signs of something amiss at the end of last month. You don’t suppose that someone with inside intel was unloading shares or going short? Those sneaky Chinese …….
Too bad. However, Apple continued, and did quite well, without Steve Jobs.
If he is fired, I hope the stock drops at least 10% tomorrow.
The first time or the second time? The thing with Apple is that without Jobs (both times) they lost their main visionary. They are still a fantastic company, but their last big innovation was the original iPhone in 2007. I suspect the same will be true for Nvidia. They will soldier on (of course), but Jensen was the man with the plan (and the leather jacket), but he has to go.
I wonder the odds are on Polymarket are that Jensen either: a.) flees the country, defects, and ends up working (with Alice) for the Chinese; or b.) receives a formal pardon from Donald Trump?
Sorry. “I wonder what the odds are . . .”
“[Apple’s] last big innovation was the original iPhone. I suspect the same will be true for Nvidia.”
I wholeheartedly agree on the former, but not necessarily on the latter. I suspect that’s an apples-to-oranges comparison, but I’ll let someone who knows more about chips than I do weigh in.
I see what you mean, but it isn’t the chips so much as the vision, deal-making, and business acumen that I was referring to. Jensen is a rock star. He is in every room now, even on the international stage: Beijing, the White House, the APEC Summit, France, New Delhi. As George Costanza used to say, he “has hand” (and not just on Alice and Kimberly!) How does Nvidia go about replacing that? But you’re right, I guess that might also be an apples-to-oranges comparison.
Guess we’re going to find out the hard way how important Huang is to the AI buildout. Somebody put an ankle bracelet on him or he just may end up in China. Hard to imagine Jensen going quietly into the good night.
Well,
I will repeat what I said in a different thread.
Oh Jeez!
Wait till the NYT releases pictures of Jensen at the Club Volvo!
Looks like Colette Kress, the CFO, is being called up to replaced Huang (the CEO, not the other one)…. JMJ…
I’m sure there’s a place for him in Donnie’s Administration, his Organization…or SpaceX. Birds of a feather…
Had to Collette Kress and wouldn’t ya know it , first picture I see , she has a leather jacket.
NVDA is in good hands lads.
Hod to ‘ google’ Collette….