Published November 12, 2026. This situation is developing and based on reporting that NVIDIA, Jensen Huang and Kimberly Powell have not publicly confirmed.
| The short version:Inside the Buzz: Explore the latest reports on NVIDIA CEO Jensen Huang and healthcare VP Kimberly Powell, board reactions, and market updates as this developing situation unfolds.The New York Times reported that NVIDIA CEO Jensen Huang had an affair with Kimberly Powell, the company’s long-time vice president of healthcare, who reports to him. It’s the second affair allegation against Huang this week — the first involving a woman reportedly suspected of ties to Chinese intelligence. NVIDIA’s board has opened an independent investigation, the stock has dropped sharply, and multiple outlets report the board is weighing whether to remove Huang as CEO. None of this has been confirmed by NVIDIA, Huang or Powell. |
Who Is Kimberly Powell?
Previously known mostly within the technology and healthcare industries, Kimberly Powell (48) joined NVIDIA in 2008 and helped to build the healthcare business from the ground up. She is now the head of a business that includes medical imaging, drug discovery, genomics and healthcare analytics. Over the years she has attended some of the biggest industry events on behalf of NVIDIA including J.P. Morgan’s annual healthcare conference. She has also said that joining NVIDIA was one of the highlights of her career so far. Powell currently has the title of vice president of healthcare and reports directly to Huang.
What’s Being Reported
Huang and Powell were spotted showing affection, according to The New York Times. In March 2026, during NVIDIA’s developer conference in San Jose, they were seen showing affection at a hotel nearby, a bystander snapped a photo and a security guard approached the bystander offering them a non-disclosure agreement. No confirmation has been forthcoming from NVIDIA, Huang, or Powell about the relationship. None of them responded to requests for comment from the Times, CNBC or Reuters.
The allegations of Huang having an affair are not new. Just days before, there were reports that he had an affair with another woman, who some reports suspected had links to Chinese intelligence. Over the weekend, he apologised to NVIDIA employees for having “an affair,”. He did not specify who the person was. This news comes after the allegations against Powell.
How NVIDIA’s Board Has Responded
NVIDIA’s board acted quickly on the first allegation, announcing an independent investigation led by outside directors and the law firm Wachtell, Lipton, Rosen & Katz, specifically to look into whether Huang had been targeted by a foreign intelligence effort. In a statement, the board said it had no reason to believe that national security or company secrets had been compromised, but that its inquiry would examine all available information.
It’s less clear whether that investigation extends to the separate Powell allegation. As of now, NVIDIA hasn’t issued a statement addressing Powell specifically.
Why This Matters for NVIDIA’s Governance
The situation is not simply an individual one. First, Powell was a direct report to Huang and this raises the usual corporate governance concerns surrounding the relationship between a CEO and their direct report. Secondly, the Wall Street Journal has reported that the NVIDIA board are now discussing removing Huang as CEO. Huang is an original co-founder of the company dating back to 1993 and has been at the helm of the company ever since.
The market quickly reacted to the news. The NVIDIA stock price fell around 7-8% in after hours trading. The stock has fallen due to the news around the Powell allegations. One long term NVIDIA bull was quoted as saying “writing is on the wall”. However, analysts have noticed that the movement in share price stems from the uncertainty around losing the founder of the company rather than the unproven allegations.
What Happens Next
NVIDIA is scheduled to report quarterly earnings on November 17, and the questions on that call may have little to do with chips. Investors will be watching for any update from the board’s investigation, any statement addressing the Powell allegation directly, and any signal about succession planning. Until the board speaks publicly, the Powell allegation remains unconfirmed reporting, not an established fact, and both she and Huang have the same presumption of privacy around their personal lives that any employee would have unless and until NVIDIA says otherwise.
The Bottom Line
In addition to the fact that NVIDIA’s board launched an investigation into a separate national security related allegation and Huang has apologised for an unspecified affair, NVIDIA is having a tough time with its stock price falling dramatically. However, there is no confirmation for the Kimberly Powell claim. This was sourced anonymously from just one newspaper article. Once the board completes a review or NVIDIA discusses this during their earnings call on November 17, we will have a clearer picture.
