Jensen Huang's Nvidia Reign on the Brink? The 7 Names Who Could Take Over the AI Empire

Jensen Huang has led Nvidia for more than three decades, making any question about who might succeed him significant for the company and the wider AI industry. But claims that his position is 'on the brink' are not established by the material supplied: Nvidia has not announced his departure or named a successor.

Nvidia's board has reportedly explored potential replacements and discussed the possibility of an interim chief executive. Directors have also been reported to be considering Huang's future following allegations involving his personal relationships and a separate investigation into possible security concerns.

Nvidia has not announced his removal, and its board previously expressed confidence in his leadership.

Here are seven executives whose names the draft places in the succession picture. Their experience varies, and none is confirmed as a candidate.

1. Ian Buck: The CUDA Brain

Ian Buck joined Nvidia in 2004 and helped develop CUDA, the software platform used with the company's chips for AI computing. He leads product work across Nvidia's hyperscale AI hardware and software business.

Reuters has reported that Buck is a possible long-term internal successor to chief executive Jensen Huang.

2. Colette Kress: The Interim Favourite

Colette Kress has been Nvidia's chief financial officer since 2013 and regularly joins chief executive Jensen Huang on earnings calls.

Reuters has reported that some board members have considered Kress for the role of interim chief executive. Nvidia has not announced a successor to Huang.

3. Rene Haas: The Semiconductor Insider

Arm chief executive Rene Haas previously spent seven years at Nvidia. His semiconductor experience and familiarity with the company could make him an external possibility, according to the draft's account of Reuters reporting.

Leaving Arm would be a significant step, and there is no confirmation in the material supplied that Haas has been approached. Any suggestion that he is a candidate should be attributed to a verifiable report rather than presented as an active succession plan.

4. Johny Srouji: Apple's Chipmaking Chief

Srouji, Apple's senior vice-president of Hardware Technologies, has overseen the company's development of its own processors. His experience managing complex hardware programmes could be relevant to Nvidia's engineering-led business.

The draft says his name has appeared in succession reporting, but provides no source or evidence of a formal approach. His inclusion should therefore be treated as speculative, not as an indication that he is considering a move.

5. Lisa Su: The Rival With Technical Firepower

AMD chief executive Lisa Su leads one of Nvidia's main semiconductor competitors and has experience in the contest to supply computing hardware for AI. The draft presents her as a possible outside choice, but provides no evidence that she is under consideration.

Leaving AMD to lead a rival would be a major move. Her name belongs in any discussion only as a hypothetical possibility unless reliable reporting establishes otherwise.

6. Jeff Fisher: The Long-Serving Insider

Fisher has spent about 32 years at Nvidia, according to the draft, giving him extensive institutional knowledge. Reuters is cited as including him among possible successors, but that report should be located and checked.

His long tenure could offer continuity. The material provided gives little detail about his current responsibilities or experience running the company, so it is not enough to assess his suitability for the chief executive role.

7. Michael Kagan: The Technology Veteran

Nvidia's chief technology officer brings another powerful internal option. Kagan, a Mellanox co-founder, has extensive experience in networking and the architecture behind modern AI data centres.

His technical background could appeal to directors seeking an engineering-led transition, although his suitability for the chief executive role remains untested publicly.

Nvidia's Biggest Succession Test

Jensen Huang remains Nvidia's chief executive, and the company has not announced a successor. The seven executives named in succession reports have not been confirmed as candidates.

Nvidia's next chief executive would oversee its chip business, software, manufacturing relationships, customers and partnerships.