Jensen Huang has resigned as chief executive of Nvidia and left the company’s board, the chipmaker said on Thursday. Chief financial officer Colette Kress will take over as interim CEO while Nvidia looks for a permanent replacement. Harvey C. Jones, a former Synopsys chief executive, has been named chair of the board.

The change leaves the company that Huang co-founded without a permanent leader at a pivotal moment for the artificial intelligence industry. Nvidia has not named a successor, and the circumstances around the resignation have drawn attention to reports about Huang’s personal relationships and inquiries linked to them.

No permanent successor announced

Huang co-founded Nvidia in 1993 and led its evolution from a maker of graphics cards for video games into a major supplier of processors for data centres and AI development. His departure therefore raises questions about who will guide the company’s technology and commercial strategy as well as its day-to-day operations.

Kress, who joined Nvidia in 2013, will remain CFO while serving as interim CEO. The company has not announced when it expects to appoint a permanent chief executive. Euronews reported that Nvidia had no known succession plan and that Huang had repeatedly avoided naming an heir.

The company is due to report quarterly results on November 17 under its interim leadership. Kress is also due to lead an internal meeting on Nvidia’s future direction on November 18.

Reports about relationships and inquiries

The resignation comes amid media reports about two relationships. Reports cited by La Opinión said US authorities considered Alice Huang, who is associated with Singapore-based infrastructure company Megaspeed, a possible collaborator with Chinese intelligence. The allegations have not been presented in the sources as a formal finding.

The New York Times and other outlets also reported a relationship between Huang and Kimberly Powell, Nvidia’s vice-president of healthcare. La Opinión said Powell reportedly worked under Huang’s direct supervision. El Día reported that Huang had acknowledged being unfaithful and apologised to his wife and children.

El Día also reported that Nvidia was investigating the relationship Huang acknowledged, while the FBI was conducting its own inquiries. The sources do not report that Huang has been charged with an offence.

Congressional testimony expected

Brian Mast, chair of the US House Foreign Affairs Committee, said Huang had agreed to testify before Congress before Thanksgiving. Mast said the date was still being negotiated.

Nvidia’s immediate leadership arrangements are in place, but the longer-term question remains open: who will take over from the founder as the company’s permanent chief executive?