Nvidia CEO crisis: Who is Jay Puri? Longtime Nvidia VP in focus as Jensen Huang faces scrutiny over alleged affairs with Alice Huang and Kimberly Powell

Nvidia CEO replacement Jay Puri: Nvidia CEO Jensen Huang is facing pressure after reports that the company's board is now considering removing him after allegations about his personal relationships. So as questions grow over who could lead the chipmaker next, the attention has turned to Jay Puri. Who is an Indian origin executive who spent more than two decades in senior positions at Nvidia.

Nvidia's board was meeting to discuss Huang's future on Wednesday. The news followed a Wall Street Journal report that directors were preparing to force him out. Nvidia shares fell more than 9% in after-hours trading.

Puri's long career at Nvidia makes him posibility to take up the role, however, the company hasn't named him as a possible successor. And he stepped down from his executive position in August 2026.

Jay Puri: Nvidia's longtime Indian-origin executive

Jay Puri's full name is Ajay K. Puri. He joined Nvidia in 2005 as senior vice president of worldwide sales. In 2009, he became executive vice president of Worldwide Field Operations.

He oversaw global sales, business development, customer relationships, partnerships and support services, along with solution architecture and engineering.

Before joining Nvidia, Puri spent 22 years at Sun Microsystems in senior sales, marketing and general management roles. His earlier career also included positions at Texas Instruments, Hewlett-Packard & Booz Allen Hamilton.

Jay Puri's education and qualifications

Puri earned a bachelor's degree in electrical engineering with high distinction from the University of Minnesota. He later completed a master's degree in electrical engineering at the California Institute of Technology (Caltech).

He also holds an MBA from Harvard Business School.

Why Jay Puri left his Nvidia leadership role

Puri informed Nvidia in June 2026 that he planned to retire as executive vice president of Worldwide Field Operations. And his departure took effect on August 24.

But he was expected to remain with the company in a senior advisory role. Nicholas Parker, a former Microsoft executive, took over his responsibilities.

Why is Jensen Huang facing possible removal as Nvidia CEO

The reported board discussions followed allegations about two relationships involving Huang.

According to a New York Times report, Huang had a romantic relationship with Kimberly Powell, Nvidia's vice president of healthcare. The two were reportedly captured on camera displaying affection at a hotel in San Jose, California, in March.

Powell has led Nvidia's healthcare business since 2017. Overseeing its technology platforms for medical imaging, life sciences, drug discovery and healthcare analytics.

And the allegations followed earlier reports about Huang's relationship with Alice Huang. A woman whom US intelligence officials reportedly believe has links to China's Ministry of State Security.

As per CNBC report, Nvidia's board had opened an independent investigation and hired law firm Wachtell, Lipton, Rosen & Katz to examine the spying allegations.

Huang acknowledged being unfaithful to his wife, Lori Huang, in a message to employees on Sunday, saying, "I was unfaithful to my wife. My actions hurt her and our children. There is no excuse for what I did."

Nvidia stock (NVDA) falls as leadership uncertainty grows

Nvidia stock were already down around 7% during the week before Wednesday's after hours selloff. The company was also heading towards its sixth consecutive weekly decline amid concerns about the sustainability of AI infrastructure spending.

The WSJ report added to investor concerns, sending Nvidia shares down more than 9% in post-market trading.

Nvidia has been one of the biggest beneficiaries of the AI boom, with its chips powering the training of AI models and large computing workloads. Huang has been at the centre of the company's growth.

Will Jay Puri take Jensen Huang's role as CEO

Puri has extensive experience at Nvidia, particularly in managing global sales, partnerships and customer relationships. His long career makes him a relevant figure in discussion about the company's leadership.

However, there is no confirmation that Nvidia's board is considering him for the CEO position as the company has not announced a successor to Huang.