Nvidia's Top Shareholders Urge Board to Consider Jensen Huang's Return
Altimeter Capital and Atreides Management jointly wrote to Nvidia's board, demanding a deliberate CEO search that leaves open the possibility of Jensen Huang returning.
Two major institutional investors in Nvidia—Brad Gerstner of Altimeter Capital and Gavin Baker of Atreides Management—published an open letter on Friday urging the chipmaker's board to pursue a "slow, measured, and deliberate" process for selecting a new CEO, explicitly stating that the option of founder and former CEO Jensen Huang's return should remain on the table.
The firms collectively hold approximately $2.13 billion in Nvidia stock. The letter acknowledges that interim CEO Colette Kress is capable of leading the company but argues that Huang, as the long-time leader, has earned the right to a careful evaluation before any hasty replacement decisions are made. This move serves as a direct counterweight to widespread media reports suggesting the board was preparing to permanently oust Huang.
Huang resigned on November 12 amid allegations involving personal relationships and an investigation into suspected Chinese spy Alice Huang. While the market largely anticipated his permanent departure, this shareholder intervention highlights a growing divide among investors who believe Huang's removal could inadvertently benefit China by weakening Nvidia's strategic advantage in AI hardware. The resulting governance uncertainty adds complexity to Nvidia's leadership transition in the coming weeks.