Nvidia’s management is going through a period of great uncertainty since the announced departure of Jensen Huang. An independent petition now calls for his return to lead the chipmaker, with
Nvidia’s management is going through a period of great uncertainty since the announced departure of Jensen Huang. An independent petition now calls for his return to lead the chipmaker, with public support from Elon Musk. As of November 14, the initiative had exceeded 120,000 signatures, including several thousand attributed to employees. Signatories denounce the lack of information and worry about possible consequences for employees, customers, and investors in the technology and financial sectors internationally.
Named “Stand With Jensen,” the campaign demands the return of Jensen Huang to the position of CEO of Nvidia following his recent resignation. Elon Musk publicly supports this request. It had gathered more than 120,000 signatures by November 14. According to participant declarations, over 6,000 signatories currently work at Nvidia. The list also includes more than 1,100 former employees, over 65,000 shareholders, and over 47,000 other supporters. These affiliations remain declarative and have not been verified.
Elon Musk announced his support on November 13 in a reply posted on X. He indicated that a petition was demanding the reinstatement of Jensen Huang and that he was signing it as well. The next day, he elaborated his argument in another message. According to him, Huang had remarkably managed the group’s supply chain. He especially emphasized that some important agreements relied on a personal trust relationship rather than on written contracts.
Elon Musk thus believes that the CEO’s departure could weaken essential partnerships. He warned that Nvidia risks losing some of these agreements without Huang. The petition gathers employees, investors, and supporters. It remains independent of Nvidia and does not measure the position of all employees or shareholders. Elon Musk links the group’s stability to the presence of its former leader.
Start your crypto adventure safely with KrakenThis link uses an affiliate program.Beyond Jensen Huang’s return, the organizers request an independent investigation and a prompt public explanation. They also want the former leader to have a fair hearing. The campaign invites board members to present the elements that would justify his absence if they deem this measure necessary. It also calls for more details about the scope of the investigation, its independence, and its schedule.
The authors ask the board of directors to clearly state its concerns and the evidence supporting them. Elon Musk also demands guarantees regarding the continuity of agreements. They also want to know how the directors took into account the interests of employees and shareholders. The organizers acknowledge not having access to the board’s private exchanges. They nevertheless affirm that no element proving an accusation of espionage has been presented to them. This caveat highlights the limits.
Elon Musk had expressed his support for Huang before the announcement of his departure. During the controversy, he notably described the leader as irreplaceable for American leadership in artificial intelligence. Huang had led Nvidia for 33 years, which explains the importance given to his historical role. When internet users mentioned the possibility of recruiting him, Elon Musk also replied that he would be honored to hire him. These statements preceded the leadership change.
Nvidia announced Jensen Huang’s resignation on November 12. This decision removed him from his functions as chairman, CEO, and board member. CFO Colette Kress then took over interim management while retaining her financial responsibilities. The directors assured that business activities, customer commitments, and product roadmaps would continue without interruption.
The board commissioned external lawyers to conduct an independent investigation. Elon Musk did not announce any action toward Nvidia. He notably retained Joon H. Kim, former chief federal prosecutor of the Southern District of New York, as well as his firm Wachtell, Lipton, Rosen & Katz. On his side, Changpeng Zhao, co-founder of Binance, criticized Nvidia for letting Huang leave his positions. This reaction followed rumors about his private life and possible foreign surveillance.
Harvey C. Jones, former Synopsys executive, has become the first chairman of Nvidia’s board. He now leads the directors during the search for a permanent CEO. The search will consider both internal and external profiles. Interim management must maintain operations during the candidate review.
The governance crisis also attracted prediction markets’ attention. Before the resignation announcement, traders had bought contracts related to the potential departure of Jensen Huang. On Polymarket, the probability of a departure before year-end had reached 90.5%. These contracts reflected expectations without confirming the decision.
Nvidia maintained the release of its quarterly results on November 17. The company also scheduled a conference call at 5 p.m. Eastern Time. These events will allow investors to follow the group’s performance. The board continues its search for a successor while interim management assures continuity.
The petition could continue to attract signatures, but its impact will depend on the board’s response. The number of supporters does not guarantee reinstatement and does not replace Nvidia’s decisions. Elon Musk highlights the risks linked to business relationships built around Huang. The outcome will depend on the investigation, the board’s explanations, and the choice of the next leader. Nvidia will need to reassure employees, customers, and shareholders about its governance.
