Petition urging Nvidia to reinstate Jensen Huang passes 115,000 signatures

Tech leaders back campaign for Huang's return

A petition asking Nvidia to reinstate its former chief executive Jensen Huang had drawn more than 115,000 signatures by Saturday afternoon, according to TechCrunch. The campaign appeared online after Huang stepped down on Thursday.

High-profile names on the list include Tesla and SpaceX chief Elon Musk, Replit chief Amjad Masad and Epic Games chief Tim Sweeney. The petition site also reports counts of 5,965 current Nvidia staff, 1,108 former staff and 63,063 shareholders among the signers.

The organisers argue that Huang was removed without proper due process. They want the board to restore him while an outside review establishes what happened, and they ask for a fair inquiry plus more public information. The petition includes a short demand that Huang should receive due process rather than what it calls mob justice.

Why Huang left the company

Huang resigned on Thursday, several days after he admitted to an affair with a chip executive. United States intelligence agencies have identified that executive as a suspected Chinese spy, according to TechCrunch.

News reports have also suggested that Huang was involved in several extramarital affairs. TechCrunch presents these reports as claims that have not been confirmed by Nvidia or by an investigation.

Nvidia's leadership and share price after the exit

Nvidia has appointed its chief financial officer, Colette Kress, as interim chief executive while the board searches for a permanent replacement. The company has not said how long that search may take.

The market reaction so far has been measured. Nvidia's shares fell 2% on Friday following the announcement, according to TechCrunch.

Huang's departure may also affect the wider technology sector. TechCrunch notes that his exit is expected to leave a significant gap in funding for artificial intelligence companies, although the scale of that impact is not yet clear.

Who is affected and what may happen next

The petition aims its demands at Nvidia's board rather than at Huang himself. Its signers include a large share of the company's shareholder base, which could add pressure on the board to explain its decision.

Attention will now turn to the outcome of any inquiry into Huang's removal and to the search for a permanent chief executive. TechCrunch also reports that Asian governments are responding to Huang's exit, a sign of how closely the chip industry is watched outside the United States. Readers should treat the petition's own signature counts with caution, as they come from the campaign website and are not independently verified.