Musk Joins 115,000-Strong Petition to Reinstate Jensen Huang at Nvidia
Elon Musk has signed a petition backed by 115,000 people, including 5,965 Nvidia staff, calling for Jensen Huang's return as CEO, as two investors urge delay.
Image: Wikimedia Commons / Joseph Zadeh
SANTA CLARA, California — A petition calling for Nvidia to bring back Jensen Huang as chief executive passed 115,000 signatures on Saturday afternoon, two days after Huang resigned, with Tesla chief executive Elon Musk among the signatories and two major shareholders pressing the board to keep the founder's return on the table.
The open letter, hosted on the Stand with Jensen site, says its signers are "concerned that Jensen was removed without meaningful due process" and asks the board to "bring him back while an independent investigation establishes the facts." Musk wrote on X on Friday: "A petition is underway to reinstate Jensen and I'm signing it too." Huang resigned on Nov. 12, effective immediately, days after admitting an affair with an executive suspected by United States intelligence of being a Chinese spy.
Key Takeaways
- The Stand with Jensen petition passed 115,000 signatures on Saturday afternoon, up from about 43,000 on Friday morning.
- Signers listed 5,965 current Nvidia employees and 63,063 shareholders.
- Altimeter's Brad Gerstner and Atreides' Gavin Baker asked the board for a "slow, measured, and deliberate process" on Huang's return.
- Nvidia's board has not responded publicly to the petition or the investors' letter.
Who Signed the Petition to Reinstate Jensen Huang?
The petition grew fast through Saturday. It listed about 43,000 names on Friday morning and passed 115,000 by the afternoon, according to the site's live counter.
| When | Signatures | Current Nvidia employees |
|---|---|---|
| Friday morning, Nov. 14 | About 43,000 | 2,980 |
| Saturday afternoon, Nov. 14 | More than 115,000 | 5,965 |
Other signers include Epic Games chief Tim Sweeney, Y Combinator chief Garry Tan, Replit chief Amjad Masad and Cohere co-founder Aidan Gomez. The 5,965 current employees are roughly one in seven of Nvidia's workforce of about 42,000.
The campaign says it is not endorsed by Nvidia or Huang, and affiliations are self-reported and unverified. "Jensen deserves due process, not mob justice," the petition says.
What the Altimeter and Atreides Letter Asks Nvidia's Board
The investors' letter, made public on Friday, differs from the petition. Brad Gerstner, chief executive of Altimeter Capital, and Gavin Baker of Atreides Management, asked the board to "pursue a slow, measured, and deliberate process" that "leaves all options on the table, including the potential return of Jensen Huang." Their funds held about 10.7 million Nvidia shares combined at June 30.
They wrote that "there are more questions about recent events than answers," and urged the board not to rush a permanent successor. Unlike the petition, they did not ask for Huang to be reinstated now, and they accepted the board's final say: "If, after all the facts are known, the board decides that bringing Jensen Huang back as CEO is not in shareholders' best interests, that is the board's prerogative."
Can Nvidia's Board Bring Jensen Huang Back as CEO?
Under Nvidia's bylaws, a majority of directors can appoint or remove a chief executive. Huang left the board on Nov. 11, leaving 10 directors. The petition carries no binding force: calling a special meeting needs holders of at least 15 percent of voting shares to have held them for a year.
The board opened an inquiry on Nov. 8 into reports about Huang's conduct, and independent directors commissioned a review led by former prosecutor Joon Kim. On Nov. 13 the board said it was still selecting a search firm. Huang has agreed to testify before Congress. Nvidia shares fell about 2 percent on Friday and roughly 10 percent for the week.
Frequently Asked Questions
How many people signed the petition to bring Jensen Huang back to Nvidia?
More than 115,000 as of Saturday afternoon, Nov. 14, including 5,965 current Nvidia employees and 63,063 shareholders — up from about 43,000 on Friday morning.
Did Elon Musk sign the petition to reinstate Jensen Huang?
Musk wrote on X on Nov. 13 that he was signing the petition. Other signers include Epic Games chief Tim Sweeney, Y Combinator chief Garry Tan and Replit chief Amjad Masad.
Can Nvidia's board reinstate Jensen Huang as CEO?
Yes, in principle. Under Nvidia's bylaws a majority of directors can appoint a chief executive. The petition itself carries no binding force, and the board has not responded publicly.
When does Nvidia report earnings after Jensen Huang's resignation?
Nvidia reports third-quarter results on Tuesday, Nov. 17, its first since Colette Kress became interim chief executive. Kress is due to address employees at a company meeting the following morning.
