Nvidia Approaches Arm CEO Rene Haas to Replace Jensen Huang
Nvidia's board has approached Arm chief Rene Haas about succeeding Jensen Huang, as staff push to bring him back ahead of earnings on November 17.
Image: Wikimedia Commons / Web Summit
SANTA CLARA, Calif., Nov. 14 — Nvidia’s board has approached Arm Holdings chief executive Rene Haas about succeeding Jensen Huang, the Financial Times reported on Friday, two days after Huang resigned.
Haas is one of several candidates under consideration, and there is no guarantee he will be offered the job or accept it, the report said, citing people familiar with the matter. Nvidia’s board said it was still selecting an executive search firm and had not formally engaged any candidate. “Any speculation regarding individual candidates, whether internal or external, is premature,” the board said in a statement.
Key Takeaways
- Nvidia’s board has approached Arm chief executive Rene Haas about the top job, with no offer guaranteed and no candidate formally engaged yet.
- Haas spent seven years at Nvidia before joining Arm in 2013 and has led the British chip designer since 2022.
- More than 1,600 Nvidia staff backed an internal call to reinstate Huang; Elon Musk said he would sign a petition to bring him back.
- Nvidia reports quarterly earnings on November 17, the first under interim chief executive Colette Kress.
Who Is Rene Haas and Why Is Nvidia Considering Him?
Haas, 64, is a Silicon Valley semiconductor executive who spent seven years at Nvidia, rising to vice-president and general manager of its computing products business, before joining Arm in 2013. He became Arm’s chief executive in 2022, led the company through its Nasdaq listing in 2023, and pushed Arm into AI data-centre chips.
He knows Nvidia’s business and has a working relationship with Huang and several Nvidia directors. Nvidia itself tried to buy Arm for $40 billion in a deal that collapsed in 2022 after regulators objected. Arm declined to comment on the report.
Will Jensen Huang Return as Nvidia CEO?
Inside Nvidia, a campaign to bring Huang back is under way. An internal post urging the board to weigh employee sentiment drew more than 1,600 comments, many calling for his reinstatement. Elon Musk said on X that a petition to reinstate Huang was under way and that he would sign it.
Huang resigned on Thursday after 33 years leading the company he co-founded, following reports of extramarital relationships, including one with a business executive US officials suspect of Chinese intelligence ties. His departure ended one of the longest chief executive tenures in the technology industry. Colette Kress is interim chief executive, and Harvey C. Jones has become the board’s first chair.
What Happens Next in Nvidia’s CEO Search?
The board has given no timetable for a permanent appointment. The next fixed date is Tuesday, November 17, when Nvidia reports quarterly earnings with Kress at the helm, followed by Anthropic’s listing on November 19.
The stakes are high. Nvidia shares fell 2% on Friday, its sixth straight weekly decline and the longest since October 2012, leaving the company’s market value at about $3.9 trillion, down from a $5.8 trillion peak in early October. The wider market closed mixed, with the Nasdaq down 0.91% and the Philadelphia Semiconductor Index down 3.43%. Analysts have also floated Ian Buck and AMD chief Lisa Su, though neither is a confirmed candidate. Nvidia’s $500 billion AI financing plan has also faltered.
| Item | Detail |
|---|---|
| Interim chief executive | Colette Kress, chief financial officer |
| Candidate approached | Rene Haas, chief executive of Arm Holdings |
| Next earnings | Tuesday, November 17 |
| Market value | About $3.9 trillion, down from a $5.8 trillion peak in early October |
Frequently Asked Questions
Has Nvidia offered Rene Haas the CEO job?
No. Haas is one of several candidates, with no guarantee of an offer or acceptance. The board has not formally engaged any candidate and is still selecting a search firm.
Who is running Nvidia right now?
Chief financial officer Colette Kress is interim chief executive, and longtime director Harvey C. Jones has become board chair. Huang resigned on November 12.
Could Jensen Huang return as Nvidia CEO?
Some are pushing for it: an internal post calling for his reinstatement drew more than 1,600 comments, and Elon Musk said he would sign a petition backing his return. The board has not commented.
When will Nvidia name a permanent CEO?
None has been given. The board is still choosing a search firm; the next milestone is earnings on November 17.
Nvidia reports quarterly earnings on Tuesday, November 17, the first results since Huang’s resignation.
