Elon Musk warned that NVIDIA could lose major deals following the exit of Jensen Huang. He said, "Jensen drove supply chain brilliantly at NVIDIA, but many of those deals were a handshake with Jensen, not a written contract." The company now uses Colette Kress as interim CEO amid ongoing leadership investigations.
Musk emphasized that many of NVIDIA's critical deals were based on personal trust rather than written contracts.
He said, "Jensen drove supply chain brilliantly at NVIDIA, but many of those deals were a handshake with Jensen, not a written contract."
The comments highlight the potential impact of Huang's departure on NVIDIA's business relationships and its future under new leadership.
Musk has also publicly supported a petition seeking Huang's reinstatement as NVIDIA CEO.
He said he would sign it, showing his commitment to the cause.
The Tesla and SpaceX chief had also expressed interest in working with Huang after a social media user suggested that he should hire the former NVIDIA chief.
Musk responded by saying, "That would be an honor."
Huang's exit came after reports of his alleged extramarital relationships, including one with Kimberly Powell, NVIDIA VP of Healthcare. The New York Times cited five former employees to report this.
Separately, The Wall Street Journal reported an alleged relationship between Huang and Alice Huang, a Chinese businesswoman suspected by some US intelligence officials of having ties to Chinese intelligence services.
In the wake of the controversy, NVIDIA has appointed Colette Kress as its interim CEO while it searches for a permanent successor.
The company's board is also investigating reports of possible foreign intelligence involvement.
Despite these challenges, Musk's comments highlight the potential impact of Huang's exit on NVIDIA's business relationships and future under new leadership.