Nvidia (NASDAQ: NVDA) has named longtime finance chief Colette Kress interim CEO following founder Jensen Huang’s resignation. The board accepted Huang’s resignation on November 11, 2026, and announced the transition on November 12; Kress will also remain chief financial officer. The appointment places a 59-year-old finance veteran in charge of Nvidia as shareholders await its November 17 earnings report. Nvidia’s SEC filing confirms the appointments.
Update, November 13, 2026: Kress will hold both the interim CEO and CFO roles while the board seeks a permanent successor. Harvey C. Jones has become Nvidia’s first board chair.
Who Is Colette Kress? Career and Education
Colette M. Kress, 59, joined Nvidia in September 2013 as executive vice president and CFO. She has led the finance organization through the company’s shift from gaming graphics toward AI processors, networking and large-scale data-center systems. Her experience at Nvidia spans financial reporting, capital allocation and communication with investors, but the interim CEO assignment is a broader operating responsibility.
Her career began at Texas Instruments, followed by about 13 years at Microsoft, including four years as CFO of its Server and Tools division. She later spent three years at Cisco, where she oversaw finance for business technology and operations. Kress holds a bachelor’s degree in finance from the University of Arizona and an MBA from Southern Methodist University, according to her official Nvidia biography.
What Has Kress Overseen at Nvidia?
The financial scale of the company changed dramatically during her tenure. Nvidia generated $215.9 billion in revenue in fiscal 2026, up 65% year over year, according to its annual results release. In its second quarter of fiscal 2027, ended July 26, 2026, revenue reached $96.2 billion, including $89.0 billion from Data Center, according to its quarterly earnings report. That segment represented approximately 92.5% of quarterly sales, making hyperscaler spending and AI infrastructure central to the investment case.
Why Did Nvidia Choose Kress as Interim CEO?
The board selected an executive who already knows Nvidia’s finances, major customers and operating model. In its November 12 announcement, Nvidia said Kress would continue as CFO while serving as interim CEO, and that it would evaluate both internal and external candidates for the permanent role. The board also made longtime director Harvey C. Jones its first chair, separating board leadership from the CEO position.
Could Kress Change Nvidia’s Strategy?
One potential difference is the treatment of large AI financing commitments. Reuters reported on November 13, citing people familiar with internal discussions, that Kress had challenged some of Huang’s aggressive proposals involving investments in customers and AI infrastructure. The reporting portrays her as a more financially cautious counterweight, not as an executive who has announced a new corporate strategy.
That distinction has direct implications for shareholders. Customer financing can support demand for Nvidia hardware, but it can also tie capital and future revenue expectations to the financial strength of buyers. Our analysis of CoreWeave’s debt and cash flow illustrates why expanding AI capacity does not automatically translate into strong free cash flow for every company in the ecosystem.
Kress will also inherit governance and supply-chain questions. Allegations involving chip distribution and potential export-control issues remain subject to scrutiny, as explained in our report on Nvidia’s China-related chip allegations. A credible response will require documented controls and transparent disclosures, not merely a change in leadership.
Her First Major Test: Nvidia’s November 17 Earnings
Nvidia plans to release fiscal third-quarter 2027 results on Tuesday, November 17, at about 4:20 p.m. ET, with the earnings call at 5 p.m. ET. Its previous outlook called for $108.0 billion in quarterly revenue, plus or minus 2%, equivalent to a range of $105.84 billion to $110.16 billion. The company also guided to GAAP and non-GAAP gross margins of 74.0%, plus or minus 0.5 percentage point.
These are earlier company projections, not results or guidance issued by Kress as CEO. Shareholders should compare the actual reported numbers with those targets, then examine the fourth-quarter outlook, Data Center demand, operating cash flow and the treatment of customer-related investments. Kress’s first call in the interim role could also clarify who has authority over product decisions and large capital commitments.
Will Colette Kress Become Nvidia’s Permanent CEO?
Nvidia has not named a permanent successor. Its board has explicitly opened a search that includes internal and external candidates, leaving Kress’s long-term status undecided. Her financial background may be valuable for stabilizing governance and investor communication, while the board must also assess who can lead the technology roadmap and maintain developer and customer relationships.
Three areas will determine whether the transition is working. First, the November 17 report should show whether near-term demand and gross margins remain aligned with the prior outlook. Second, the board should clarify the permanent CEO selection process and responsibilities within the senior engineering and finance teams. Third, future filings should show how Nvidia evaluates customer financing, capital allocation and compliance risks without disrupting product delivery.
What the CEO Transition Means for Investors
Bottom line: Colette Kress is Nvidia’s longtime CFO and interim CEO, with a technology-finance career spanning Texas Instruments, Microsoft, Cisco and more than a decade at Nvidia. Her challenge is to preserve execution and investor confidence while the board selects a permanent leader. The November 17 fiscal Q3 2027 results will provide the first scheduled financial checkpoint under the new leadership structure.
Data as of 2:25 p.m. ET, November 13, 2026. For informational purposes only; not investment advice.