The rise and fall of Jensen Huang - how the tech superstar became mired in scandal

Business

Jensen Huang, known for sporting a black leather jacket to shareholder events, appeared to have it all. He was courted by leaders in the US and China alike, worshipped by investors and seen as a loyal family man. But a rockstar approach to his personal life has ultimately led to his resignation.

The 63-year-old has been married since 1985, long before the foundation of Nvidia, the company that propelled him to tech stardom.

He is known as a workaholic and a demanding manager, with high standards for those who worked for him, which included his own children, promoted within the company. But he has seen his personal reputation go into freefall this week, undone by romantic entanglements that throw doubt on his focus and his judgement.

On Thursday, he resigned following back-to-back revelations of two affairs. News of the first - a relationship with a businesswoman alleged to be a Chinese spy - ricocheted around the world, raising eyebrows among investors. It was followed on Wednesday by reports that the tech boss had also had an affair with an Nvidia colleague.

His departure creates uncertainty in the global stock market, which was already knocked-off balance in recent weeks. Nvidia is a linchpin in the US's race for technology leadership with China.

Huang may not be a household name on the same level as Elon Musk or Mark Zuckerberg.

But his role in the tech industry, especially in relation to the explosion of artificial intelligence in the last three years, may prove more consequential. Nvidia dominates the market for the microchips that are used to power the new technology.

 

Source : bbc.com