Nvidia Names CFO Colette Kress Interim CEO After Huang Exit

Nvidia's chief financial officer, Colette Kress, has been appointed interim chief executive after Jensen Huang stepped down from the top job, according to NPR's Up First newsletter published Nov. 13, 2026. In a separate development reported in the same dispatch, Sen. Chris Van Hollen says he will challenge Sen. Chuck Schumer for the position of majority leader.

Both moves were disclosed together in NPR's morning roundup, which did not include additional financial figures, vote counts, or timelines beyond the fact of each transition.

Who is running Nvidia now that Jensen Huang has stepped down?

Colette Kress, who has served as Nvidia's chief financial officer, is now the company's interim chief executive, per NPR's report. The newsletter states that Huang "stepped down" from the CEO role but does not give a reason for the departure, an effective date beyond the report's Nov. 13 publication, or whether Huang retains any other title at the company. NPR's dispatch likewise does not say how long Kress is expected to hold the interim title or whether Nvidia's board has opened a formal search for a permanent successor.

Why does a CFO-to-CEO move matter without the usual numbers attached?

In corporate transitions, reporters typically lean on stock-price moves, quarterly earnings, or board statements to size up the stakes. None of those figures appear in the sourced dispatch. That absence is itself a data point for a company whose CEO changes draw close scrutiny from investors and chipmakers alike: as of this report, the public record consists of a title change and nothing else quantifiable.

What is Chris Van Hollen's challenge to Chuck Schumer about?

Sen. Chris Van Hollen has announced he will run against Sen. Chuck Schumer for the position of majority leader, according to the same NPR newsletter. The dispatch does not specify when a leadership vote would occur, how many senators have signaled support for either candidate, or what policy or strategic disagreements are driving the challenge. No direct quotes from Van Hollen or Schumer are included in the sourced material.

What hasn't been confirmed about either story?

Taken together, the two items illustrate how early a story can be when it first surfaces in a wire-style roundup. For Nvidia, unconfirmed details include the length of Kress's interim tenure, Huang's next role, and any board commentary on succession planning. For the Senate race, unconfirmed details include a caucus vote date, the current head count of senators backing each candidate, and whether other senators might enter the contest. Readers should treat both as developing stories pending additional on-the-record statements from Nvidia's board, Huang, Schumer, or Van Hollen's office.

By the numbers

• 1: chief financial officer elevated to interim chief executive at Nvidia on the day Huang's exit was reported, per NPR's Up First newsletter, Nov. 13, 2026.
• 1: sitting senator who has publicly announced a leadership challenge against Schumer, per the same report.
• 0: financial figures, caucus vote counts, or confirmed dates disclosed in the sourced dispatch for either transition.

What should readers watch for next?

• Whether Nvidia's board names a permanent CEO or extends Kress's interim mandate.
• Any statement from Jensen Huang clarifying his departure or future role.
• A scheduled date for a Senate Democratic caucus leadership vote.
• Public responses from Schumer's office to Van Hollen's announced challenge.
• Additional reporting corroborating details NPR's initial dispatch did not include.

Glossary

• Interim CEO: An executive temporarily holding the chief executive title, typically while a board searches for or confirms a permanent successor.
• Chief Financial Officer (CFO): The senior executive responsible for a company's financial operations, reporting, and strategy; Kress held this role before being named interim CEO.
• Majority leader: The elected head of the majority party's caucus in the U.S. Senate, chosen by that caucus's members rather than by a full chamber vote.

The originating report is available at NPR's Up First newsletter, which HTT News will continue to track for on-the-record follow-up from Nvidia and Senate offices.

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