NVIDIA Staff Rally For Jensen's Return In Internal Post Topping 1,600 Comments

Jensen Huang may be out as NVIDIA's CEO, but not everyone at the company is ready to say goodbye to the leather jacket-wearing co-founder. After announcing his stunning resignation, employees are reportedly rallying behind their former boss, with an internal discussion attracting more than 1,600 comments, many calling for his return. So even if NVIDIA's Board is keen to move on, it would appear that many employees are not.

According to Wired, which says it reviewed internal correspondence, many employees asked the Board to take their collective sentiment into account before deciding on the now-former CEO's fate. The so-called suggestion box predates Jensen's official resignation, underscoring just how quickly things went off the rails for the co-founder who started NVIDIA over 33 years ago.

Initially, the Board said it was investigating Jensen's affair with Alice Huang (no relation), a person whom U.S. intelligence believes targeted the CEO as part of a Chinese spy campaign. Coinciding with the announcement, NVIDIA published an apologetic email Jensen had sent to employees disclosing the affair, in which he also said he supports the investigation and will cooperate fully.

NVIDIA's stock took a beating from the fallout (presumably), but at the time, it seemed like Jensen's job was still safe. However, days later, a report by The New York Times came out claiming Jensen also had an affair with a subordinate at NVIDIA.

That proved to be the straw that broke the camel's back, as the next day, Jensen announced his complete resignation effective immediately.

Since then, the employee suggestion box reportedly saw a flurry of activity with several workers urging the Board to reinstate Jensen.

"I stand by Jensen. Not because I believe any person is infallible, but because I refuse to believe that standing for fairness must mean standing at a distance from someone whose leadership has meant so much to us," one of the workers wrote.

Another worker said, "If you believe in the mission, bring back THE boss."

It's worth emphasizing that 1,600 comments don't necessarily represent 1,600 individual employees, nor is this a formal vote. However, the reaction suggests that Jensen still enjoys considerable support within the company he co-founded in 1993.

For now, NVIDIA's Board has appointed longtime CFO Colette Kress as interim CEO while it searches for a permanent replacement. The company also named Harvey Jones as Board chair.