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Colette Kress, the longtime Chief Financial Officer of American semiconductor giant Nvidia, has been appointed interim Chief Executive Officer following the resignation of company co-founder Jensen Huang on November 12, 2026.
Kress, who has spent more than three decades working in corporate finance and technology, takes over the leadership of Nvidia at a time when the company remains one of the world’s most influential players in artificial intelligence and accelerated computing.
According to Nvidia’s announcement, she will retain her responsibilities as Executive Vice President and Chief Financial Officer while serving as interim CEO until the board appoints a permanent successor.
Her appointment marks another milestone in a career spanning Microsoft, Cisco, Texas Instruments and Nvidia, where she has overseen the company’s finances through its rapid expansion in AI infrastructure.
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Early life and education
Born in 1967, Kress pursued her education in finance, earning a Bachelor of Science degree from the University of Arizona.
She subsequently obtained a Master of Business Administration in Finance from Southern Methodist University’s Cox School of Business between 1994 and 1996.
Her academic background provided the foundation for a career focused on financial strategy, corporate planning, technology investments and business operations.
Career at Microsoft and Cisco
Before joining Nvidia, Kress held several finance positions at Texas Instruments, gaining experience in the semiconductor industry.
- She subsequently spent approximately 13 years at Microsoft, where she held senior positions in corporate planning and finance.
- Between April 2006 and November 2010, she served as Corporate Vice President, including responsibilities as Chief Financial Officer of Microsoft’s Server and Tools division.
- In November 2010, Kress joined Cisco as Senior Vice President and Chief Financial Officer of its Business Technology and Operations Finance organisation.
- During her nearly three years at Cisco, she oversaw financial strategy, planning, reporting and business development across the company’s business segments, engineering and operations.
Thirteen years overseeing Nvidia’s finances
Kress joined Nvidia in September 2013 as Executive Vice President and Chief Financial Officer, following a lengthy search for a finance chief.
- At the time, Nvidia was primarily known for graphics processing technology used in gaming and computing.
- Over the following 13 years, she helped oversee the company’s financial operations as demand for its processors expanded into data centres, autonomous vehicles and artificial intelligence.
- Her responsibilities included financial planning, corporate investments, reporting and supporting the company’s broader growth strategy.
- She also played a role in Nvidia’s investment activities and discussions surrounding strategic opportunities within the AI industry.
Her tenure coincided with Nvidia’s emergence as one of the world’s most valuable publicly traded companies.
Wealth and global recognition
Kress’s financial success has also attracted attention beyond her executive responsibilities According to biographical accounts, she first attained billionaire status in July 2025, joining a relatively small group of corporate finance executives whose wealth reached the billion-dollar threshold.
She was ranked 37th on Forbes’ Most Powerful Women list in 2025 and 32nd on its Richest Self-Made Women list in 2026.
Fortune also ranked her 49th on its 2026 Most Powerful Women list, reflecting her influence in the global technology industry.
In 2024, she received recognition from Chief, a women’s professional networking organisation, through its New Era in Business award.
Kress’s appointment projects
Kress’s appointment follows Huang’s resignation after 33 years leading Nvidia, the company he co-founded in 1993.
The board has appointed Harvey C. Jones as its first-ever Chairman and commenced a search for a permanent CEO, considering both internal and external candidates.
Kress will now oversee the company as it prepares to release its third-quarter fiscal 2027 financial results on November 17.
Her immediate responsibility will be to maintain Nvidia’s operations, customer relationships and AI technology roadmap during the leadership transition.
