Nvidia Scandal Widens: Who Is Kimberly Powell?

The scandal surrounding Jensen Huang's departure from Nvidia has expanded beyond the allegations involving suspected Chinese spy Alice Huang. Kimberly Powell, Nvidia's vice president of health care, has emerged as a second figure in the story, with two people who worked at the company telling The New York Times that Powell and Huang were caught on camera in an intimate moment during a Nvidia conference in March.

According to TMZ.com, the relationship between Huang and Powell — his direct report — is rumored to have raised concerns about the company's code of conduct, which instructs employees to "avoid situations where our actions create conflict" such as "personal relationships." The reported encounter at the March conference appears to fall into that category, given the reporting from The New York Times.

Powell's tenure at Nvidia is lengthy. The New York Post reports that she joined the company in 2008 and rose through the ranks before being named vice president in 2017. She is also married and the mother of two children. Neighbors reportedly were taken aback when news of the alleged affair surfaced, with one telling The Post, "She was an excellent neighbor."

Huang's exit from the CEO role followed the public airing of his alleged affairs. Nvidia CFO Colette Kress has stepped in as interim CEO. Whether Powell will remain in her position at the company remains unclear, according to TMZ.com.

The story has drawn attention from national outlets including The New York Times and the New York Post, and it continues to develop as Nvidia navigates the leadership transition under Kress.