Former Nvidia CEO Jensen Huang reportedly criticized Colette Kress, the company’s chief financial officer, during an August 2026 meeting. The remarks have drawn attention since she was appointed Nvidia’s interim CEO on November 12.
According to The Wall Street Journal, Huang described Kress as “a deer in the headlights” during a presentation. The newspaper cited a person familiar with the comments.
Jensen Huang Colette Kress Remarks Follow Financing Dispute
The reported criticism came during discussions about Nvidia’s multibillion-dollar financial guarantees for AI data center operators.
Huang reportedly questioned Kress’s ability to contribute to company strategy, describing her as a “reporting CFO.”
Kress had raised concerns about the financial risks of Nvidia’s agreements with AI cloud providers. She questioned how the company valued guarantees, selected partners and measured potential returns.
OpenAI Financing Deal Raised Concerns
The disagreement also involved Nvidia’s proposed financial support for OpenAI’s massive Ohio data center project.
Nvidia initially considered guarantees worth approximately $250 billion. The company later reduced the proposed commitment as it reassessed its financial exposure.
The Wall Street Journal reported that Kress had pushed for greater scrutiny of these arrangements.
Colette Kress Takes Over as Nvidia Interim CEO
Kress joined Nvidia in 2013 and has overseen its finances during the company’s rapid AI expansion.
She became interim CEO following Huang’s resignation on November 12. Nvidia’s board is searching for a permanent successor.
The reported comments highlight earlier disagreements over Nvidia’s financing strategy. They do not establish how Kress will manage those commitments as interim CEO.
