# Huang questioned Kress's readiness before his exit

> Nvidia's former CEO Jensen Huang privately doubted his successor Colette Kress, calling her 'a deer in the headlights' over a major credit program.
- Title: Huang questioned Kress's readiness before his exit | Shortify
- Summary: Nvidia's former CEO Jensen Huang privately doubted his successor Colette Kress, calling her 'a deer in the headlights' over a major credit program.
- Keywords: jensen huang, colette kress, nvidia, ceo succession, interim ceo, TechCrunch
- Source: TechCrunch — https://techcrunch.com/2026/11/13/jensen-huang-didnt-show-confidence-in-his-successor-report-says
- Author: Ivan Mehta
- Published: 2026-11-13T12:28:23+00:00
- Read time: 1 min
- Topics: jensen huang, colette kress, nvidia, ceo succession, interim ceo, technology, startups
## Huang doubted his successor
Former Nvidia CEO Jensen Huang called CFO Colette Kress 'a deer in the headlights' during a summer presentation, the Wall Street Journal reported citing an anonymous source.

> a deer in the headlights
## The comment came over a credit program
Huang made the remark during a meeting with Nvidia's finance team about guarantees worth billions of dollars to data center operators who couldn't afford to buy chips upfront.
## Kress had questioned the deals
Kress, at Nvidia for over thirteen years, had scaled back the company's commitment to OpenAI's Ohio data center project from two hundred fifty billion dollars to one hundred five billion dollars.
## Huang resigned, Kress became interim CEO
Huang resigned Thursday after reports of extramarital affairs. Kress, the company's CFO, replaced him as interim CEO while Nvidia searches for a permanent replacement after Huang's thirty-three year tenure.
## Key takeaway

Jensen Huang expressed doubt about CFO Colette Kress's ability to lead strategy before resigning over affairs, leaving her as interim CEO while Nvidia searches for a permanent replacement.