SAN JOSE — The leadership crisis at NVIDIA deepened this week as Chief Executive Jensen Huang faces fresh allegations of a workplace relationship with a direct subordinate, compounding an ongoing national security investigation involving an alleged foreign intelligence operative.

According to reporting published by major U.S. media outlets, the company’s board of directors is reviewing potential disciplinary actions, including the possible removal of Huang. The board convened emergency discussions following revelations that span both corporate governance violations and geopolitical vulnerabilities.

The latest controversy centers on Kimberly Powell, NVIDIA's vice president of healthcare. Sources familiar with the matter revealed that Huang and Powell were observed together during the company’s annual GPU Technology Conference (GTC) in San Jose earlier this year. Observers noted that security personnel intervened when a bystander attempted to document the encounter on a mobile device, reportedly requiring the individual to sign a confidentiality agreement.

Corporate governance experts point out that such relationships directly challenge standard technology sector guidelines. NVIDIA's corporate ethics policy strictly mandates that employees avoid conflicts of interest stemming from personal associations. Major corporate boards generally prohibit romantic entanglements between executive leadership and reporting staff to mitigate risks of favoritism and conflicts of interest.

The internal personnel issue arrives on top of an already severe external crisis. Federal lawmakers and independent investigators are examining Huang’s prior association with Alice Huang, a woman flagged by intelligence analysts over suspected ties to Chinese state security. Reports previously surfaced alleging that restricted NVIDIA microprocessors—valued in the billions—were illicitly funneled toward Chinese entities during the period surrounding the relationship.

While Beijing has formally rejected accusations of espionage, U.S. congressional committees have summoned the executive for private testimonies regarding potential leaks of advanced artificial intelligence hardware.

Powell, who joined the Silicon Valley semiconductor giant in 2008, has served as a central figure in expanding the firm’s medical imaging and healthcare technology initiatives, frequently speaking at international technology summits. Neither Huang nor Powell provided immediate comment when approached by journalists, and corporate representatives have declined to issue formal statements regarding the ongoing board evaluations.

As independent legal counsels retained by NVIDIA’s board press forward with their corporate inquiries, institutional stakeholders and federal regulators are closely monitoring the unfolding situation, which threatens to reshape the leadership structure of one of the world's most vital technology enterprises.

[ⓒ Global Economic Times. 무단전재-재배포 금지]