Jensen Huang’s rise and fall: how the tech superstar became mired in scandal

A reputation in free fall

Huang was known for his black leather jacket, demanding management style and high standards. His children were among those promoted within Nvidia. After the first affair became known, Huang acknowledged being unfaithful to his wife, Lori Mills, and apologised for hurting their family. He had met Mills at college, where they were lab partners, and they married in 1985.

Nvidia’s global influence

Huang co-founded Nvidia eight years after marrying Mills, following work at US chipmaker AMD. The company’s products serve some of the world’s largest firms, which are spending heavily on its technology.

Nvidia dominates the market for chips that power artificial intelligence. Huang has described AI as a new industrial revolution comparable to the arrival of electricity.

Political ties and uncertainty

Huang has been courted by US President Donald Trump and Chinese President Xi Jinping. He has also had a famously close relationship with Trump, appearing beside him and Elon Musk at a White House AI summit attended by 42 technology executives.

His resignation leaves uncertainty for global markets, which had already been unsettled in recent weeks. Nvidia is central to the US effort to lead China in technology.

The family image

Huang had worked for years to portray himself as a family man and an example of the American Dream. In Taiwan, he is known as “Daddy Huang” for his high expectations of employees.

Witt told the BBC that presenting himself as a family man had been very important to Huang. The affair revelations have put that public image under strain.