[Edaily Reporter Bang Sung Hoon ] A survey found that nine out of ten NVIDIA employees had hoped that former CEO Jensen Huang would continue to lead the company. However, contrary to their wishes, when former CEO Huang stepped down amid an extramarital affair scandal, NVIDIA was engulfed in a somber atmosphere, with some employees even shedding tears.

According to Taiwan’s Liberty Times on the 13th, survey results released on the 10th by Blind, an anonymous workplace community, showed that 88% of NVIDIA employees believed former CEO Huang should remain in his position. Only 11% responded that he should step down voluntarily, while just 1% said the board should dismiss him.

Among the 1,689 total respondents—including employees from other companies—60% favored retaining him, 22% favored his dismissal, and 18% favored his voluntary resignation. This indicates that support from NVIDIA employees was significantly stronger.

When asked what decision they hoped the board would make, 82% of NVIDIA employees said the company should retain former CEO Huang even if it meant instability or damage to the company’s reputation. Among all respondents, that figure was 52%. Fifty-four percent of NVIDIA employees expressed concern that the company’s competitiveness would be significantly undermined if former CEO Huang were to leave.

Former CEO Huang enjoyed overwhelming support from employees right up until his resignation. The Liberty Times noted, “While an employee survey cannot dictate the board’s decision, the internal message is clear: the majority of employees believe it is better to maintain the status quo under former CEO Huang.”

Employee loyalty is closely tied to the company’s growth. Former CEO Huang co-founded NVIDIA in 1993 and transformed the graphics chip company into the leading artificial intelligence (AI) semiconductor firm. As the stock price soared, a significant number of employees who received stock compensation became millionaires. He also ranked first with a 96% approval rating in a 2023 Blind survey of employee support for 103 U.S. CEOs.

However, former CEO Huang left the company on the 12th (local time) after 33 years, following the revelation of a series of extramarital affairs, including one with a woman suspected of being a Chinese spy.

The mood inside NVIDIA is somber. According to CNBC, some NVIDIA employees were in tears on the day news of former CEO Huang’s resignation broke. Bouquets of flowers and candles were placed beneath the NVIDIA sign in front of the company’s headquarters in Santa Clara, California. Although there were no specific messages, CNBC reported that the gesture appeared to be a tribute mourning former CEO Huang’s departure.

An anonymous source told CNBC that many employees viewed former CEO Huang as an idol and had long considered him the core of NVIDIA’s identity. The source explained that the internal atmosphere is “more complex” than it appears from the outside. Tension has risen among executives, and the board is reportedly grappling with ways to ensure the business does not falter.

Colette Kress, the Chief Financial Officer (CFO) who has taken on the role of interim CEO, reportedly reassured employees by saying, “You are our greatest strength,” and announced that a company-wide meeting would be held on the 18th to discuss the way forward.