Jensen Huang was caught on camera getting cosy with Nvidia VP. Then came the NDA
A bystander who recorded Nvidia CEO Jensen Huang and senior company executive Kimberly Powell being affectionate at a California hotel during the chipmaker's annual developer conference in March was confronted by the billionaire's private security personnel and asked to sign a non-disclosure agreement (NDA), according to a New York Times report.
The incident took place in San Jose, where Nvidia was hosting its annual GTC conference that brings together developers, researchers, business leaders, and engineers.
While Huang and other company executives were holding meetings at a hotel nearby, the Nvidia CEO and Powell, who is also married, were seen displaying affection, the newspaper reported, citing sources.
One person at the hotel captured the interaction on a mobile phone. Huang's security personnel noticed the recording and took the bystander aside, the sources told The New York Times.
The security workers then asked the person to sign the NDA barring them from disclosing what they had witnessed.
The episode adds another dimension to the scrutiny surrounding the billionaire's admission of his affair with Chinese businesswoman Alice Huang, suspected of being a Chinese spy by American intelligence.
Powell, 48, has been with Nvidia since 2008 and currently serves as its vice president of healthcare.
Powell also featured at the March conference, where she spoke about the use of artificial intelligence to accelerate advances in healthcare and biology.
Her presentation included cartoon illustrations of Jensen Huang.
Powell's career at Nvidia has spanned more than 18 years. She initially worked on expanding the use of the company's AI chips in medical imaging, was promoted to senior director in 2016 and became vice president of healthcare by late 2017, according to her professional profile and LinkedIn page.
Her current responsibilities cover Nvidia's healthcare hardware and software business, including technologies used in medical imaging, life sciences and drug discovery.
Jensen Huang, Powell and Nvidia declined to comment on the matter, the report said.
In the wake of the controversies, the 63-year-old tech giant's position is currently under scrutiny. According to a Wall Street Journal report, the company's board is planning to remove him and name a new CEO.
Since Jensen Huang sent an e-mail to company employees confessing to his affair with Alice Huang on November 8, Nvidia has lost nearly $600 billion in market value.- Ends
