Nvidia’s board is meeting to consider whether to remove chief executive Jensen Huang as the chipmaker faces reports of two extramarital affairs involving its longtime leader, Reuters reported, citing a source familiar with the matter.

The Guardian carried the Reuters reporting in a live update early Thursday. The report described deliberations over Huang’s future, rather than a completed decision to dismiss him.

Nvidia shares fell about 8 per cent in after-hours trading Wednesday after The Wall Street Journal first reported that the company was preparing to oust Huang. Including that decline, the company had lost about $600 billion in stock market value this week since its board announced an investigation into his relationship with a Chinese businesswoman, according to the supplied reporting.

The controversy began with revelations about Huang’s relationship with Alice Huang. The Guardian’s account said U.S. intelligence had identified her as being involved in facilitating shipments of Nvidia chips to Chinese firms. That assertion was attributed to intelligence officials; the account did not provide details of the shipments.

In a memo to employees Sunday, Huang acknowledged being unfaithful to his wife and said he took “full responsibility.” He did not provide details about the relationship in that message.

A separate report by The New York Times earlier Wednesday said Huang had also had an extramarital affair with a company executive who reported to him.

The board’s deliberations concern a leader who retains extensive control over the world’s dominant supplier of artificial-intelligence processors. Huang, 63, owns about 3.6 per cent of Nvidia’s stock and has dozens of direct reports. The reporting identified no obvious successor to take over if the board decides to remove him.

Sources