Nvidia’s interim CEO Colette Kress inherits Jensen Huang’s no-meeting playbook

Jensen Huang built one of the most closely watched companies in tech while skipping one of corporate America’s most sacred rituals: the one-on-one meeting.

Now Huang is gone, and Colette Kress has taken over as interim CEO. One of her quieter decisions is whether Nvidia keeps running on its founder’s famously meeting-light operating system.

The man who refused the weekly check-in

Huang resigned on November 12, 2026, ending a 33-year run as Nvidia’s chief executive. He gave up his roles as president, CEO, and board member. His departure followed board investigations into his conduct.

Nvidia named Kress, its executive vice president and CFO, as interim CEO the same day. The board is looking at both internal and external candidates for the permanent job.

Huang’s management style was unusual by any standard. At one point, he had 60 direct reports. Most executives would need a full-time calendar wrangler for half that number.

His solution was simple: he didn’t do catch-ups. Speaking at Stanford University, Huang explained his approach in five words.

“I don’t do one-on-ones with any of them,” Huang said.

Kress steps into a very different chair

Kress joined Nvidia in 2013 and has served as CFO since then. She oversaw the financial strategy behind the company’s transformation from gaming chipmaker to a leader in AI accelerators.

Kress’s role in that story was distinct from Huang’s. Her financial approach often stood in contrast to his more aggressive stance on financing, particularly around the risks tied to AI infrastructure customers.

Her first major test arrives quickly. Kress is scheduled to lead an all-hands meeting on November 18, 2026, at 9 a.m. PT.

Markets have already registered their discomfort. Nvidia’s share price fell sharply in pre-market trading after the leadership change was announced.

Why a meeting habit is more than trivia

A flat structure with many direct reports and few private meetings puts enormous weight on the person at the center. Remove that person and the structure faces a stress test. Kress inherits not just a company but a communication system designed around Huang’s habits and instincts.

What to watch from here

The November 18 all-hands meeting is the first visible marker. The pace of the CEO search is the second marker. The board’s openness to external candidates is notable for a company that has only ever known one chief executive.

Kress’s financial background also shapes how she may be read during this period. A CFO who often pushed back on aggressive financing could reassure investors worried about governance and risk.