By Anjali Sharma
WASHINGTON – Media reported on Friday that 3 Indian-origin technology executives, Sanjay Mehrotra, Nikesh Arora and Thomas Kurian, have emerged as potential candidates to replace Jensen Huang as the chief executive officer of AI chipmaker Nvidia.

The company is looking for a permanent successor after Huang stepped down with immediate effect after a controversy involving alleged extramarital relationships and suspected links to Chinese intelligence.

They bring experience in semiconductors, cyber security and cloud computing, as Nvidia weighs internal and external candidates for its top leadership position.

According to media report, all three executives currently head major technology companies and have extensive experience in different sectors, including semiconductor manufacturing, cybersecurity and cloud computing.

Their names have reportedly come up as Nvidia considers both internal and external candidates for the top position.

Nvidia announced Huang’s resignation on Thursday, appointing Chief Financial Officer Colette Kress as interim CEO until a permanent replacement is found. Longtime company director Harvey Jones has also been named Nvidia’s first-ever chairman.

According to Bloomberg, the company has hired an external firm to identify suitable candidates.

It said that finding a successor may not be easy, considering Huang’s contribution to Nvidia’s growth over more than three decades.

Under his leadership, the company transformed from a graphics chip manufacturer into one of the world’s most valuable technology companies and a major supplier of AI processors.

Sanjay Mehrotra is the CEO of Micron Technology and has decades of experience in the semiconductor industry.

He has led the company through different market conditions, including periods of growth and industry downturns.

During his leadership, Micron’s shares have gained more than 2,700%. Rising demand for memory chips used in AI infrastructure has also supported the company’s growth.

His long experience in semiconductor manufacturing and understanding of the global chip market could make him a potential choice for Nvidia’s top position.

Nikesh Arora has been leading cybersecurity firm Palo Alto Networks since 2018.

Under his leadership, the company has strengthened its presence in AI-powered cybersecurity solutions.

Arora before joining Palo Alto Networks he served as president and chief operating officer of SoftBank.

He also spent 10 years at Google, where he gained experience in managing large technology businesses.

His experience across cyber security, artificial intelligence and global technology management has brought him into discussions around Nvidia’s leadership succession.

Thomas Kurian is the CEO of Google Cloud and has played an important role in expanding Google’s cloud computing and AI businesses.

He oversees cloud infrastructure, enterprise software and artificial intelligence services.

His position also involves managing large-scale technology operations and working with major corporate clients.

His experience in cloud computing and AI infrastructure could be relevant as Nvidia continues to expand its role in the global artificial intelligence industry.

Huang stepped down as Nvidia’s CEO and board member following growing scrutiny over reports of multiple extramarital relationships. He had been at the helm of the company for more than 30 years.

The controversy gained attention after reports linked him to Alice Huang, a former senior executive at Singapore-based data centre company Megaspeed International.

In a message to Nvidia employees, Jensen Huang admitted to being “unfaithful” to his wife, Lori Huang, but did not name the woman involved.

A memo circulated by US intelligence agencies alleged that Alice Huang was associated with China’s Ministry of State Security.

These claims have not been publicly substantiated, while Beijing has rejected allegations of Chinese intelligence involvement.

Alice Huang was also present at a dinner hosted by Jensen Huang at a Chinese restaurant in Taipei on May 22, 2025, during the Computex technology expo.

Media live streams from the event showed Jensen putting his arm around her as she kissed him on the cheek.

A Taiwanese government minister said that Alice had visited Taiwan 8 times during 2024 and 2025. Megaspeed International has announced an investigation after the controversy.