Tim Cook could lead NVIDIA: after Jensen Huang's departure, a struggle for the leadership chair of the tech giant has begun
An unexpected turn has occurred in the global technology industry: former Apple CEO Tim Cook has emerged among the candidates being discussed for the post of head of NVIDIA. This happened after the sudden resignation of Jensen Huang, who had led the company for 33 years. The idea of appointing Cook was publicly supported by US President Donald Trump. However, the final decision remains with NVIDIA's board of directors.
The event has already attracted the attention of investors, analysts, and representatives of the technology market. NVIDIA is one of the key players in the global artificial intelligence industry, and a change in its leadership could affect the company's development strategy, investment expectations, and the semiconductor market.
We look into why Tim Cook has found himself in the spotlight and what could change at NVIDIA.
Jensen Huang stepped down after 33 years of leadership
On November 12, 2026, NVIDIA announced the departure of Jensen Huang from the positions of chief executive officer, president of the company, and member of the board of directors.
Huang was at the origins of NVIDIA back in 1993 and turned the graphics processor manufacturer into one of the largest technology players on the planet.
Under his leadership, the company went through several important stages of development:
- the creation and development of the graphics processor market;
- the advancement of parallel computing technologies;
- the development of the CUDA platform;
- entry into the market of accelerators for data centers;
- the transformation of NVIDIA into one of the main suppliers of hardware infrastructure for artificial intelligence.
After Huang's departure, interim leadership of the company was entrusted to Chief Financial Officer Colette Kress. The board of directors must determine a permanent successor.
The departure of the founder and the appointment of an interim leader were reported by Reuters.
Why is Tim Cook being considered for Huang's position?
The name of the former Apple leader appeared in discussions of possible successors to NVIDIA after the publication of an analytical piece in TIME magazine.
Yale University professor Jeffrey Sonnenfeld and his colleagues named Cook as one of the potential external candidates.
The main argument is his experience managing one of the world's largest technology companies and the successful transfer of leadership after the Steve Jobs era.
During Cook's leadership, Apple significantly increased its market capitalization and strengthened its position in the global market.
However, it is important to distinguish an expert proposal from an actual decision by the board of directors: there is still no confirmation that NVIDIA has officially offered Cook this position or included him in an approved list of candidates.
Donald Trump supported the candidacy of the former Apple head
A statement by US President Donald Trump added further resonance to the story.
After reports of Huang's departure, he publicly suggested considering Tim Cook as the new head of NVIDIA.
Trump called the former Apple head an outstanding leader and expressed the opinion that one legend could replace another.
Thus, Cook's candidacy received support at the highest political level in the United States.
At the same time, the president's statement does not mean that the appointment has already been agreed. The choice of chief executive officer remains a corporate decision of NVIDIA's board of directors.
How could Tim Cook be useful to NVIDIA?
Tim Cook is known primarily as a leader who managed to scale a global technology business.
His managerial experience covers several areas:
Global supply chains. Apple built a complex international production infrastructure uniting dozens of countries and hundreds of suppliers.
Managing billion-dollar operations. Cook led a company with enormous sales volumes, international logistics, and a complex financial structure.
Ecosystem development. Under him, Apple strengthened its services, subscriptions, and interaction between its own devices.
Working with states. Cook has repeatedly participated in negotiations with representatives of various countries on issues of production, trade, and technology regulation.
For NVIDIA, such experience could prove useful amid the rapid growth in demand for computing capacity for artificial intelligence.
However, managing an AI chip manufacturer is substantially different from managing a consumer electronics company. NVIDIA will need a leader capable of taking into account the specifics of semiconductor development, software platforms, and artificial intelligence infrastructure.
What will happen to NVIDIA after the founder's departure?
The main question for investors is not only the identity of the future chief executive officer but also the preservation of the company's strategic course.
Under Jensen Huang, NVIDIA became one of the central participants in the global artificial intelligence race.
Its graphics processors are used for training and running large language models, developing cloud computing, and building neural network infrastructure.
Therefore, a change in leadership could affect several areas at once:
- the strategy for developing new generations of AI accelerators;
- relations with the largest cloud providers;
- cooperation with Microsoft, Amazon, and Google;
- investment in production capacity;
- international trade in semiconductors;
- competition with AMD and other chip manufacturers.
At the same time, a change of chief executive officer does not mean an automatic revision of all of NVIDIA's strategic plans.
Who else could head the technology giant?
Tim Cook is far from the only name to appear in discussions of a possible successor to Huang.
Among the potential candidates and succession options, representatives of NVIDIA itself and leaders of other technology companies are being considered.
Publications mention:
- Colette Kress — NVIDIA's chief financial officer, currently acting chief executive officer;
- Ian Buck — one of the key leaders of the CUDA division;
- Johnny Srouji — head of Apple's hardware division;
- Eric Schmidt — former chief executive officer of Google;
- Tim Cook — former Apple head and current executive chairman of the company's board of directors.
However, NVIDIA has not yet presented a publicly approved list of candidates.
How could a change in leadership affect the artificial intelligence market?
NVIDIA occupies a strategically important position in the artificial intelligence industry.
Its technologies are used in creating the largest computing centers, training neural networks, and developing intelligent services.
Therefore, investors will closely monitor who receives the authority to make key decisions.
Three questions are especially important for the market:
- Will NVIDIA maintain its previous pace of developing new generations of accelerators?
- Will the company's international expansion strategy change?
- Will the new leader be able to maintain relations with the largest clients and partners?
The answers to these questions will matter not only for NVIDIA itself but for the entire global technology industry.
Bottom line: will Tim Cook become the new head of NVIDIA?
Jensen Huang's departure became one of the most notable personnel events in the technology sector in 2026.
Tim Cook found himself among the discussed options thanks to his experience managing Apple and public support from Donald Trump.
However, at the moment his appointment has not been confirmed, and information that NVIDIA's board of directors is officially considering his candidacy specifically has not received reliable confirmation.
The main intrigue now is who will head NVIDIA and will be able to continue the development of the company that has become one of the main centers of the global artificial intelligence revolution.
