Jensen Huang, the leader of Nvidia who is under investigation for an affair with a woman who U.S. intelligence determined is a Chinese spy, also had an extramarital relationship with an executive who reports to him, according to five people who worked at the company.
The relationship, which has not been previously reported, was with Kimberly Powell, Nvidia’s vice president of health care, said the people, who spoke under the condition of anonymity to describe sensitive information. Under Nvidia’s code of conduct, employees are told to “avoid situations where our actions create conflict” including “personal relationships,” and the company states that it “promptly investigates reports of misconduct.” Many corporations have policies against managers having relationships with subordinates.
Mr. Huang, 63, and Ms. Powell, 48, were captured on video being affectionate at a San Jose, Calif., hotel during a Nvidia conference in March, according to two of the people who worked at the company. The New York Times has not seen the video.
Both Mr. Huang and Ms. Powell are married to other people.
Mr. Huang, who co-founded Nvidia in 1993 and has turned it into the premier supplier of artificial intelligence chips, has been under intensifying scrutiny. Last month, The Times reported that a Chinese executive he had become close to had been identified by U.S. officials as a Chinese intelligence asset.
This month, after Mr. Huang acknowledged the affair, Nvidia’s board opened an investigation into the matter that is being led by the law firm Wachtell, Lipton, Rosen & Katz. The Republican leaders of three influential House committees have also asked Mr. Huang to appear for a closed-door briefing on his interactions with the woman, who goes by the name Alice Huang.
China has denied the espionage claims. Ms. Huang, the Chinese executive accused of spying for Beijing, has not responded to requests for comment.
